Major provisions:                       

Elementary achievement test provisions

- Revises scheduling of elementary achievement tests to allow spring testing to begin the week containing April 24.

- Allows the elementary achievement tests to be administered over a two-week period, instead of five consecutive days.

- Clarifies that the elementary achievement tests must be submitted to the scoring company after all of the tests have been administered for the designated testing period.

All-day kindergarten provisions

- Authorizes school districts that are not eligible to receive poverty-based assistance funding for all-day kindergarten to charge tuition for all-day kindergarten classes on a sliding scale based on family incomes.

- Requires the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to issue an annual report on tuition charged by school districts for all-day kindergarten. Each district must provide ODE with the following information: (1) whether the district charges fees or tuition for all-day kindergarten (2) the amount of the fees or tuition charged (3) how many of the students for whom tuition is charged are eligible for a free or reduced lunch and (4) how many students are enrolled in traditional half-day kindergarten instead of all-day kindergarten.

- Requires the ODE to issue a one-time report by April 30, 2008, on fees charged by school districts for: (1) classes or programs that are offered during the regular school day or after school and for which students earn credit or are assigned grades, (2) instructional materials, and (3) summer school.

Educator misconduct provisions

- Requires school districts, educational service centers (ESCs), community schools and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) schools to request criminal record checks for all job applicants and employees, not just those whose job duties entail the care, custody or control of children. The records checks must include both Bureau of Criminal Identification and Identification (BCII) records and FBI records.

- Requires private contractors hired by school districts, ESCs, community schools and STEM schools to request criminal record checks for job applicants and employees who will work in schools.

- Requires subsequent criminal record checks every five years for school employees who are not licensed by the State Board of Education and who do not operate vehicles for pupil transportation. Employers will initiate the cycle by requesting a criminal records check by Sept. 5, 2008. Important: The bill does not change the existing record checks requirements for licensed educators and school bus drivers. Licensed educators remain subject to periodic record checks when they renew their licenses and school bus drivers are subject to the checks on their current six-year cycle.

- Prohibits an employer from hiring or continuing to employ any person whose criminal records check reveals a conviction of or plea of guilty to any crime that disqualifies an individual for employment with a public school under current law, unless the person meets the State Board of Education’s rehabilitation standards.

- Requires the State Board to request an FBI criminal record check of an applicant (in addition to a BCII check) prior to issuing or renewing a license or permit. The bill also requires persons who hold permanent teaching certificates to undergo an FBI check in conjunction with their regular five-year BCII check.

- Permits the State Board of Education to revoke an expired educator license for misconduct.

- Requires the Ohio Educator Standards Board to make recommendations for a code of conduct for educators who are licensed by the State Board of Education. The recommendations must include descriptions of inappropriate conduct and disciplinary actions that should be taken. The recommendations are due no later than three months after the bill’s effective date, which was Nov. 14, 2007.

- Requires ODE, by Dec. 31, 2007, to recommend to the General Assembly penalties for failure to report information about educators who have committed an act unbecoming to the teaching profession or that makes them a threat to students' safety.

Other provisions:

- Permits the Superintendent of Public Instruction to waive the minimum number of school days in the 2006-2007 school year for a joint vocational school district that experienced delays in a state-assisted construction project.

- Extends to July 1, 2008, the deadline for issuance of recommendations by the public-private collaborative commission studying the promotion of student success in conjunction with the Ohio Core curriculum.

- Removes the Directors of Natural Resources and Job and Family Services from the Ohio Community Service Council and adds two members to the number appointed by the governor.