OEA Praises Governor Strickland's Leadership on Education in State Budget Compromise

OEA Praises Governor Strickland's Leadership on Education in State Budget
Compromise

COLUMBUS, Ohio, July 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Ohio Education
Association today heralded the compromise agreement moving forward for Ohio's
2010-2011 biennial budget.

"This summer will be remembered in history as the beginning of a
transformation of public education in Ohio to meet the challenges of the 21st
century and the state's commitment to provide resources for a constitutional
system of public school funding in Ohio," said OEA President Patricia
Frost-Brooks.

Frost-Brooks thanked Governor Ted Strickland for his courageous leadership on
the far-reaching education reform and school funding provisions, as well as
the strong leadership of the Ohio House of Representatives for improving the
legislation. Ohio Senate leaders initially rejected most of the Strickland
plan, but ultimately Senate leaders came to the table and supported public
schools and our students, she said.

"Further, without the $3.5 billion in federal stimulus funding for education
from President Barack Obama and the Congress, none of this would have been
possible," Frost-Brooks added. "This legislation transforms everything. We
have an entirely new school funding system that will be constitutional and
fair once it is fully phased in. We have a vision for public education in this
century that works. Rural and poor school districts will benefit immediately
from Governor Strickland's school funding system right away.

"Most important, we have a recognition that the economic vitality of Ohio -
and all of our communities - depends on a well-educated work force that can
only come from a strong system of public schools, community colleges and
universities."

OEA worked for key features of the budget and education agreement, including
all-day Kindergarten, smaller class sizes, multiple measures to replace the
Ohio Graduation Test and steps toward a more creative learning environment.
OEA members sent thousands of e-mails, post cards and phone messages to Ohio
legislators in support of the legislation, and on May 9, the 12,000 members of
the OEA Representative Assembly endorsed the Strickland plan for public
education reform and school funding as passed by the Ohio House of
Representatives.

"I want to thank our members and staff for a relentless effort to influence
the direction of this budget and education reform package," Frost-Brooks said.
"And we owe a debt of thanks to the many education and labor groups who helped
this cause, particularly the Ohio Association of School Business Officials,
the Ohio School Boards Association, the Ohio Federation of Teachers, the Ohio
Association of Public School Employees, the National Education Association,
Working America and the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy in School
Funding and its director, Bill Phillis."

SOURCE Ohio Education Association

Julie Newhall, Ohio Education Association, +1-614-227-3044