House Economic & Workforce Development Committee — Proponent Testimony, Senate Bill 1 (3.28.23)

Summary

Proponent testimony on Senate Bill 1, dated 3.28.23, from Jeff Dillon, Ohio Legislative Director for Americans for Prosperity (AFP), to the House Economic & Workforce Development Committee. The testimony urges the committee to support and pass Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senator Bill Reineke. It lists key components, including that SB 1 streamlines the State Board's duties and remodels ODE into the Department of Education & Workforce (DEW), a cabinet-level agency. It describes AFP as having more than 3.2 million activists across the nation.

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HOUSE ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE – Proponent
Testimony, Senate Bill 1, 3.28.23

Chairman Swearingen, Vice Chair Santucci, Ranking Member Upchurch, and members of the
committee, thank you for holding this hearing and for the opportunity to provide testimony. My
name is Jeff Dillon, and I am the Ohio Legislative Director for Americans for Prosperity (AFP). As
one of the largest grassroots organizations in the country, AFP is driving long-term solutions to
some of the country’s biggest problems. Our organization, and its thousands of activists across
Ohio are dedicated to breaking barriers that stand in the way of people realizing their full
potential. Removing these barriers, in whatever forms they take, helps move our society
toward one of mutual benefit, where people succeed by helping others improve their lives and
by transforming their communities. Accordingly, I would urge this committee to support and
pass Senate Bill 1, sponsored by Senator Bill Reineke.

Sen. Reineke explained the bill in detail last week during sponsor testimony, and this legislation
has received considerable public attention, so committee members are likely aware of its
contents, but just as a brief review, here are some of its key components:

   •   SB 1 streamlines the State Board’s duties and refocuses its attention to core
       administrative functions, like teacher licensure.
   •   SB 1 remodels ODE into the Department of Education & Workforce (DEW), a cabinet-
       level agency comprised of two divisions – the Division of Primary & Secondary
       Education, and the Division of Career Technical Education; the Director of the
       Department and the Deputies overseeing each Division would all be Senate-confirmable
       positions appointed by the Governor, who would thereby be directly accountable to the
       both the executive and legislative branches, which are accountable to the people of this
       state.
   •   SB 1 charges DEW with resolving other ongoing issues, such as student transportation
       issues, and the administration of ACE accounts, to name a few.
   •   SB 1 places emphasis on the fact that the primary purpose of public education is to
       prepare the students of today to be citizens capable of sustaining the workforce of
       tomorrow.

Most of AFP’s involvement in education issues typically tends to take the form of advocacy for
more robust school choice options for Ohio parents and students. My organization closely
monitored SB 178 during the 134th General Assembly and is proud to support SB 1 this session.
From AFP’s perspective, the barrier being broken via SB 1 is the dysfunction within the current
bureaucracy itself. Others from my organization have testified before the House already this
month in support of concepts like the expansion of EdChoice eligibility proposed in Governor
DeWine’s budget, and of HB 11, the Backpack Bill. Through conversations with key
stakeholders, and through our own analysis, AFP felt it important to weigh in on SB 1 for one
primary reason: Ohio’s state government needs an overhaul if it is to function properly to
achieve the best possible outcomes for families and kids, especially if innovative, needed new
approaches to education delivery may be on the horizon in the near future.

AFP believes that the purpose of our education systems needs to shift from schooling to
learning, from a one-size-fits-all system rooted in standardization and uniform outcomes to
normalizing a multitude of learning approaches and outcomes. That purpose will lead to more
empowerment for all children to discover how their unique talents and interests can create
value in society, allowing them to live lives filled with meaning and purpose. SB 1 will help lay
the foundation for such a reimagined system by making those who set and administer
education policy in Ohio more directly accountable to the elected representatives of the
people.

No piece of legislation can ever solve all problems for all people. But SB 1, should it be enacted,
will make state government more well-situated to solve problems more efficiently, while also
hopefully generating more forward-thinking approaches attuned to current trends and best
practices to meet Ohioans’ needs for generations to come.

Thank you again, Chairman, for the opportunity to testify today and I will do my best to answer
any questions that you or members of the committee may have.




Americans for Prosperity (AFP) exists to recruit, educate, and mobilize citizens in support of the
policies and goals of a free society at the local, state, and federal level, helping every American
live their dream – especially the least fortunate. AFP has more than 3.2 million activists across
  the nation, a local infrastructure that includes 36 state chapters, and has received financial
       support from more than 100,000 Americans in all 50 states. For more information,
                              visit www.AmericansForProsperity.org.


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