Ohio Politician Urges End To State Takeover Of Schools

LORAIN, OH — A Lorain County politician is urging his colleagues to end Ohio's takeover of three school districts.

State Rep. Joe Miller, a Democrat from Amherst, has sent an open letter to the Ohio Senate asking them to pass the state budget without removing provisions (in the form of House Bill 154) that would end the state's takeover of the Lorain, Youngstown and East Cleveland school districts.

Originally introduced as standalone legislation, House Bill 154 would dissolve the state's academic distress commissions, which can takeover school districts deemed to be in crisis. Instead of allowing state takeover of the districts, officials from those schools would be required to submit detailed improvement plans to officials.

The bipartisan HB 154 was introduced by Miller and State Rep. Don Jones, a Republican from Carroll County.

HB 154 was attached to the state budget, which was passed by the Ohio House. The Ohio Senate removed HB 154 from the budget legislation. That move has left Miller's and Jones' bill in limbo.

"HB 154 puts an end to the destruction imposed upon districts by rogue CEOs who have been given absolute power of these impoverished schools, and creates a sustainable, locally-driven process for school improvement," Miller writes in his letter.

He ends his plea by noting that taking action on HB 154 is "absolutely crucial" for families and students in Lorain, Youngstown and East Cleveland. A copy of Miller's letter has been shared publicly online.

The East Cleveland Schools have been in a dispute with the state because of the takeover of the district, arguing there were computing errors that led to a failing grade on the annual school report cards issued by the Ohio Department of Education. The Youngstown Schools filed a lawsuit to end the takeover of their district, according to WKYC.