1)  127th General Assembly:
*A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, September
11, 2007 in the Statehouse Rotunda for U.S. Representative Paul
Gillmor (5th Congressional District), who passed away on September 5,
2007.  Representative Gillmor had a long and distinguished career in
government.  He was elected to Congress in 1988 and also served in
the Ohio Senate.

Due to the service, the Ohio House has moved its scheduled session on
Tuesday to 1:30 PM, and the Senate has canceled on Tuesday its
scheduled session and some committee meetings, including the Senate
Education Committee meeting.

A new representative for the 5th Congressional District will be
chosen through a special election, which will take place at the call
of Governor Strickland.

*The citizens group Citizens for Community Standards has filed
petitions with Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's office to place
on the November 6, 2007 ballot a referendum on Sub. SB 16 - a law
approved in June 2007 by the Ohio General Assembly and known as the
Community Defense Act.  This law tightens regulations on some
sexually-oriented businesses in the state.  According to the
Secretary of State's web site, the signed petitions will be sent to
local boards of elections to verify signatures.  If petitioners have
the necessary 241,366 valid signatures to qualify, the referendum
will be on the November 6, 2007 ballot.

2) Update on Federal Issues:
*Appropriations Bills:  Last week members of Congress returned to
Washington, D.C. to begin a hectic fall term.  Scheduled for approval
are 12 appropriations bills for FY08, which begins on October 1,
2007.   So far the House has approved all twelve of the spending
bills, but the Senate has only approved the Homeland Security Bill.
The proposed appropriation bills include $23 billion more in
discretionary spending than President Bush proposed in his budget
recommendations introduced last February 2007.  To avoid a veto
President Bush has asked lawmakers to stay within a $933 billion cap
on discretionary spending.  If Congress does not approve the spending
bills by the October 1, 2007 deadline, then lawmakers will need to
approve extensions of the current appropriations.  In past years when
faced with a time crunch, Congress has approved all of the spending
bills through one omnibus bill. To see a summary of appropriations
bills already approved by the U.S. House please visit
http://appropriations.house.gov/

Appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human
Services, and Education are included in S. 1710, which has not been
approved by the Senate, and H.R. 3043, which was approved by the
House on July 23, 2007, and has been placed on the Senate Legislative
Calendar.  For a summary of H.R. 3043 please visit
http://appropriations.house.gov/pdf/LHHSSummaryHP.pdf

*Head Start Reauthorization:  Different versions of the Head Start
for School Readiness Act - H.R. 1429 have been approved by the U.S.
House on May 2, 2007 and the U.S. Senate on June 19, 2007.   The
Senate has also appointed members of a conference committee for the
bill.  To see a detailed summary please visit
http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_HR_1429.html#usercomments

*Higher Education:  The U.S. House and Senate agreed on September 7,
2007 to a conference report on H.R. 2669 - the College Cost Reduction
and Access Act.  This law increases college aid by $20 billion over
the next five years, pays for itself by reducing federal subsidies
paid to college loan lenders, and does the following:
-Cuts interest rates in half on subsidized student loans over the
next four years; guarantees that borrowers will not have to pay more
than 15 percent of their discretionary income in loan repayments; and
allows certain borrowers to have their loans forgiven after 25 years.
-Increases the maximum Pell Grant scholarship by $490 next year and
up to $5,400 by 2012.  Expands eligibility to serve more students
with financial need.
-Provides tuition assistance to qualified undergraduate students who
commit to teaching in public schools in high-poverty communities or
high-need subject areas.
-Provides public servants loan forgiveness after 10 years of public
service and loan repayment for military service members, first
responders, law enforcement officers, firefighters, nurses, public
defenders, prosecutors, early childhood educators, librarians, and
others.
-Invests $510 million over five years in colleges and universities
that have historically served African Americans, Hispanic Americans,
Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
-Establishes a partnership among federal, state, and local government
entities and philanthropic organizations through matching challenge
grants aimed at increasing the number of first generation and
low-income college students.

To see a factsheet on this bill please visit
http://edlabor.house.gov/publications/20070905ConfReportOnePager.pdf

*State Children's Health Insurance Program:  The U.S. House and
Senate have approved different versions of legislation to reauthorize
the State Children's Health Insurance Program.  This program was
created ten years ago, and covers the health care costs of
approximately 6.6 million children from low income families.  The
program expires at the end of September.  According to some reports
recently introduced regulations will make it more difficult for
states to expand their SCHIP to cover middle-income children, such as
those with catastrophic illnesses.

*NCLB Reauthorization:  As reported last week, the House Education
and Labor Committee, chaired by Representative George Miller,
released a discussion draft of Title 1 Part A of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (ESEA), also known as No Child Left Behind
(NCLB).  This major education act is up for reauthorization this
year.  During the week the committee released a draft of the
remaining sections of the act.  The committee is scheduled to meet on
September 10, 2007 at 10:00 AM for a live broadcast and discussion of
the draft.  To see the recommendations for the remaining sections of
the act please visit http://edlabor.house.gov

*Federal Help for School Facilities:  A coalition called Rebuilding
America's Schools is supporting legislation that would provide
federal assistance to rebuild or renovate public schools.  The
America's Better Classroom Act of 2007 - HR 2470 would subsidize
$25.2 billion in zero-interest bonds for school renovations.  A
similar bill, S. 912, amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a tax
credit for investment in qualified public school modernization bonds
for the construction, rehabilitation, or repair of a public school
facility.  Senators Tom Harkin, Edward Kennedy, Hillary Clinton, and
Barb Mikulski have also introduced a bill that would provide $1.6
billion in FY08 and future sums for grants that school districts
could use to plan and renovate schools.  The bill also requires the
Government Accounting Office to determine the facilities needs of
public schools in the U.S., which was last done in the mid 90s.

3)  Ohio Attorney General Issues Opinions:  The Office of Attorney
General Marc Dann issued on September 5, 2007 two opinions concerning
tuition payments charged by school districts.  According to the
opinions, school districts have no authority to charge tuition to
parents whose children attend all-day kindergarten classes (Ohio
Department of Education SYLLABUS: 2007-027), and no authority under
current law to charge a parent for their child's attendance at a
cooperative educational program outside the school district,
including educational options or joint educational programs.  (Ohio
Department of Education SYLLABUS: 2007-028).  To read more about
these opinions please visit
http://www.ag.state.oh.us/legal/opinions/index.asp.

4)  State Board of Education to Meet:   The State Board of Education,
Jennifer Sheets president, will meet on September 9-11, 2007 at the
Ohio School for the Deaf, 500 Morse Road, Columbus, OH.

The State Board's School Funding Subcommittee, chaired by Virgil
Brown met on August 16, 28, and September 9, 2007.  The subcommittee
is reviewing proposals to address several school funding issues, and
anticipates developing options, which could become part of the State
Board's 2010-2011 legislative and budget recommendations.

The Board will begin its meeting at 8:30 AM on September 10, 2007
with a discussion of the work of the Board in 2007-2008 and the Board
Approved Priorities, which were adopted at the July 10, 2007 meeting.

The Capacity Committee, Rob Hovis and Jane Sonenshein co-chairs, and
the Achievement Committee, Michael Cochran and Ann Womer Benjamin
co-chairs, will meet at 9:00 AM.

The Capacity Committee will discuss the Ohio Regional Delivery System
Structure; review Rules 3301-2-01, 02, 03, 05, 06, and 09, 11, and 13
(Personal Information Systems); and Rule 3301-24-05 (Adult Permits).

The Achievement Committee will discuss and approve the Resolution of
Intent to adopt Rule 3301-07-01, (Ethical Use of Tests), Rules
3301-13-01 to 06, and 3301-13-08 to 3301-13-11 (State Testing), and
Rule 3301-13-07 (Testing Fairness and Sensitivity); review Rule
3301-51 (Operating Standards for Children with Disabilities); discuss
Physical Education Standards; discuss Rule 3301-4-01 regarding State
Board Meeting Notices; and discuss eTech Curriculum for Distance
Learning.

The full Board will convene at 10:30 AM in the Conference Center to
hear presentations from the Achievement Committee regarding the rules
that will be voted upon by the Board during their business meeting,
and the Capacity Committee will present information regarding the
definition and criteria for a Master Teacher.  At 11:30 AM the Board
will hear an update on community school grants.  The School Readiness
Solutions Group Implementation Committee will meet during lunch from
12:15 to 1:30 PM.

The Board will convene its business meeting at 1:30 PM and
immediately go into executive session.  The Board will recess its
business meeting at 3:00 PM.  At 3:15 PM legislative liaisons, John
Bender and Carl Wick, will provide an update on State and Federal
legislation, and the chairs of the Executive, Achievement, and
Capacity Committees will provide an update of their work to the full
Board.  The Board will then review written reports and resolutions to
be considered.

At 4:15 PM the Board will recognize Ohio's finalists for the
Presidential Award for Excellence in mathematics and Science
Teaching.  The Board will adjourn at 4:45 PM.  The Subcommittee for
Education in the new Global Economy, chaired by Colleen Grady and
Steve Millett, will meet from 5:00 - 6:15 PM in the Delaware Room.

On September 11, 2007 the State Board of Education's meeting will
begin at 8:30 AM with a presentation about the results of the 2007
State and Local Report Card.  The Board will accept reports from
Board committees at 11:00 PM, and discuss the report regarding the
deconsolidation of the Switzerland of Ohio Local School District into
the Monroe Central, River Local, and Beallsvill Local School
Districts.

Following lunch at 1:45 PM, the Board will reconvene its business
meeting.  The Board will hear the report of the Superintendent of
Public Instruction, public participation on agenda items, and take
action on 32 personnel items and the resolutions included below.  The
Board will then accept public participation on non-agenda items and
adjourn.  The next State Board of Education meeting is October 8-9,
2007.

State Board of Education Agenda for September 11, 2007.

9 - Resolution of Intent to rescind and adopt Ohio Administrative
Code (OAC) Rule 3301-7-01, Standards for Ethical Use of Tests.

10 - Resolution of Intent to rescind and adopt OAC Rule 3301-13-07,
Fairness Sensitivity Review Committees.

11 - Resolution of Intent to rescind and adopt OAC Rules 3301-13-01,
02, 03, 05, 06, 08, 10, and 11, and to amend Rules 3301-13-04 and 09
- Assessments.

12 - Resolution of Intent to amend OAC Rules 3301-19-01 and
3301-91-04 - National School Lunch and Breakfast Program.

13 - Resolution of Intent to consider confirmation of the Norwood
City School district's determination of impractical transportation of
certain students attending St. Nicolas Academy, Cincinnati, a
chartered nonpublic school, Hamilton County.

14 - Resolution to adopt a recommendation to the General Assembly for
the establishment of a uniform minimum group size and the
implementation of a growth model for the purposes of determining
whether all local education agencies, public elementary schools and
public secondary schools make adequate yearly progress.

15 - Resolution of appointment to the Educator Standards Board.

15A- Motion to select Rob Hovis as delegate and Jane Sonenshein as
alternate delegate to represent the State Board of Education at the
2007 NASBE Annual Conference.

32 - Resolution to accept the recommendation of the hearing officer
and approve transfer of school district territory from the Zanesville
City School District, Muskingum County, pursuant to Section 3311.24
of the Ohio Revised Code.

33 - Resolution of to rescind OAC Rule 3301-21-01 - Definitions.

34 - Resolution to amend OAC Rule 3301-24-01 - Definitions.

35 - Resolution of to adopt new OAC Rule 3301-25-09 - Two year school
speech-language pathology student permit.

36 - Resolution to rescind OAC Rule 3301-27-02 for athletic trainers.

37 - Resolution to amend OAC Rules 3301-40-03, 05, 06 and 07
Nonpublic Schools Administrative Cost Reimbursement.

38- Resolution to confirm the Galion City School District's
determination that it is  impractical to transport certain students
attending Mansfield St. Peter's School, a chartered nonpublic school,
pursuant to Section 3327.01 of the Ohio Revised Code.

39 - Resolution to accept the recommendation of the hearing officer
to deny the request of the Marva Collins Preparatory School to be
registered for the 2007-2008 school year as a participant in the Ohio
Educational Choice Scholarship Program.

40 -Resolution to approve the determination of the Ohio Department of
Education that the St. John Nottinham Lutheran School should not be
registered for the 2007-2008 school year as a participant in the Ohio
Educational Choice Scholarship Program.

41A  Resolution to deny the request to create the River Local,
Beallsville Local, and Monroe Central Local School Districts from the
territory of the Switzerland of Ohio Local School District.

41B  Resolution to propose the creation of  the River Local,
Beallsville Local, and Monroe Central Local School Districts from the
territory of the Switzerland of Ohio Local School District.

42- Resolution approving the appointment of J.C. Benton as the
Director of the Office of Board Relations.

For more information about the State Board of Education meetings,
please visit http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE
ODEPrimary.aspx?page=2&TopicRelationID=574

5)  39th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/ Gallup Poll:  The results of the
39th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll of the Public's Attitudes
Toward the Public Schools were released on August 28, 2007.  The poll
provides valuable information for policy makers by chronicling the
growth and changes in K-12 schooling since the late 1960s.

This year, as in the past, the poll includes questions on the several
topics, and summarizes the responses in "findings" for each topic.
The following are just some of the findings of the poll:

*Improving Student Achievement, including questions on the No Child
Left Behind Act
  "Finding:  It seems fair to say that, as the public knowledge of
NCLB grows, the public's view of NCLB is becoming less and less
favorable."

"Finding:  It seems fair to say that the public believes that NCLB's
emphasis on English and math is reducing the attention to other
subjects and that this is a matter of concern."

52 percent of respondents believe that instruction time for other
subjects has been reduced as a result of emphasis on math and reading
through the NCLB Act.

93 percent of respondents who believe that the NCLB Act is reducing
instruction time for science, health, social studies, and the arts,
report being very or somewhat concerned about the influence of the
law.

*Public View of Standardized Testing

"Finding:  It seems fair to say the increase since 2002 in the
percentage who say there is too much testing, particularly the 20
percent increase among parents, indicates that the public's view of
standardized testing is becoming less favorable."

43 percent of respondents and 52 percent of parents believe there is
too much testing, a 20 percentage point increase since 2002.

*Changing the Public Schools

"Finding:  It seems fair to say that almost three-fourths of the
public wants to see improvement come about through reforming the
existing public schools and only about one-fourth wants to find an
alternative."

60 percent of respondents oppose and 39 percent of respondents favor
allowing students and parents to choose a private school to attend at
public expense.

"Finding:  It seems fair to say that if charter schools are
considered as an alternative, they are the most popular of the
alternatives currently being considered or implemented."

60 percent of respondents favor and 35 percent oppose charter schools.

"Finding:  It seems fair to say that opposition to earning some
credits online may be softening, but opposition to earning most high
school credits online is growing stronger."

*Grading the Public Schools

"Finding:  It seems fair to say it would be a mistake to shape public
policy decisions on data regarding the nation's schools.  The schools
in the community are the ones that the public knows about and cares
about."

67 percent of parents give the school their oldest child attends an A or a B.

*School Effectiveness

"Finding:  It seems fair to say that the importance of a good
education has become self-evident and that K-12 schools have moved
toward the top of the policy agenda, causing the public to take an
increasing interest in its local schools."

*Curriculum

The public is equally split between "not enough" (48 percent) and
"about the right amount" (48 percent) of emphasis on science and math.

*Closing the Achievement Gap

The majority of the public view providing low performing students
with additional instructional time as a very effective way to close
the achievement gap.  Additional preschool and kindergarten are also
supported.

*International Education

"Finding:  It seems fair to say that the public understands the fact
that we are living in an ever-smaller world, that language facility
is important, and that children should learn a second language at an
early age."

85 percent of respondents believe that all children in the U.S.
should learn a second language in addition to English, and 70 percent
want foreign language instruction to start in elementary school.

*Teachers and School Personnel

"Finding:  It seems fair to say that the pubic believes that
incentives involving additional pay will attract and retain highly
qualified teachers."

*Budget Problems

"Finding:  It seems fair to say that the public understands the fact
that funding is closely tied to improving student achievement and is
aware that lack of funding is currently a major concern."

To view the responses to all questions please visit
http://www.pdkintl.org/kappan/kpollpdf.htm

The results of the poll are also included in the September 2007 issue
of Phi Delta Kappan magazine.

6) Upcoming Conferences

*Arts Integration: Theory, Practice, and Lessons Learned
The Arts Education Partnership (AEP) will hold a forum in Cleveland,
OH on September 27 and 28, 2007 to explore important issues, themes,
and trends affecting arts education.  The forum will be held at the
Idea Center at Playhouse Square, 1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland from
9:00 AM to 5:00 PM on September 27, 2007, and from and 8:30 AM to
1:00 PM on September 28, 2007.  For registration information please
visit  http://www.aep-arts.org/forums/registration.htm.

*The Ohio 8 Coalition Second Summit on Urban Education in Ohio
The Ohio 8 Coalition will sponsor the Second Summit on Urban
Education in Ohio, October 11-12, 2007, at the Columbus Hyatt Regency
Hotel & Convention Center.

This year's Summit is entitled Investing in Our Children, and will
focus on strategies that are proving effective at raising student
achievement in Ohio's urban classrooms. Eight sessions will offer
specific evidence-based educational strategies that are proving
successful in student intervention, using data, instructional support
teams, supplementary tutoring, applying value-added measures,
creating learning communities, improving reading achievement and
engaging parents and community members.

This year's keynote speaker is Dr. Ruby Payne, author of A Framework
for Understanding Poverty.  Speakers from the HOPE Foundation, the
Institute for the Future, the Partnership for 21st Century Learning,
and the Urban Collaborative for Special Education will also present a
series of problem-solving sessions.   An additional session will
involve middle school math experts and curriculum directors working
with the Ohio Department of Education to design math professional
development specifically geared to the needs of teachers in urban
settings.

For more information about registration and hotel accommodations,
please visit http://www.ohio8.org or contact the Ohio 8 office at
(216) 241-9400.

*Partnering for Progress: Accountability Improves Results for All
Children Conference
The Fifth Annual Partnering for Progress: Accountability Improves
Results for ALL Children Conference will be held October 16, 2007,
from 8:30 AM to 4:15 PM at the Crowne Plaza Columbus North (formerly
Columbus Marriott North), 6500 Doubletree Avenue, Columbus, Ohio.
The conference is sponsored by the Ohio Coalition for the Education
of Children with Disabilities in collaboration with the Ohio
Department of Education (ODE). The conference is free. Participants
include educators, parents, school administrators and others
interested in educational accountability for ALL students.  To
register online visit http://www.ocecd.org.

7)  Increasing Student Achievement through the Arts:

*Art is Education Initiative:  The Cleveland Integrated Arts
Collaborative (CIAC) has established the Art is Education initiative
in partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan School District to
foster the creativity and innovation of students, and prepare them
for life in the 21st Century.

The CIAC is a consortium of over 30 arts and cultural organizations,
which was brought together by Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio
(YANEO).  Art is Education is a comprehensive initiative designed to
improve skills in literacy and the arts.  Last year the successful
pilot program served 500 students.  In the 2007-08 school year the
program is expected to serve 3500 students in third grade, and
eventually serve all students in CMSD.  For more information please
visit http://www.keepartsinschools.org/Programs/Cleveland/index.html

*Opening Minds Through the Arts serves 17,000 students in 37 public
schools in Tucson Unified School District, Arizona.  The founder,
former businessman H. Eugene Jones, started the program as a pilot in
1999 based on research that showed how the arts, when integrated
throughout the curriculum, increase student achievement and builds
skills such as critical thinking.  According to one study, after
three years in the program third-grade students scored significantly
higher than their counterparts on standardized tests in mathematics,
language, and reading.  For more information please visit
http://www.omaproject.org/