Governor’s State of the State Address…
You can watch it live online thanks to the Ohio Channel and I’ll be taking notes while it’s on for those of you who were unable to watch.
It was supposed to start at noon, right now they are mingling around and have not yet taken their seats…The pledge began at 12:06, amazingly not that late all things considered.
The Governor entered to quite a bit of applause. Then it began…The Ohio Channel video quality was a bit disappointing, but I’ll do my best to type notes despite the lapses and freezes.
He starts out talking about OSU and how they used to play on wooden bleachers, that there was a time that produced economic misery in Ohio after World War II, but how several universities moved forward to create football stadiums, that the new stadium called for more seats than what they could imagine ever having attend. He quoted an OSU board member who questioned that there would ever be a need for that kind of seating. Governor Strickland then goes on to talk about how the university raised the money because of the vision, faith and collective effort, the pride of our state and what we can accomplish together and a message to the critics who were so sure that would fail that you should never underestimate Ohio was demonstrated.
Strickland then said he and the general assembly protected consumers when it comes to utility rates before other States did and we were one of the first states to respond to the economic downturn and they took swift action with their economic stimulus plan and invested in infrastructure and the work force. He says we will be creating jobs while our energy plan helps harness the power of advanced energy. Over the last three years Ohio has led the nation in the renewable energy sector, Toledo gets a mention as leading the solar energy focus with First Solar and Xunlight.
Strickland then went on to list other companies that have added jobs and that had “good news” in the present economy. He gives kudos to Fisher for his role in bringing new jobs to Ohio. He said Ohio has created a new ten year plan with the help of Fingerhut to help more students to attend college and mention the Seniors to Sophmores program and the Ohio GI Promise.
Governor Strickland touched on the programs in Ohio for veterans and how we are waiting to welcome those home who are currently serving their nation and asked that everyone join him in a moment of silent reflection.
Now on to accountability, Strickland says they’ve made progress there including reducing the time of response by 75% in some cases and with one new rule in the Department of Transportation now require the director’s approval saved over 40 million dollars last year.
Strickland says Ohio has lost (audio faded) jobs and starts to discuss the economic decline the nation and Ohio has faced including housing numbers, real wages dropping lower today than they were 30 years ago.
I’m guessing he said the State of our State is good – audio faded out but people applauded. He then turned to quoting Roosevelt, saying now it is our duty to make something of this moment. For the first time since the income tax was created in Ohio we are predicting a decline, since the first time since 1950 a two year decline in sales tax, Ohio’s general revenue tax has declined the past two years. So, in this budget he trying to protect priorities and there will be a significant number of cuts and programs eliminated and state workers will be asked to make concessions. He doesn’t doubt that we will emerge from this and we will not waiver from living within our means and focusing on what matters.
That keeping our agencies at their current levels would leave us with a 7 billion dollar deficit but his budget he will be presenting will be balanced and it will not raise taxes on Ohioans. (lots of applause on that one)
There will be program reductions of 10/20%, there will be an increase in fees in some cases. Without federal resources there would be more cuts, despite this asture budget they will keep making investments in Ohio’s economy by maintaining commitment to affordable colleges and universities. For the last two years Ohio was the only state in the nation with no increase in tuition at it’s public institutions. In this budget the tuition freeze will be maintained the next two years, they will ask that four year keep freezing until 2010 and ask that in 2011 they keep any increase to 3% or under.
In early education, the early childhood system will focus on the early child in whole, that education is not a series of disconnected steps but a staircase – p through 16 system built to take our children from preschool to college. Something about expanding program to 300% of the federal income level – I think it’s related to health care given he then goes on to talking about adults and insurance. They will try to provide more options for Ohioans to have access to health insurance.
Then long term care, then transportation including passenger rail service between Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland – of course Toledo is not included in that. Then the homestead property exemption is mentioned as being strengthened, then a commitment to job creation, the technology job credit will be revised, broadened job retention and job creation tax credit will happen. Film tax credit to bring new jobs to Ohio and they will create a new markets tax credit. He’s introducing a second job stimulus practice with an expansion of the Third Frontier funding.
The Governor then quotes Emerson…
He says first on the list is Education (applause) then goes into the history of the education in Ohio, talking about Lewis back in the 1830’s and quoting what he said about not allowing even a year’s delay. Strickland pointed out his words still ring true 16/17 decades later. Strickland said we have made improvements and has reduced the local tax burden, we’ve renovated and built new school buildings that will reduce energy costs. Ohio has the largest energy efficient school building program in the nation. (more applause)
Strickland said it was due to the vision of the legislators there and other leaders that this has happened and that he has researched and learned from the considerable wisdom and experience from parents, teachers, etc. He said that’s it clear to him that merely tinkering with the schools is not enough so he has a plan to build our education system a new. The plan is based on an evidenced based approach that is for Ohio’s specific circumstances. He said medical research isn’t perfect but it saves lives, this is designed to provide the best education provided on evidence and will be implemented over the next 8 years. What is taught must be to help Ohioans strive int he future, core classes like math and science but new topics including global awareness and life skills, and teaching methods that foster creativity and invention, problem solving, communication, cultural awareness and accountability – these are the skills that help people strive and business leaders will hire. These are the skills we find in people who create products, etc.
Our schools are not assembly lines and they are not widgets they will have personalized education plans. Learning opportunities will be expanded by 20 days – educational year 200 days, the outdated practice of half day kindergarten will be eliminated. Resources to expand the learning day for all students by providing community service, tutoring and wellness, enhanced intervention services for schools with high drop out rates. Community engagement will be created through teams in the schools. Professionals will come together to help our children succeed. New academic contests to make academics as cheered as athletics.
Ohio Academic Olympics students will compete in a variety of subjects. The winners will be able to design the stadium (I think he means that figuratively). They will take a few hours of their television time and give them a future. Then the topic of teachers, he hopes they remember their influence will never stop (applause) he is going to revolutionize the teaching program after a 4 year residency program teachers will earn their license with a new career line beginning with residency that teachers will have the ability to advance their careers. Collaborative planning time will exist so that these ideas reach the most students. Coaching, peer review will be used, professional development programs will be developed. Not everyone is cut out to be a teacher and the residency program will identify that and we have to be able to remove teachers from the classroom if their students are not learning (applause).
Administrators will have the power to dismiss teachers for good cause the same ability allowed for other Ohio employees. A new program to become teachers through coursework, called “Teach Ohio” who will then be able to enter the four year residency program. University teacher education programs will be designed to meet these standards. University education programs who best meet these goals will be rewarded, principal licensing requirements will be strengthened and other school business leaders.
Good ideas should not be stumbled upon accidentally, so research from across the country and the world will be monitored. Teachers much like doctors and pilots hold lives in their hands and we have to do everything possible so they can do their jobs. The OGT does not measure key skills, and it will be replaced by the ACT and three additional measures. All students will take the ACT exam not only to measure their high school achievement but to increase their aspirations for higher classes, end of course exams, a service exam and a senior project. This will demonstrate if they have the skills they need to succeed in life. Assessments in other grades will be re-written, seeking national and international leadership in our goals.
Transparency through performance audits to makes sure they are meeting the academic and financial requirements at the beginning of the year and the end of the year. Parents, public officals and taxpayers will get a fiscal and operational report card. They will be able to track the dollars to see the money goes to where it’s needed. Failure to comply will result first in the assignment of technical assistance and if it persists the district will have to show how it will meet compliance, continued non-compliance would create the district being placed in receivership and if that continues their license to operate would be revoked.
Charter schools also have to be accountable. He supports charter schools that meet the same standards of public schools, and are regulated by the Department of Education, those run for profit do not meet those standards. In order to do evidenced based model they have defined the resources the schools will need. The first step is eliminating the current system of funding through using phoney numbers. Phantom revenue using the previous real estate values will be done away with. The state will no longer ask school districts to pay their bills with phantom dollars, (applause) instead will lower what local tax payers from 23 mils to 20 mils the state will assume the responsibility for the difference of the full range of what students need based on the evidenced based needs.
More than 200 school districts asked for levies, those that go with his mil funding plan will not have to keep going back to the voters to meet inflation. In the two year budget, even in the current economic plan will take the state’s share of the funding to 55% and it will grow to a 59% funding as a part of his educational plan. He believes when we do this we will have finally met our constitutional requirements for our children.
We will be the first state with a school year that is 200 days long, the residency requirements, all day kindergarten, etc. He then quotes Kennedy. Then goes on to state future Ohioans will thank us. Then quotes Roosevelt again “the only thing we have to fear is fear ourselves” and talked about the reasons why Ohioans are in fear over loosing their jobs, etc., he believes if we do this Ohio’s best days are yet to come. How fast we move will tell us how well we will work together, then talks about geese flying in formation and why they do, I’m guessing he wants us to fly in formation, suggesting surely we are as smart as geese. (laughter/applause)
That was basically it, it ended at 1:15 p.m.
The Dispatch has the text of the speech in full online now.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:06 pmThe highlights:
Expanding school year to 200 days. Gov. Strickland noted in his remarks that this number is the “international average,” and would expand Ohio’s present school calendar by 20 days annually. Extra school days mean more time immersed in subject matter, and greater flexibilty to teachers in innovating in the classroom with unique projects.
All-day universal kindergarten. This measure puts a focus on what Strickland called “our most impressionable students,” and will likely be welcomed by parents statewide who previously had to find a way to transport children to and from half-day kindergarten or babysitters for every-other-day models.
Eliminating Ohio’s graduation tests, replacing them with the ACT and other measures. This was the Governor’s only standing ovation from both sides of the aisle today, and one he deeply deserved. Ohio’s present method of evaluating high school seniors does nothing to prepare them for college, and barely tests competency. In addition to forcing all Ohio seniors to clear the first hurdle of college admissions processes, the Gov also stated that seniors would be required to complete a senior service project and senior capstone. This dovetails nicely with President Obama’s inaugural remarks on the “price and promise of citizenship” by requiring students to invest in their communities and mandating service. While mandates don’t create civic spirit, they can’t hurt.
Making teachers and school districts accountable. It is not easy for a Democrat to take a stand against the interests of teachers unions, and Gov. Strickland’s bold declaration today that teachers can be fired for “good cause” and ineffective teachers should be removed from the classroom was certainly brave. He uped the ante by telling school districts that they will be audited by the Department of Education, and that the criteria used to evaluate them will now include fiscal and operational measures. Those evaluations will have sharper teeth, too, with the state promising to take over poorly run school districts and, in extreme cases, shut them down. Call it an “education bailout,” with actual consequences and follow-up.
Tuition freezes at Ohio’s public colleges. Anything that reduces the student loan debt Ohioans carry is a good thing. Period.
———-
Questions and concerns exist about:
Boosting state contribution to funding to 59%, eliminating “phantom dollars” as calculation. This is the biggie. The state Supreme Court has, many times, ruled our funding model is unconstitutional and unfairly biases rich districts. Gov. Strickland seeks to address that problem by no longer making school districts accountable for “phantom revenue.” Phantom revenue happens when property values within a district go up, but the taxes on those properties do not. Previously, school districts were expected to count those dollars, even though they didn’t receive them. Under Strickland’s plan, they won’t be.
This leaves a pretty big matzah ball hanging out there, and it’s this: school funding in Ohio will still be based on property taxes. While it is undoubtably a good thing that school districts won’t have to account for funny money, and that this will take a step toward providing them levels of state funding according to their actual need, it does not address the Supreme Court’s main issue with our current model: the poor/rich disparity.
Increasing the state contribution to all schools to 59% will go a distance to mitigating that difference, but it will not eliminate it “in as much as is pracitable.” Until we come up with a plan that provides state tax dollars evenly on a per pupil basis, we’re going to fall short of full equal protection.
Four-year teacher residency program. This proposal, which requires all new teachers in Ohio to complete a four-year residency before become full-time teachers, is the kind of innnovative thinking that has real potential to make our schools better over the long term by institutionalizing best practices. That said, there is a small problem: compensation.
The reason doctors can afford to take four years at the beginning of their careers to learn from experienced and accomplished peers is that their eventual compensation provides an offset to their lost earning potential. As long as Ohio’s teachers can expect a median salary of only $40,000 over their entire careers, this proposal will not succeed, and has the potential if left an “unfunded mandate” to drive quality teachers out of the state.
The extent to which any of these concerns matures into a problem depends largely on how cooperative Senate Republicans wish to be. The Governor’s commitment to education in these difficult economic times is sure to win him plaudits from parents and education advocates, but the cuts needed to other areas of the government to pay for them (up to 20% reducation in some programs) will be painful. Add that to likely Republican concerns about the on-going costs of implementing the plan long term, and the bumps in the road begin to come into focus.
Governor Strickland ended his remarks by talking about why geese fly in formation, and asserting, “Surely, we are as smart as the goose.” The extent to which the House and Senate exercise their “goose sense” will determine how successful the Governor is in implementing his bold plans. In the depths of our economic winter, however, today’s proposals give Ohioans cause to hope for warmer and brighter days ahead.
January 28th, 2009 at 2:45 pmSeemed like a lot of new spending without plans to pay for it of you ask me….
January 28th, 2009 at 2:59 pmGoing to 200 days means an approximate 11% increase in school days. Teachers will want an increase in compensation for this time. If the state is only going to fund 59% of this increase it still means an increase in local property taxes to make up the 41% of the 11% increase or a 4.5% increase in local property taxes. Now that will be mitigated somewhat by the elimination of the phantom revenue and the increase in the state share.
Looking at TPS’ actual spending based upon the split between state and local funds and excluding federal funding that is usually restricted grants in aid, the state has been providing 53% of the funding. So the additional state dollars could offset the increase in needs at a local level.
And of course we speak of evidence based needs so I’m supposing that this means we are going to in some way calculate what the cost is to meet these needs and I doubt it will go down in terms of absolute dollars.
I’d have to say I am going to have to look at this closely as I can see how this mandated school year can result in a mandated increase in costs that will have to be made up by increasing local property tax rates.
A longer school year may make sense as well as the teacher residency rules. But the questions remain about compensation as brasscollerbuckeye also points out in the post above.
So we have the ideas, but the costs and who pays still leaves me wondering. I can’t help but see new property tax levies at the local level to pay for this.
So what if the state picks up 59% of the total, when the overall costs go up. And who decides what the evidence based need is and how will this drive up the total dollars needed at a local level.
I’m not convinced about the impact locally and consequently I suggest we not fly in formation with the governor until we know what the total cost is going to be. There are too many unanswered questions to buy this plan at this time.
I’m not arguing the merits of the ideas, but simply asking how we pay for this and what it really means to property tax rates. Education is a wise investment if we get results.
January 28th, 2009 at 4:35 pm[...] Lisa Renee at Glass City Jungle live-blogged it in a post here. [...]
January 28th, 2009 at 5:30 pmAll-DAY UNIVERISAL KINDERGARTEN??? Give me a break. Mandatory, all-day kindergarten is just an excuse for parents that don’t want to take care of their children. Sweeden, # 1 education system in the world by statistics, starts children in school at age 7. Food for thought?
Strickland wants to focus on “cultural awareness” and “media literacy.” Ridiculous. How about mandate a financial course. Of course, most of the politicians in Columbus probably wouldn’t have a HS degree.
January 28th, 2009 at 6:53 pm[...] WoMD has reax from the Buckeye Institute, John Kasich, and Kevin Coughlin; Lisa Renee at Glass City live-blogged it and has reax from State Rep Matt Szollosi and [I think] others, though I didn’t see links or [...]
January 28th, 2009 at 10:57 pmIf you head over to the above track back link from BizzyBlog there are links to reactions from today’s speech from Republicans. I recommend reading their take as well as those from the Democratic Party.
January 28th, 2009 at 11:45 pm