Week in Review 8-31-26

Week in Review > Week in Review 8-31-26

Posted by Buckeye Association of School Administrators on August 31st, 2026

CHILDREN/FAMILIES

More than three years after the creation of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) in 135-HB33 (Edwards), the state of Ohio still has a lot to learn about which of the department’s efforts are working or not, notably concerning children placed in the group homes that have clustered in the Dayton and Toledo areas in recent years. That learning process now includes the Study Group on Placement of Delinquent Children in Residential Facilities, a study group created in 135-HB315 (T. Hall), to evaluate the state’s existing system and identify the remaining gaps in appropriate residential facilities, resources and services available to such children. At the study group’s wide-ranging first meeting on Monday, Co-Chair Rep. Andrea White (R-Kettering) said the group will talk specifically about adjudicated delinquent children and where they’re placed in communities, but the number one goal of the group is to keep its focus on the safety and wellbeing of every single child in the state’s foster care system.

EDUCATION

The State Board of Education (SBOE) announced the selection of Taya Kidd, a second-grade teacher at French Run Elementary School in the Reynoldsburg City School District, as the 2027 Ohio “Teacher of the Year.” SBOE Superintendent of Public Instruction Philip Wagner made the surprise announcement Thursday morning during an assembly at the elementary school, SBOE said.

ELECTIONS 2026

This fall’s general election will be the first in decades where Ohio voters do not weigh in on the membership of the State Board of Education (SBOE). After losing most of their power in the prior biennium’s operating budget bill, board members are set to gradually lose their status as elected officials over two cycles, under provisions of the most recent budget.

Erie County Treasurer Caleb Stidham will appear as the Republican candidate on the ballot for the 89th House District after Secretary of State Frank LaRose broke a tie in favor of Stidham last week. Stidham was named as the replacement for Rep. D.J. Swearngen (R-Huron) after Swearingen ended his re-election campaign in anticipation of a potential federal appointment. However, the Erie County Board of Elections deadlocked along party lines over adding Stidham to the ballot after Democrats on the board argued that the replacement process did not comply with open meetings laws.

Groundwork Ohio Monday released the results of a poll it commissioned on concerns of Ohioans ahead of the election, showing affordability at the top of the minds of voters, and child care adding to those concerns. The poll was conducted by UpONE Insights on behalf of Groundwork Ohio and First Five Years Fund from Monday, Aug. 3, through Thursday, Aug. 6 among 600 registered voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. Groundwork Ohio said the poll showed child care is among the concerns of Ohio voters, and one the next governor and Legislature have an opportunity to address. According to the group, nearly two-thirds of Ohio voters, 64 percent, identify lowering the cost of living as one of the two most important issues facing their families.

EMPLOYMENT/UNEMPLOYMENT

The state unemployment rate declined to 3.4 percent in July, down from 3.6 percent in June, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) said Friday, as nonagricultural wage and salary employment increased 5,100 over the month. ODJFS said the number of workers unemployed in Ohio in July was 200,000, down from 209,000 in June. The number of unemployed has decreased by 66,000 in the past 12 months from 266,000.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

The issue of affordability is driving a lot of messaging going into November’s elections, and health care affordability has become top of mind for many voters. At the Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) Policy Summit on Wednesday, a panel of legislators and other leaders discussed what’s driving health care costs upwards in Ohio and how policymakers, both public and private, are trying to address the issue. Health care costs are now the top concern for U.S. adults, according to an April 2026 poll by KFF Health Tracking, with 30 percent of survey respondents reporting they were “very worried” about health care costs, surpassing those who felt the same about the cost of gasoline or other transportation, at 29 percent.

The DeWine administration announced Wednesday that about $3 million of Ohio’s $202 million award from the federal Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) will go to improve pharmacy access to electronic health records and the state prescription monitoring system. The Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) will receive $2 million to connect a network of independent pharmacies, retail pharmacies, federally qualified health centers and outpatient hospital pharmacies across 73 rural counties to a health information exchange to improve access to patient medical records. The Ohio Board of Pharmacy (OBP) will receive $1.15 million to improve integration of Ohio’s prescription drug monitoring program, the Ohio Automated Rx Reporting System (OARRS), with electronic health records and pharmacy dispensing systems.

Several indicators of child health and wellbeing are improving in Ohio, according to the most recent Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO) Health Value Dashboard, but there are still children’s issues in which the state has room for improvement. A panel at this week’s HPIO Health Summit looked back at the progress the state has made, as well as the challenges it still faces and where Ohio’s priorities could lie in the future.

Thursday’s Ohio Department of Health (ODH) update showed there have been 6,063 cyclosporiasis cases so far this year, up from 5,874 in the previous update. August’s count rose from 74 to 96. The total for July continued to rise from 4,332 to 4,471 as past cases were identified, along with other increases of 1,447 to 1,474 for June, and 21 to 22 for Jan. 1 through May 31.

Hamilton County Public Health (HCPH) announced Thursday that mosquitoes in the county have tested positive for West Nile virus and encouraged residents to take “active precautions to reduce their risk of disease.” HCPH traps mosquitoes around the county as part of standard procedures and sends them to the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) for testing. HCPH learned Wednesday that mosquitoes trapped in Green Township on July 30 had tested positive as carrying West Nile virus. That was the first detection of West Nile among mosquitoes in HCPH’s jurisdiction — which excludes Cincinnati, Springdale and Norwood — during the year.

PENSIONS

The State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) announced Friday the hiring of Don Schley as its new chief financial officer effective immediately. “Don is a proven leader with exceptional financial expertise and a deep understanding of STRS Ohio,” said STRS Executive Director Steve Toole. “His knowledge of the organization and commitment to our mission make him the ideal choice to serve as chief financial officer. I’m excited to see the impact he will have as we continue to move STRS Ohio forward.”

PEOPLE

Gov. Mike DeWine’s office ordered flags flown at half-staff after the death of Dolly Parton, and First Lady Fran DeWine issued a statement on the death, noting her founding of the Imagination Library initiative. “Mike and I are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dolly Parton. She touched countless lives in profound and meaningful ways. Her devotion to children and literacy is unparalleled. Because of Dolly, millions of children around the country and the world are getting free books and learning how to read, which will, in many cases, change the trajectory of their lives. Because of Dolly’s vision and generosity, over one million Ohio children have received free books in the mail, totaling nearly 28 million books. Her generosity and selfless spirit leave a legacy that will live on for generations to come. We remain incredibly grateful for her compassion and commitment to others,” Fran DeWine said.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The DeWine administration is issuing a dual alert to keep kids and adults safe in the new school year. The Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) is highlighting its “Stop Means Stop” and “Buckle Up with Brutus” initiatives to protect kids at school bus stops and while riding in passenger vehicles and buses. OTSO, a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety (DPS), is urging all drivers to make child safety the priority during the 2026-27 academic year.

WORKFORCE

The Ohio Department of Development (DOD) announced its updated guidelines for the next round of the TechCred program ahead of its Thursday, Oct. 1 application window. That will provide better focus on technology-driven skills, DOD said in a press release. Applications must be received by Oct. 30.