Week in Review 9-8-26

Week in Review > Week in Review 9-8-26

Posted by Buckeye Association of School Administrators on September 09th, 2026

EDUCATION

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) this week launched two new interactive resources containing data meant to provide a picture of students’ education and workforce outcomes after high school. DEW Director Stephen Dackin announced the Ohio High School Outcomes and Ohio Career and Technical Education Outcomes dashboards, which DEW said would allow for the first time educators, school leaders, families, policymakers, and communities to explore connected education and workforce data showing graduates’ college enrollment and completion, educational attainment, employment and earnings for up to six years after high school. The dashboards were developed through a partnership among DEW, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, InnovateOhio, and the Ohio Education Research Center at Ohio State University. The resources connect education information with National Student Clearinghouse college data and state unemployment insurance wage data to help communities better understand how students transition from high school into higher education and the workforce.

The DeWine administration announced Wednesday the launch of 12 regional education partnerships, meant to bring together educators, employers and others to address challenges for students moving through school into the workforce. The initiative was established in 135-SB208 (Roegner), which incorporated the original proposal from 135-HB312 (White-Young). The law calls for establishing at least one partnership within each of the regions utilized by JobsOhio. Following an application process, the administration designated between one and three organizations to lead partnerships in each region.

DEW officials recently held a webinar highlighting the implementation measures required under SB19 (Brenner), a comprehensive academic intervention bill signed by Gov. Mike DeWine this past June and effective Wednesday, Sept. 23. The presentation detailed the law’s key policy changes regarding new intervention service requirements and K-3 reading and math diagnostic updates. Officials additionally referenced several resources designed to help schools and districts implement the changes. SB19 requires that by Wednesday, Sept. 30, schools and districts adopt a policy to assess reading and math skills of K-3 students using an assessment approved by the state, DEW Associate Administrator of Literacy Policy LM Clinton explained.

Elementary schools across the state have switched to higher quality literacy programs for reading instruction, according to a new report released by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute reviewing the state’s implementation of the third grade reading guarantee and the science of reading initiative. Originally passed by the Ohio General Assembly in 2012, the third grade reading guarantee aims to support struggling readers in grades K-3. The science of reading initiative, established in the FY24-25 operating budget and championed by Gov. Mike DeWine in his final “State of the State” address, reflects a broader effort to align curricula and instruction with best practices in literacy education. In addition to elementary schools shifting to prime literacy programs, Fordham’s literacy report found that educators have received supports to assist with science of reading implementation, that teacher preparation programs are more accountable for effectively training candidates and that third grade “social promotion” has “reemerged in the wake of an abandoned retention policy.”

Before submitting its finalized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) waiver request and proposed Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) amendments to the U.S. Department of Education at the end of July, DEW approved revisions intended to “better align state support with local district needs,” according to department spokesperson Lacey Snoke. The revised waiver request, along with the department’s updated proposed ESSA amendments, can be found HERE.

ELECTIONS 2026

As volunteers at the Ohio Education Association (OEA) headquarters in Columbus on Friday filled bookbags with school supplies for local students as they start the school year, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton joined to thank them for making sure no child is left behind. Also participating was National Education Association President-Elect Princess Moss, who called public education a great equalizer, adding that’s what Acton stands for. Moss urged volunteers to campaign for Acton and to support all pro-public education candidates. In addition to Moss, Acton was also joined by OEA President Jeff Wensing and Columbus Education Association President John Coneglio.

Meanwhile, Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy told reporters at the Darke County Fair this week that he is working with legislators of both parties on legislation to move away from property taxes as a main funding source for education and “ensuring strong, statewide components of funding that really fund students, rather than just broken systems.” Ramaswamy called it “a commonsense plan that ensures that we’re weaning ourselves away gradually from exclusive reliance on local property taxation as the way we fund the educational system.”

According to Secretary of State Frank LaRose, Ohio registered voters will soon begin receiving an absentee ballot request form in the mail. “For over a decade, registered Ohio voters have received an absentee ballot request form ahead of the presidential and gubernatorial general elections, and that will continue this year,” said LaRose. Since 2012, the Legislature has authorized the mailing of absentee ballot application forms to registered voters in every even-year general election. Only after the completed application, including voter identification, is verified by bipartisan teams at a county board of elections is a ballot mailed to a voter.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

Ray Miller, a long-time Democratic lawmaker from Columbus and former Ohio Senate minority leader, died Friday, Aug. 28. Miller served two stints in the General Assembly, beginning with election to the House in the early 1980s. His legislative accomplishments included work on establishing the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services, a precursor agency to the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health, as well as the Ohio Commission on Minority Health. He served as Senate minority leader in 2008. He was inducted into the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame His death sparked statements honoring his memory from other public officials and Gov. Mike DeWine’s ordering flags be flown at half-staff in his honor. A memorial service will be held Saturday, Sept. 5 at 11 a.m. at the Second Baptist Church in Columbus.

Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), the majority floor leader, announced Monday she’s been appointed as chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee to succeed former Sen. Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville). Manning resigned from the Senate recently to take an appointment from Gov. Mike DeWine to a seat on the Ninth District Court of Appeals. He had been running to switch legislative seats with his mother, House Speaker Pro Tem Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville) and was replaced on the ballot by Cliff Winkel, a North Ridgeville City Council member. Gavarone, an attorney, is in her second Senate term and previously was a member of the Ohio House. She has chaired committees in previous General Assemblies but moved into caucus leadership this session. Meanwhile, Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) also appointed Sen. Jane Timken (R-Canton) as member of the committee.

Republicans, Democrats and ACLU Ohio are forging an alliance against expanding government surveillance and statewide adoption of Flock cameras to track and profile unsuspecting Ohioans for possible arrest or detention. Bipartisan opposition to warrantless spying anticipates September’s introduction of House legislation and continued work on Senate language as lawmakers petition the DeWine administration and ACLU confronts capital-area officials and issues the civilian tool kit, “Eyes on You: The Rise of Public Surveillance in Ohio.” With his bill targeted for introduction on Sept. 10 or 11, Rep. Levi Dean (R-Xenia) joined Reps. Tristan Rader (D-Lakewood) and Justin Pizzulli (R-Franklin Furnace) of the House Government Oversight Committee and Rep. Darnell Brewer (D-Cleveland) of the House Public Safety Committee Wednesday in a letter admonishing the DeWine administration to halt its build-out of surveillance infrastructure in state rights-of-way and to rethink its existing tracking technology.

Spurred by what he said was the first test since Ohio law was changed, Rep. Ty Mathews (R-Findlay) has introduced legislation that would lower the signature threshold for local referenda after lawmakers significantly increased those requirements in the biennial budget. Among the various provisions of HB96 (Stewart), the biennial budget bill, was a change that raised the signature requirement for municipal corporations and limited home rule townships from 10 percent of the total vote for governor in the last election to 35 percent. The budget bill also increased for townships the number of signatures required on a referendum petition related to zoning amendments from 15 percent to 35 percent, and exempted township zoning amendments related to megaprojects from the zoning referendum process. Further, a referendum petition for local zoning amendments about planned-unit development regulations must include 35 percent of electors in the area to which the proposed amendment would apply.

GOVERNOR

Gov. DeWine praised the work of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth and state Legislature Wednesday morning during his 2026 Ohio Kids Summit opening remarks, saying state efforts have contributed to declining infant mortality rates and the number of children in foster care while increasing kindergarten readiness. The governor recalled his first state speech to the General Assembly in his first term, saying he had told lawmakers he would be asking them to invest in efforts that would not produce immediate results, but rather create change over time. “What I really had in mind primarily was children and children’s issues,” he said. Since then, the governor said lawmakers have agreed to fund most of his requests — action he suggested has steered the state in a positive direction. Despite this, however, DeWine emphasized the importance of continuing to invest in long-term supports for children across the state, noting his time in office is ending. “I have not been very bashful about talking about what I consider to be the essential things that we must continue to do in the state of Ohio,” he said. “The truth is, if you look at the big picture of Ohio, we’re red hot.” DeWine touted Ohio’s recognition as the “top state for business” under CNBC rankings, and went on to say state leaders must continue to build on that momentum by expanding the OhioSEE program and early literacy initiatives like the science of reading and Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff Tuesday morning announced a new program designed to support families dealing with pediatric cancer. The program’s launch comes after the parents of Jayden Zurlinden, a 20-year-old who died this past June after battling Osteosarcoma, sought assistance from the DeWine administration in accessing pediatric cancer treatment. The Ohio Pediatric Complex Care (PCC) and Navigation Program, housed within ODH, will build upon resources the state already has in place for families navigating pediatric cancer treatment, DeWine said. The program will provide families with a single point of contact who can connect them to resources that will assist with medication support; Medicaid coverage; finding physicians; identifying sources of support so children can travel for clinical trials; and identifying nonprofit networks offering different support and resources. The tool will expand the work being done through ODH’s Complex Medical Help program, which currently covers some cancer treatment costs for Ohio families who are medically and financially eligible.

JUDICIAL

The Ohio Supreme Court has opened registration for its biennial “Student to Lawyer Symposium,” Friday, Oct 2, at the Ohio Judicial Center in Columbus to mentor aspiring and pending bar members and help them establish relationships with experienced attorneys from law firms, bar associations, law schools and legal organizations This year’s theme focuses on professional well-being, emotional intelligence and purpose-driven practice as essential components of the legal field. The registration deadline is Monday, Sept. 14. Registration information is HERE.

Trenton residents seeking to prohibit data center construction within the city will get the chance to present their case to voters, although at a special election rather than on the November ballot, after a ruling Tuesday from the Ohio Supreme Court. In an unsigned opinion, justices ruled that Trenton council was wrong to argue that the initiative required signatures from 10 percent of eligible voters in the city, rather than 10 percent of voters who cast ballots in the most recent election. However, rather than order the issue to be placed on the November ballot, as the plaintiffs asked, justices ruled it should go on the ballot in a special election. The Supreme Court looked to Section 8 of Article XVIII of the Ohio Constitution, which states that a charter amendment is to be considered at a special election if an initiative is submitted in a year where there is no regular municipal election.

The Ohio Supreme Court said Wednesday it recently learned of a data breach involving a case management system for 10 of Ohio’s 12 court of appeals districts, excepting the Eighth (Cuyahoga County) and Tenth (Franklin County). The Supreme Court said it was notified July 24 of a breach in March involving the C-Track System from Thomson Reuters Court Management Solutions (TRCSM). The cybersecurity incident also affected other states that use C-Track. The Supreme Court said it has not yet determined the extent to which personal information was exposed nor identities of specific individuals affected, and has been advised by TRCSM that additional security measures have been deployed, although it did not have “comprehensive details” about them. The Supreme Court said it will publish future announcements about the incident on its website HERE as it learns more.

LIBRARIES

The Ohio Library Council (OLC) is observing September as Library Card Sign-Up Month by encouraging Ohioans to visit their local libraries to learn about their offerings. OLC noted cards can provide users access to resources beyond traditional books, including e-books and audio books, music, movies, homework help, story times, educational resources, technology, makerspaces, job and workforce assistance, cultural programs and community events, as well as tools, technology and other items to borrow. Ohioans can find a nearby library through the OLC website HERE.

POVERTY

The Ohio Association of Foodbanks released a new study Tuesday finding more than half of food pantry visitors were forced to choose between paying for food or medicine, highlighting challenges for those facing food insecurity. The study was based on anonymous electronic surveys completed by food pantry visitors from April 18 through May 22 of this year at each of Ohio’s 12 Feeding America foodbanks. Many of those responses are featured throughout the report. According to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, 76 percent of surveyed households included at least one adult between the ages of 19 and 59; 46 percent included at least one senior over the age of 60; and 46 percent of households included at least one child under the age of 18. Fifty-four percent reported annual household incomes below $20,000, and 69 percent reported incomes below $30,000.

STUDIES/POLLS

Americans across the country donated an estimated $617.2 billion to charitable organizations in 2025, a 5.7 percent increase compared to the year prior, according to recent data released by Giving USA Foundation tracking philanthropic trends. “Giving USA 2026: The Annual Report on Philanthropy for the Year 2025,” written and researched by the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy (LFSP), found total charitable giving last year to have reached a new high in current dollars and the second-highest amount on record inflation-adjusted dollars. In 2025, individuals led all funders with an estimated $394.2 billion, 64 percent of all giving, as the U.S. inflation rate for 2025 was 2.6 percent. Foundations contributed 19 percent of total giving with $117.15 billion, bequests contributed 10 percent with $62.19 billion and corporations contributed 7 percent with $43.67 billion. The largest year-over-year jump was in bequests, which rose 19.7 percent in raw dollars.

A recent report by personal finance website WalletHub on the “hardest working” states put Ohio 47th in the country and second-lowest among its neighbors. Indiana was highest at 19th nationally, followed by Kentucky, 33rd; Pennsylvania, 41st; West Virginia, 42nd; and Michigan, 50th. The five highest states were South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, Hawaii and Wyoming. The five lowest were Nevada, Ohio, New Jersey, Oregon and Michigan. States were also grouped by two subcategories, with Ohio 27th nationally and second among neighbors in indirect work factors; and 47th nationally and second-lowest among neighbors in direct work factors.