Week in Review 9-28-26

Week in Review > Week in Review 9-28-26

Posted by Buckeye Association of School Administrators on September 27th, 2026

DISABILITIES

This week brought the effective date for a new law that enables public safety officials to send emergency alerts in the case of missing children with autism or other developmental disabilities — HB359 (C. Thomas-Gross). The law creates new “Joshua Alerts,” named in memory of Joshua Al-Lateef Jr., a child with autism who was found dead in a pond near his home in West Chester. Under HB359, if law enforcement confirms a missing child has autism spectrum disorder or another developmental disability and that their disappearance poses a credible threat of immediate danger of serious harm or death, they must notify the Statewide Emergency Alert Program.

DISASTERS

Gov. Mike DeWine this week declared a state of emergency in 19 Ohio counties affected by recent severe weather. He signed the proclamation after meeting with local officials, first responders, and residents in Vinton County, which experienced significant flooding. The counties included in the state of emergency are Athens, Clermont, Gallia, Greene, Highland, Jackson, Logan, Meigs, Mercer, Montgomery, Morgan, Muskingum, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Preble, Ross, Van Wert and Vinton. The proclamation directs all relevant state of Ohio departments and agencies to lend their services, equipment, supplies, and personnel as necessary to assist in the cleanup effort.

ECONOMY

Ohio’s unemployment rate dropped slightly from 3.4 percent in July to 3.3 percent in August, bringing the rate more than a full point down from August 2025’s 4.4 percent rate. Employment increased by 2,100 over the month from a revised 5,686,600 in July to 5,688,700 in August. Ohio’s rate is below the U.S. rate of 4.1 percent, which held steady from July and is slightly below the 4.3 percent seen a year earlier. Ohio’s drop over the year was the second largest among states and represented the lowest rate seen in decades, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In August 2026, the labor force participation rate in Ohio was 61.3 percent, down from 61.4 percent in July 2026 and down from 62.3 percent in August 2025. During the same period, the national labor force participation rate was 61.6 percent, up from 61.4 percent in July 2026 and down from 62.3 percent in August 2025.

EDUCATION

Barberton City Schools in Summit County entered fiscal emergency Tuesday, making it the third Ohio school district subject to the highest level of state fiscal oversight. Barberton joins Hamilton County’s Mt. Healthy Schools and Athens County’s Trimble Local in fiscal emergency, a designation that allows a state financial planning and supervision commission to take some or all power of the local board of education. The Barberton Board of Education asked Auditor Keith Faber’s office and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) to make such a declaration in August, amid budget cuts, forecasting errors and a levy failure.

As students return for the school year, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is reminding the state’s educators that “Ohio: Wild at Heart,” the movie and educational experience about the natural world of the Buckeye State, is available to screen in classrooms this year. It is available online and accessible for teachers to use as a learning tool that inspires curiosity, supports science curriculum and encourages students to explore the outdoors. Educators can click HERE and complete a brief form to receive access to the film. A trailer for the film can be seen on YouTube HERE.

The DEW K-12 Industry-Recognized Credential Review Committee convened Wednesday afternoon to review credential and bundle evaluation methodologies ahead of the group’s November meeting. Over the summer, DEW told Hannah News the committee would review in November recommended credential bundles collected from school districts, businesses and credential venders via an application process set to close Saturday, Oct. 31. Wednesday’s meeting primarily sought to provide an opportunity for members to discuss the guidelines for credential evaluation, given the committee will likely review a high volume of applications in the coming months.

ELECTIONS 2026

Military and overseas voting began last week as the deadline to register to vote in the Tuesday, Nov. 3 general election approaches. Uniformed And Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) ballots started to be sent on Friday, Sept. 18. Meanwhile, the deadline to register to vote is Monday, Oct. 5, with boards of elections and the Ohio secretary of state’s office open until 9 p.m. on that date to receive late registrations. Absentee voting begins by mail and in-person on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Boards of elections will be open for early voting under the following schedule:

– Tuesday, Oct. 6 through Friday, Oct. 9: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

– Monday, Oct. 12 through Friday, Oct. 16: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

– Monday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct. 23: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

– Saturday, Oct. 24: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

– Monday, Oct. 26 and Wednesday, Oct. 28 through Friday, Oct. 30: 7:30 a.m. through 7:30 p.m.

– Tuesday, Oct. 27: 7:30 a.m. through 8:30 p.m.

– Saturday, Oct. 31: 8 a.m. through 4 p.m.

– Sunday, Nov. 1: 1-5 p.m.

Polls will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 3 from 6:30 a.m. through 7:30 p.m.

Additionally, absentee ballot applications to vote by mail must be received by boards of elections by 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27. Completed absentee ballots must be received by boards of elections by 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3. Mailed UOCAVA absentee ballots must be received by boards of elections by Saturday, Nov. 7 in order to be counted.

The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday overturned a lower court order blocking the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) from enforcing a provision enacted in the transportation budget requiring Ohio voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote at an Ohio BMV location. Judge Solomon Oliver had blocked enforcement of the provision passed as part of HB54 (Stewart), agreeing with plaintiffs Red Wine & Blue and the Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans in a lawsuit arguing it likely violated the National Voter Registration Act (NVRA), which the judge said required minimal steps to register to vote while obtaining a driver’s license. The judge later refused to stay his ruling in response to a request by the secretary of state’s office and the BMV. Secretary of State Frank LaRose and Ohio Registrar Charles Norman appealed to the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, which sided with them in the 2-1 ruling Wednesday.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

Filling the vacancy left by the resignation of Rep. Sharon Ray (R-Wadsworth) will also be on the agenda next week when lawmakers convene to take up a plan from legislation leadership and GOP gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to suspend the gas tax. Meanwhile, House and Senate committees set schedules for hearings on the not-yet-introduced legislation to suspend the tax, to be sponsored by lawmakers who joined Ramaswamy at a press conference on the plan earlier this week — Reps. Jim Thomas (R-Canton) and Andrea White (R-Kettering) and Sens. Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) and Jane Timken (R-Canton).

Legislative leaders said Wednesday they will hold committee hearings and floor vote on Wednesday, Sept. 30 on their plan to suspend the gas tax for 90 days, regardless of whether passage is assured ahead of time. The proposal is estimated to cost up to $700 million. “We will have a vote when we call session. This is not going to be, ‘Well, I’m going to put it on the floor if we have the votes.’ Because sometimes folks tell me, ‘I can’t vote for it,’ and we put it up on the floor and they vote for it,” said House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima). Huffman, Ramaswamy and his running mate, Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon), joined other Republican legislators and Secretary of State Frank LaRose, the GOP nominee for auditor, at a press conference this week to discuss the plans and attack a similar proposal from Dr. Amy Acton, the Democratic candidate for governor, as undetailed. The proposal will require Democratic support to pass as an emergency, at least in the House. GOP leaders rejected the notion that Acton had beaten them to the punch with a call for a gas tax holiday Monday ahead of Ramaswamy’s announcement, or that they were simply trying to boost his candidacy.

House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) responded to the gas tax suspension debate in a statement suggesting state leaders use budget money set aside to support a new Cleveland Browns stadium to offset the loss of gas tax revenue. He said lawmakers should look to “other special breaks in the current budget” if that money remains tied up in court. Judge Julie Lynch of Franklin County Common Pleas Court is presiding over a legal challenge to the use of unclaimed funds for the Browns project, with a briefing schedule that stretches into next summer. Isaacsohn gave Acton credit for the idea and said Ramaswamy’s proposal shows a misunderstanding of the state budget process.

Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) released a statement suggesting Republicans are feeling the heat on the campaign trail. “This appears to be a Hail Mary attempt from Republicans to gain favor from voters because they know they have an unpopular gubernatorial candidate. Democrats are prepared to come back and make life easier for Ohioans however we can, but the reason gas prices are so high is not just because of the gas tax. The Republicans’ reckless and unnecessary war in Iran has caused fuel prices to skyrocket. Ohioans have been asking for help for months. Despite cancelling Senate session just two weeks ago, Republicans now want to call the Legislature back on a week’s notice on the heels of troubling polling data to pass an emergency gas tax holiday. It appears the real Republican emergency is their candidate, not the needs of Ohioans.”

With Republican legislative leaders calling the General Assembly back next week to pass a gas tax relief plan, Democratic gubernatorial nominee Amy Acton said lawmakers should also address the issue of data centers with passage of a conditional moratorium. Her call for a moratorium was soon joined by Conserve Ohio, a group that is working to put a constitutional amendment banning large data centers before voters. Acton has proposed data center reforms that include provisions that prohibit data centers from passing additional costs on to ratepayers; from using nondisclosure agreements; from using non-union labor for construction; and from violating environmental standards. She also proposes they prioritize locating in brownfields and previously developed industrial sites. Ramaswamy has introduced his own data center plan that includes similar platforms but would also ensure Ohio residents who live near centers would receive free electricity with data centers providing power or compensation that directly lowers residential electric bills.

Reps. Brian Lorenz (R-Powell), Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville), Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus) and Beryl Piccolantonio (D-Gahanna) appeared before students at Otterbein University in Westerville last week for a panel discussion exploring the value of public service and civic engagement. The forum, held in recognition of “Constitution Day” which fell on Thursday, Sept. 17, was moderated by Nick Robinson, assistant professor in the university’s Department of History, Political Science and Modern Languages. In a more personal and conversational setting, the representatives reflected on inspirations that drew them to the sphere of public service.

HIGHER EDUCATION

The Ohio State University’s (OSU) total enrollment increased 1.4 percent over last year, climbing to 68,183 students, according to the university’s fall 2026 enrollment census. The total enrollment on the Columbus campus reached a record high 62,010 students, up 1.1 percent from the prior year. Undergraduate enrollment on the Columbus campus also reached a record high, with the number reaching 47,308 students. The enrollment census highlights growth on the university’s regional campuses as well. Regional campus total enrollment increased 4.1 percent to 6,173 students, and new first-year enrollment on the regional campuses is 3,256, a 6.1 percent increase over last year and a 22 percent increase over the past two years.

The University of Toledo (UToledo) is requiring every undergraduate student, regardless of major, to complete “hands-on, experience-based learning” before earning their degree, the university announced. Starting with this year’s incoming class, all undergraduate students seeking a bachelor’s degree will complete an approved experiential learning opportunity as part of their academic journey. The new requirement builds upon opportunities already in place through the university, where most academic programs already incorporate co-ops, internships, clinicals, research, performances and other field experiences into their curriculum.

JUDICIAL

A citizen initiative in the city of Wilmington to restrict data center development won’t be on the ballot this November, following a ruling Friday afternoon from the Ohio Supreme Court. The private cause of action included in the initiative that would allow residents to sue data centers over zoning violations is not within the city’s power to create, justices ruled in an unsigned opinion joined fully by five justices. Justice Jennifer Brunner concurred, while Justice Patrick Fischer dissented. Two Wilmington residents filed an initiative petition to create a new chapter in the Wilmington zoning code on data centers, but the Clinton County Board of Elections declined to certify it to the Nov. 3 ballot because of the right-of-action issue. The Wilmington residents then sued to win placement of the issue on the ballot. The Supreme Court noted that a state law passed in 2016 directs board of elections to examine initiatives “to determine whether the petition falls within the scope of authority to enact via initiative and whether the petition satisfies the statutory prerequisites to place the issues on the ballot ….”

JUVENILE JUSTICE

The Study Committee to Evaluate the Placement of Delinquent Children in Residential Facilities received three and a half hours of testimony Monday from a half dozen witnesses including Delaware County Probate/Juvenile Court Judge David Hejmanowski, Chief Eric Henderson of the Dayton Department of Police, Prosecutor Michael O’Malley and Juvenile Division Chief Brett Kyker of the Cuyahoga County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, Director Kara Wente of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY), Director Amy Ast of the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS), and Managing Counsel Brooke Burns of the Office of Ohio Public Defender’s (OPD) Youth Defense Department.