Education is the key for the kids.

By RHONDA CROWDER

Staff Reporter

Yesterday, legislators in both the Ohio House of Representatives and Senate voted to passCleveland’s Plan for Transforming Schools.

Sponsored by Representatives Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland) and Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster), the House approved HB 525, 78-16.

Senators Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) and Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) sponsored its companion, Senate Bill 335.

The legislation will reviseOhiolaw on how schools will be conducted inCleveland.

“It’s a done deal,” said Mayor Frank G. Jackson. “There may be some other procedural things that have to happen before the governor signs off but we’ve accomplished what we needed to accomplish.”

Jacksonexplained that they received what they sought in agreement with the unions around seniority, tenure, pay, and assignments as well as charter school accountability.

With the charter school piece, it will allow the district to share levy revenues with the charter schools that have a contractual relationship them. 

He went on to say the next step is gearing up for a levy. Meetings have been held on that front but no amount for the levy has been determined. Cleveland Metropolitan School District CEO Eric Gordon will need to determine the cost of restoring recent cuts as well as the degree of necessary purchases. They will try to keep it as low as possible, saidJackson. “Once the levy passes in November, the next step is implementation.”  

Overall, the mayor is excited about moving forward.

“This gives us the tools to demonstrate to the people that they can expect better outcomes than in the past,” saidJackson.