When: October 13, 2008
Where: BoMA, 583 E. Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43201
Registration is open.
Agenda
8:00-9:00 AM Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00-9:10 AM Welcome
Andrew Benson, Director of Policy and Communication, KnowledgeWorks Foundation
9:15-10:15 AM Breakout Sessions
Session 1 History of School Funding
History of Ohio School Funding: Is DeRolph Still Relevant?
Seventeen years ago, a coalition of school districts sued the State of Ohio, claiming that the state failed to provide a "thorough and efficient" system of public schools and was in violation of the Ohio Constitution. Even though the courts ruled the funding system unconstitutional, today the DeRolph case is largely over. Yet the issues it raised remain. This panel will examine the significance of the DeRolph case, how it has shaped where we are today, and what would be required to resolve the issues at the heart of the lawsuit.
Moderator: Andrew Benson Director of Policy and Communications, KnowledgeWorks Foundation
Panelists:
Bill Phillis Executive Director, the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy in School Funding
Dr. Thomas C. Sutton Associate Professor of Political Science, Baldwin-Wallace College
Richard H. Finan Former President, Ohio Senate
Session 2 Governance
Governance of Public Education: A Closer Look at Who Decides
Intertwined with the issues of school funding reform have been debates about who should have primary responsibility for making those decisions. Ohio education stakeholders have disagreed over the years and proposals have been offered to change the system of governance for education in Ohio. Hear the reasoning behind these governance proposals from a panel of stakeholders and experts.
Moderator: Mark Hatch President, Hatch Strategies
Panelists:
Jim Betts Executive Director, Alliance for Adequate School Funding
Dr. Arnold Shober Assistant Professor of Government, Lawrence University
Dr. Carla Edlefson Ashland University, former education adviser to Gov. Celeste
10:25-11:45 AM Breakout Sessions
Session 3 OPSD School Funding Game
Ohio Public School Dialogue: Fostering Understanding and Conversation
The Ohio Public School Dialogue has created a learning tool that offers an interactive, engaging way to learn more about Ohio's school funding system and fosters community dialogue that leads to a deeper understanding of school funding. Participants new to school funding issues, as well as those who are already knowledgeable, will find this tool useful in gaining a solid foundation of understanding about Ohio's school funding system and becoming energized to find a solution.
Note: This session is recommended for all participants who have not already gone through the Ohio Public School Dialogue session.
Facilitator: Ron Bickert Executive Director, The Ohio Public School Dialogue
Session 4 Advocacy Tools
Taking Action: Acquire the Tools to Be Heard
Want to be heard by those who make the decisions on school funding? This session will provide tools and insight into advocacy techniques that work - techniques that you can take back to your community. You'll have the opportunity to learn from and ask questions of two experts in grassroots advocacy.
Noon-1:30 PM Lunch and Panel Discussion
Costing Out a Quality Education: How Much Should Ohio Spend?
Introduction: Chad Wick, CEO, KnowledgeWorks Foundation
Moderator: Dr. Howard Fleeter, Partner, Driscoll & Fleeter
Panelists:
Dr. Larry Picus, Professor, USC Rossier School of Education
Dr. James W. Guthrie, Director of Leadership, Policy and Organizations, Vanderbilt University
John L. Myers, Vice President, Augenblick, Palaich and Associates
Barbara Shaner, Director of Legislative Services, Ohio Association of School Business Officials
Central to determining how much a state should provide for public education is what method a state uses to estimate the cost of educational needs. What are the components of a quality education? And how much does it cost to provide them? These complex questions have sparked debate across the country for years as experts often disagree on the best way to fix school funding. A panel of experts - each of whom has been involved in school funding cases across the nation - will debate the merits of different costing-out models and discuss how Ohio has struggled with these questions.
1:50-2:50 PM Networking Scavenger Hunt
Enjoy a fast-paced scavenger hunt as you make connections with others in Ohio who care about school funding. Meet attendees from all over the state as you search for answers on the scavenger worksheet. You'll increase your network of friends, and you could win a prize.
3:00-4:00 PM Panel Discussion
Paying for Public Education: Why You Should Know About House Bill 920
House Bill 920, which limits the amount of revenue local school districts can raise from a property tax levy, has contributed to Ohio having more local school tax levy proposals on election ballots than any other state. Panelists will explain why this provision was put in place and what, if anything, can and should be done to change it.
Moderator: Dr. Howard Fleeter Partner, Driscoll & Fleeter
Panelists:
Cathy Johnson Board President, Southwestern City Schools
David Varda Executive Director, Ohio Association of School Business Officials
Thomas M. Zaino Former Ohio Tax Commissioner
Jeff
Jacobson State Senator, Ohio
4:00-5:00 PM Poll Presentation
What the Public Thinks About School Funding: The School Funding Matters Poll
KnowledgeWorks Foundation will unveil the results of its Ohio School Funding Matters poll. This session will give you the most up-to-date information available about how the public views school funding, findings that can help you make choices on how to approach school funding issues.
Presenter: Paul Fallon Fallon Research and Communications
5:00-5:30 PM Closing Remarks
Learn more about participating in School Funding Awareness Week, November 9-15.
What is the next step you can take as an advocate for a fair and adequate school funding system? Take part in School Funding Awareness Week, a statewide effort to focus attention from the media and policy makers on the urgent need to reform how schools are funded.
Registration is open. For more information: info@schoolfundingmatters.org.