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Ohio school board eliminates "5 of 8" hiring rule for school districts

Mark Urycki
/
State Impact Ohio

It’s known as Ohio’s “5 of 8 rule” - for every 1,000 students, school districts must hire five service personnel from a list of eight, including art teachers, music teachers, librarians, nurses and counselors.

That rule is now gone, thanks to a vote Monday by the Ohio Board of Education.

The school board spent Monday listening to testimony, including Wadsworth school superintendent Andrew Hill, who asked for the freedom to make his own personnel choices.

Former board chairman Debe Terhar of Green Township backed up that argument saying it was all about local control. 

“This board, this body is not taking away anything,” Terhar said. “You are providing flexibility to districts to be able to make their staffing decisions.”

But board member Bob Hagan asked a question: if it’s all about local control, Hagan asked,  “why do we have a state school board?”

“What’s our responsibility?,” Hagan said.  “Have we just given it all up.?”

In the end, even with three new Board members - all Democrats - the Republican majority voted to eliminate the 5 of 8 standard.