School Board Resolution to Take Back Local Control

On Tuesday, the Vandalia-Butler City Schools Board of Education passed a resolution to take back local control of Ohio’s public schools.  The resolution reads:

Whereas, Article VI of the Ohio Constitution requires the State…to secure a thorough and efficient system of common schools throughout the State…; and,

Whereas, Section 3313.21 of the Ohio Revised Code states in part that “The board of education of each school district shall be the sole authority in determining and selecting…academic curriculum”; and,

Whereas the current funding model penalizes communities with successful economic development programs contrary to the stated goals of the State of Ohio; and,

Whereas the current State assessment model is counter to the desires of local communities as demonstrated in surveys; and,

Whereas instructional, assessment, and curricular decisions should be made by the local school district, administrators, and classroom professionals who best understand the needs of their students; and,

Whereas the Vandalia-Butler City Schools (VBCS) Board of Education believes that not only are the funding, mandates, and assessment models currently in vogue a drain on the district resources, but serve little, if any academic benefit to our local students;

Now therefore, be it resolved that the VBCS district expresses its opposition to all current and future legislation that serves to further erode the fundamental principle of local control;

And be it further resolved that the district encourages the State to adopt actions that reward high performing districts and do not punish successful communities;

And be it further resolved that the district advocates the immediate pause of all State mandated assessment and accountability models until a complete study of the cost, relevancy, accuracy, and validity of such programs is complete and approved by local school boards.

Signed this 28^th day of April 2015.

BOARD OF EDUCATION OF THE VANDALIA-BUTLER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT