Text of OH SB 113 (2025)

As Introduced 136th General Assembly Regular Session S. B. No. 113 2025-2026 Senator Brenner Cosponsors: Senators Cirino, Schaffer, O'Brien, Wilkin A B I L L To amend sections 3314.03, 3326.11, and 3328.24 and to enact section 3313.475 of the Revised Code to prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion in public schools. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO: Section 1. That sections 3314.03, 3326.11, and 3328.24 be amended and section 3313.475 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows: Sec. 3313.475. (A) Not later than ninety days after the effective date of this section, the board of education of each city, local, exempted village, and joint vocational school district shall adopt and enforce a policy that prohibits all of the following: (1) Any orientation or training course regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion; (2) The continuation of existing diversity, equity, and inclusion offices or departments; (3) Establishing new diversity, equity, and inclusion 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 S. B. No. 113 Page 2 As Introduced offices or departments; (4) Using diversity, equity, and inclusion in job descriptions; (5) Contracting with consultants or third-parties whose role is or would be to promote admissions, hiring, or promotion on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. (6) Replacing any orientation, training, office, or position designated for the purpose of diversity, equity, and inclusion that is prohibited under the policy with an orientation, training, office, or position under a different designation that serves the same or similar purposes, or that uses the same or similar means. (B) Each board of education shall establish a process under which a student, parent, or district employee may submit a complaint about an alleged violation of the policy. The process shall comply with standards adopted by the director of education and workforce. Under the process, the board of education shall investigate the alleged violation and conduct a fair and impartial hearing regarding the alleged violation. If the hearing determines the policy was violated, the board of education shall determine a resolution to address the violation and prevent any further violation of the policy. Sec. 3314.03. A copy of every contract entered into under this section shall be filed with the director of education and workforce. The department of education and workforce shall make available on its web site a copy of every approved, executed contract filed with the director under this section. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 S. B. No. 113 Page 3 As Introduced (A) Each contract entered into between a sponsor and the governing authority of a community school shall specify the following: (1) That the school shall be established as either of the following: (a) A nonprofit corporation established under Chapter 1702. of the Revised Code, if established prior to April 8, 2003; (b) A public benefit corporation established under Chapter 1702. of the Revised Code, if established after April 8, 2003. (2) The education program of the school, including the school's mission, the characteristics of the students the school is expected to attract, the ages and grades of students, and the focus of the curriculum; (3) The academic goals to be achieved and the method of measurement that will be used to determine progress toward those goals, which shall include the statewide achievement assessments; (4) Performance standards, including but not limited to all applicable report card measures set forth in section 3302.03 or 3314.017 of the Revised Code, by which the success of the school will be evaluated by the sponsor; (5) The admission standards of section 3314.06 of the Revised Code and, if applicable, section 3314.061 of the Revised Code; (6)(a) Dismissal procedures; (b) A requirement that the governing authority adopt an attendance policy that includes a procedure for automatically 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 S. B. No. 113 Page 4 As Introduced withdrawing a student from the school if the student without a legitimate excuse fails to participate in seventy-two consecutive hours of the learning opportunities offered to the student. (7) The ways by which the school will achieve racial and ethnic balance reflective of the community it serves; (8) Requirements for financial audits by the auditor of state. The contract shall require financial records of the school to be maintained in the same manner as are financial records of school districts, pursuant to rules of the auditor of state. Audits shall be conducted in accordance with section 117.10 of the Revised Code. (9) An addendum to the contract outlining the facilities to be used that contains at least the following information: (a) A detailed description of each facility used for instructional purposes; (b) The annual costs associated with leasing each facility that are paid by or on behalf of the school; (c) The annual mortgage principal and interest payments that are paid by the school; (d) The name of the lender or landlord, identified as such, and the lender's or landlord's relationship to the operator, if any. (10) Qualifications of employees, including both of the following: (a) A requirement that the school's classroom teachers be licensed in accordance with sections 3319.22 to 3319.31 of the Revised Code, except that a community school may engage 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 S. B. No. 113 Page 5 As Introduced noncertificated persons to teach up to twelve hours or forty hours per week pursuant to section 3319.301 of the Revised Code; (b) A prohibition against the school employing an individual described in section 3314.104 of the Revised Code in any position. (11) That the school will comply with the following requirements: (a) The school will provide learning opportunities to a minimum of twenty-five students for a minimum of nine hundred twenty hours per school year. (b) The governing authority will purchase liability insurance, or otherwise provide for the potential liability of the school. (c) The school will be nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations, and will not be operated by a sectarian school or religious institution. (d) The school will comply with sections 9.90, 9.91, 109.65, 121.22, 149.43, 2151.357, 2151.421, 2313.19, 3301.0710, 3301.0711, 3301.0712, 3301.0715, 3301.0729, 3301.948, 3302.037, 3313.472, 3313.475, 3313.50, 3313.539, 3313.5310, 3313.5318, 3313.5319, 3313.608, 3313.609, 3313.6012, 3313.6013, 3313.6014, 3313.6020, 3313.6024, 3313.6025, 3313.6026, 3313.6028, 3313.6029, 3313.643, 3313.648, 3313.6411, 3313.6413, 3313.66, 3313.661, 3313.662, 3313.666, 3313.667, 3313.668, 3313.669, 3313.6610, 3313.67, 3313.671, 3313.672, 3313.673, 3313.69, 3313.71, 3313.716, 3313.718, 3313.719, 3313.7112, 3313.7117, 3313.721, 3313.753, 3313.80, 3313.814, 3313.816, 3313.817, 3313.818, 3313.819, 3313.86, 3313.89, 3313.96, 3319.073, 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 S. B. No. 113 Page 6 As Introduced 3319.077, 3319.078, 3319.0812, 3319.238, 3319.318, 3319.321, 3319.324, 3319.39, 3319.391, 3319.393, 3319.41, 3319.46, 3319.614, 3320.01, 3320.02, 3320.03, 3320.04, 3321.01, 3321.041, 3321.13, 3321.14, 3321.141, 3321.17, 3321.18, 3321.19, 3322.20, 3322.24, 3323.251, 3327.10, 4111.17, 4113.52, 5502.262, 5502.703, and 5705.391 and Chapters 117., 1347., 2744., 3365., 3742., 4112., 4123., 4141., and 4167. of the Revised Code as if it were a school district and will comply with section 3301.0714 of the Revised Code in the manner specified in section 3314.17 of the Revised Code. (e) The school shall comply with Chapter 102. and section 2921.42 of the Revised Code. (f) The school will comply with sections 3313.61, 3313.611, 3313.614, 3313.617, 3313.618, and 3313.6114 of the Revised Code, except that for students who enter ninth grade for the first time before July 1, 2010, the requirement in sections 3313.61 and 3313.611 of the Revised Code that a person must successfully complete the curriculum in any high school prior to receiving a high school diploma may be met by completing the curriculum adopted by the governing authority of the community school rather than the curriculum specified in Title XXXIII of the Revised Code or any rules of the department. Beginning with students who enter ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2010, the requirement in sections 3313.61 and 3313.611 of the Revised Code that a person must successfully complete the curriculum of a high school prior to receiving a high school diploma shall be met by completing the requirements prescribed in section 3313.6027 and division (C) of section 3313.603 of the Revised Code, unless the person qualifies under division (D) or (F) of that section. Each school shall comply with the plan for awarding high school credit based on demonstration of subject 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 S. B. No. 113 Page 7 As Introduced area competency, and beginning with the 2017-2018 school year, with the updated plan that permits students enrolled in seventh and eighth grade to meet curriculum requirements based on subject area competency adopted by the department under divisions (J)(1) and (2) of section 3313.603 of the Revised Code. Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, the school shall comply with the framework for granting units of high school credit to students who demonstrate subject area competency through work-based learning experiences, internships, or cooperative education developed by the department under division (J)(3) of section 3313.603 of the Revised Code. (g) The school governing authority will submit within four months after the end of each school year a report of its activities and progress in meeting the goals and standards of divisions (A)(3) and (4) of this section and its financial status to the sponsor and the parents of all students enrolled in the school. (h) The school, unless it is an internet- or computer- based community school, will comply with section 3313.801 of the Revised Code as if it were a school district. (i) If the school is the recipient of moneys from a grant awarded under the federal race to the top program, Division (A), Title XIV, Sections 14005 and 14006 of the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009," Pub. L. No. 111-5, 123 Stat. 115, the school will pay teachers based upon performance in accordance with section 3317.141 and will comply with section 3319.111 of the Revised Code as if it were a school district. (j) If the school operates a preschool program that is licensed by the department under sections 3301.52 to 3301.59 of the Revised Code, the school shall comply with sections 3301.50 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 S. B. No. 113 Page 8 As Introduced to 3301.59 of the Revised Code and the minimum standards for preschool programs prescribed in rules adopted by the department of children and youth under section 3301.53 of the Revised Code. (k) The school will comply with sections 3313.6021 and 3313.6023 of the Revised Code as if it were a school district unless it is either of the following: (i) An internet- or computer-based community school; (ii) A community school in which a majority of the enrolled students are children with disabilities as described in division (B)(2) of section 3314.35 of the Revised Code. (l) The school will comply with section 3321.191 of the Revised Code, unless it is an internet- or computer-based community school that is subject to section 3314.261 of the Revised Code. (12) Arrangements for providing health and other benefits to employees; (13) The length of the contract, which shall begin at the beginning of an academic year. No contract shall exceed five years unless such contract has been renewed pursuant to division (E) of this section. (14) The governing authority of the school, which shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions of the contract; (15) A financial plan detailing an estimated school budget for each year of the period of the contract and specifying the total estimated per pupil expenditure amount for each such year. (16) Requirements and procedures regarding the disposition of employees of the school in the event the contract is terminated or not renewed pursuant to section 3314.07 of the 193 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 219 220 S. B. No. 113 Page 9 As Introduced Revised Code; (17) Whether the school is to be created by converting all or part of an existing public school or educational service center building or is to be a new start-up school, and if it is a converted public school or service center building, specification of any duties or responsibilities of an employer that the board of education or service center governing board that operated the school or building before conversion is delegating to the governing authority of the community school with respect to all or any specified group of employees provided the delegation is not prohibited by a collective bargaining agreement applicable to such employees; (18) Provisions establishing procedures for resolving disputes or differences of opinion between the sponsor and the governing authority of the community school; (19) A provision requiring the governing authority to adopt a policy regarding the admission of students who reside outside the district in which the school is located. That policy shall comply with the admissions procedures specified in sections 3314.06 and 3314.061 of the Revised Code and, at the sole discretion of the authority, shall do one of the following: (a) Prohibit the enrollment of students who reside outside the district in which the school is located; (b) Permit the enrollment of students who reside in districts adjacent to the district in which the school is located; (c) Permit the enrollment of students who reside in any other district in the state. (20) A provision recognizing the authority of the 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239 240 241 242 243 244 245 246 247 248 249 S. B. No. 113 Page 10 As Introduced department to take over the sponsorship of the school in accordance with the provisions of division (C) of section 3314.015 of the Revised Code; (21) A provision recognizing the sponsor's authority to assume the operation of a school under the conditions specified in division (B) of section 3314.073 of the Revised Code; (22) A provision recognizing both of the following: (a) The authority of public health and safety officials to inspect the facilities of the school and to order the facilities closed if those officials find that the facilities are not in compliance with health and safety laws and regulations; (b) The authority of the department as the community school oversight body to suspend the operation of the school under section 3314.072 of the Revised Code if the department has evidence of conditions or violations of law at the school that pose an imminent danger to the health and safety of the school's students and employees and the sponsor refuses to take such action. (23) A description of the learning opportunities that will be offered to students including both classroom-based and non- classroom-based learning opportunities that is in compliance with criteria for student participation established by the department under division (H)(2) of section 3314.08 of the Revised Code; (24) The school will comply with sections 3302.04 and 3302.041 of the Revised Code, except that any action required to be taken by a school district pursuant to those sections shall be taken by the sponsor of the school. (25) Beginning in the 2006-2007 school year, the school 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 258 259 260 261 262 263 264 265 266 267 268 269 270 271 272 273 274 275 276 277 278 S. B. No. 113 Page 11 As Introduced will open for operation not later than the thirtieth day of September each school year, unless the mission of the school as specified under division (A)(2) of this section is solely to serve dropouts. In its initial year of operation, if the school fails to open by the thirtieth day of September, or within one year after the adoption of the contract pursuant to division (D) of section 3314.02 of the Revised Code if the mission of the school is solely to serve dropouts, the contract shall be void. (26) Whether the school's governing authority is planning to seek designation for the school as a STEM school equivalent under section 3326.032 of the Revised Code; (27) That the school's attendance and participation policies will be available for public inspection; (28) That the school's attendance and participation records shall be made available to the department, auditor of state, and school's sponsor to the extent permitted under and in accordance with the "Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974," 88 Stat. 571, 20 U.S.C. 1232g, as amended, and any regulations promulgated under that act, and section 3319.321 of the Revised Code; (29) If a school operates using the blended learning model, as defined in section 3301.079 of the Revised Code, all of the following information: (a) An indication of what blended learning model or models will be used; (b) A description of how student instructional needs will be determined and documented; (c) The method to be used for determining competency, granting credit, and promoting students to a higher grade level; 279 280 281 282 283 284 285 286 287 288 289 290 291 292 293 294 295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305 306 307 S. B. No. 113 Page 12 As Introduced (d) The school's attendance requirements, including how the school will document participation in learning opportunities; (e) A statement describing how student progress will be monitored; (f) A statement describing how private student data will be protected; (g) A description of the professional development activities that will be offered to teachers. (30) A provision requiring that all moneys the school's operator loans to the school, including facilities loans or cash flow assistance, must be accounted for, documented, and bear interest at a fair market rate; (31) A provision requiring that, if the governing authority contracts with an attorney, accountant, or entity specializing in audits, the attorney, accountant, or entity shall be independent from the operator with which the school has contracted. (32) A provision requiring the governing authority to adopt an enrollment and attendance policy that requires a student's parent to notify the community school in which the student is enrolled when there is a change in the location of the parent's or student's primary residence. (33) A provision requiring the governing authority to adopt a student residence and address verification policy for students enrolling in or attending the school. (B) The community school shall also submit to the sponsor a comprehensive plan for the school. The plan shall specify the 308 309 310 311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335 S. B. No. 113 Page 13 As Introduced following: (1) The process by which the governing authority of the school will be selected in the future; (2) The management and administration of the school; (3) If the community school is a currently existing public school or educational service center building, alternative arrangements for current public school students who choose not to attend the converted school and for teachers who choose not to teach in the school or building after conversion; (4) The instructional program and educational philosophy of the school; (5) Internal financial controls. When submitting the plan under this division, the school shall also submit copies of all policies and procedures regarding internal financial controls adopted by the governing authority of the school. (C) A contract entered into under section 3314.02 of the Revised Code between a sponsor and the governing authority of a community school may provide for the community school governing authority to make payments to the sponsor, which is hereby authorized to receive such payments as set forth in the contract between the governing authority and the sponsor. The total amount of such payments for monitoring, oversight, and technical assistance of the school shall not exceed three per cent of the total amount of payments for operating expenses that the school receives from the state. (D) The contract shall specify the duties of the sponsor which shall be in accordance with the written agreement entered 336 337 338 339 340 341 342 343 344 345 346 347 348 349 350 351 352 353 354 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 S. B. No. 113 Page 14 As Introduced into with the department under division (B) of section 3314.015 of the Revised Code and shall include the following: (1) Monitor the community school's compliance with all laws applicable to the school and with the terms of the contract; (2) Monitor and evaluate the academic and fiscal performance and the organization and operation of the community school on at least an annual basis; (3) Provide technical assistance to the community school in complying with laws applicable to the school and terms of the contract; (4) Take steps to intervene in the school's operation to correct problems in the school's overall performance, declare the school to be on probationary status pursuant to section 3314.073 of the Revised Code, suspend the operation of the school pursuant to section 3314.072 of the Revised Code, or terminate the contract of the school pursuant to section 3314.07 of the Revised Code as determined necessary by the sponsor; (5) Have in place a plan of action to be undertaken in the event the community school experiences financial difficulties or closes prior to the end of a school year. (E) Upon the expiration of a contract entered into under this section, the sponsor of a community school may, with the approval of the governing authority of the school, renew that contract for a period of time determined by the sponsor, but not ending earlier than the end of any school year, if the sponsor finds that the school's compliance with applicable laws and terms of the contract and the school's progress in meeting the academic goals prescribed in the contract have been 364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 S. B. No. 113 Page 15 As Introduced satisfactory. Any contract that is renewed under this division remains subject to the provisions of sections 3314.07, 3314.072, and 3314.073 of the Revised Code. (F) If a community school fails to open for operation within one year after the contract entered into under this section is adopted pursuant to division (D) of section 3314.02 of the Revised Code or permanently closes prior to the expiration of the contract, the contract shall be void and the school shall not enter into a contract with any other sponsor. A school shall not be considered permanently closed because the operations of the school have been suspended pursuant to section 3314.072 of the Revised Code. Sec. 3326.11. Each science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school established under this chapter and its governing body shall comply with sections 9.90, 9.91, 109.65, 121.22, 149.43, 2151.357, 2151.421, 2313.19, 2921.42, 2921.43, 3301.0714, 3301.0715, 3301.0729, 3301.948, 3302.037, 3313.14, 3313.15, 3313.16, 3313.18, 3313.201, 3313.26, 3313.472, 3313.475, 3313.48, 3313.481, 3313.482, 3313.50, 3313.539, 3313.5310, 3313.5318, 3313.5319, 3313.608, 3313.6012, 3313.6013, 3313.6014, 3313.6020, 3313.6021, 3313.6023, 3313.6024, 3313.6025, 3313.6026, 3313.6028, 3313.6029, 3313.61, 3313.611, 3313.614, 3313.615, 3313.617, 3313.618, 3313.6114, 3313.643, 3313.648, 3313.6411, 3313.6413, 3313.66, 3313.661, 3313.662, 3313.666, 3313.667, 3313.668, 3313.669, 3313.6610, 3313.67, 3313.671, 3313.672, 3313.673, 3313.69, 3313.71, 3313.716, 3313.717, 3313.718, 3313.719, 3313.7112, 3313.7117, 3313.721, 3313.753, 3313.80, 3313.801, 3313.814, 3313.816, 3313.817, 3313.818, 3313.819, 3313.86, 3313.89, 3313.96, 3319.073, 3319.077, 3319.078, 3319.0812, 3319.21, 3319.238, 3319.318, 3319.32, 3319.321, 3319.324, 3319.35, 3319.39, 3319.391, 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410 411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421 422 423 S. B. No. 113 Page 16 As Introduced 3319.393, 3319.41, 3319.45, 3319.46, 3319.614, 3320.01, 3320.02, 3320.03, 3320.04, 3321.01, 3321.041, 3321.05, 3321.13, 3321.14, 3321.141, 3321.17, 3321.18, 3321.19, 3321.191, 3322.20, 3322.24, 3323.251, 3327.10, 4111.17, 4113.52, 5502.262, 5502.703, and 5705.391 and Chapters 102., 117., 1347., 2744., 3307., 3309., 3365., 3742., 4112., 4123., 4141., and 4167. of the Revised Code as if it were a school district. Sec. 3328.24. A college-preparatory boarding school established under this chapter and its board of trustees shall comply with sections 102.02, 3301.0710, 3301.0711, 3301.0712, 3301.0714, 3301.0729, 3301.948, 3302.037, 3313.475, 3313.5318, 3313.5319, 3313.6013, 3313.6021, 3313.6023, 3313.6024, 3313.6025, 3313.6026, 3313.6029, 3313.617, 3313.618, 3313.6114, 3313.6411, 3313.6413, 3313.668, 3313.669, 3313.6610, 3313.717, 3313.7112, 3313.7117, 3313.721, 3313.753, 3313.89, 3319.073, 3319.077, 3319.078, 3319.318, 3319.324, 3319.39, 3319.391, 3319.393, 3319.46, 3320.01, 3320.02, 3320.03, 3320.04, 3323.251, and 5502.262, and Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code as if the school were a school district and the school's board of trustees were a district board of education. Section 2. That existing sections 3314.03, 3326.11, and 3328.24 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed. Section 3. The General Assembly, applying the principle stated in division (B) of section 1.52 of the Revised Code that amendments are to be harmonized if reasonably capable of simultaneous operation, finds that the following sections, presented in this act as composites of the sections as amended by the acts indicated, are the resulting versions of the sections in effect prior to the effective date of the sections as presented in this act: 424 425 426 427 428 429 430 431 432 433 434 435 436 437 438 439 440 441 442 443 444 445 446 447 448 449 450 451 452 453 S. B. No. 113 Page 17 As Introduced Section 3314.03 of the Revised Code as amended by H.B. 214, H.B. 250, and S.B. 168, all of the 135th General Assembly. Section 3326.11 of the Revised Code as amended by H.B. 47, H.B. 214, and S.B. 168, all of the 135th General Assembly. Section 3328.24 of the Revised Code as amended by H.B. 47 and H.B. 214 of the 135th General Assembly. 454 455 456 457 458 459