The bill seeks to amend the Revised Code concerning school district governance and financial management by repealing sections related to academic distress commissions, specifically sections 3302.10, 3302.103, 3302.11, and 3302.111. This repeal eliminates the requirement for distressed school districts to obtain approval from these commissions before incurring debt, thereby streamlining their financial operations. The bill also modifies regulations on how school districts can manage their finances, allowing them to incur net indebtedness beyond specified limits for various projects, including those exceeding $100 million, without voter approval if they have conditional approval from the Ohio facilities construction commission. Additionally, it mandates that state funds for such projects will only be released once bond proceeds are deposited into the district's construction fund.

Furthermore, the bill introduces provisions for community learning centers, requiring public hearings and elections to initiate the process, and modifies eligibility criteria for the educational choice scholarship pilot program, expanding access to students not enrolled in their resident district's schools. It mandates that all school districts maintain public schools offering grades K-12, with the potential for dissolution and redistribution of territory if they fail to comply. The bill also addresses cooperative education school districts, stating they will be dissolved if they do not maintain the required grades. Overall, the bill is declared an emergency measure, emphasizing the urgency of these changes to enhance the operational flexibility and financial management of Ohio's school districts.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 133.06, 3302.036, 3302.042, 3302.043, 3302.12, 3302.17, 3310.03, 3311.29, 3314.102, 3302.10, 3302.103, 3302.11, 3302.111