MOUNT VERNON – They came. They saw. They listened.
Knox County’s two members of the Ohio House of Representatives met with local school superintendents Friday during a 90-minute discussion that touched on a variety of issues affecting public education.
One of the key topics that emerged is the lack of qualified teaching candidates in some areas and school districts’ struggle to compete with private sector salaries.
“We’re glad to have this opportunity to meet with you and hear your comments and concerns,” said Rep. Beth Lear (R-Gahanna), whose District 61 encompasses the western half of Knox County.
Rep. Darrell Kick (R-Loudenville) represents Mount Vernon and the eastern half of the county as part of House District 98.
The monthly gathering of superintendents is facilitated by the Knox Educational Service Center (ESC) which partners with county districts to develop, implement and operate cooperative, shared educational services.
“These sessions allow superintendents to talk informally and share their approaches to the many issues that impact public education today,” said ESC Superintendent Dr. Timm Mackley.
County superintendents who participated Friday included:
– Bill Seder, Mount Vernon
– Ryan Gallwitz, Centerburg
– Jason Snively, Danville
– Jim Peterson, East Knox
– Gary Chapman, Fredericktown
– Kathy Greenich, Knox County Career Center
Two other area superintendents – Janice Wyckoff of Clear Fork and Nate Huffman of Highland – joined Friday’s discussion, as did former Centerburg superintendent Mike Hebenthal, now a member of the Ohio Department of Education’s District 7 state support team.
Gallwitz said school districts cannot compete with salaries such as those that will be offered at the emerging Intel complex in adjacent Licking County.
“No one wants to work in education if they can earn a six-figure salary there. We’re looking at a shortage of high-end science and math teachers,” he said.
Others agreed that the impact of Intel will be the loss of talented individuals who could have been teachers.
Huffman said a lack of qualified applicants is impacting special education.
“More and more children are being diagnosed with autism. There is a shortage of special education teachers,” he said.
Snively said the challenge for small rural schools like Danville is adequate salaries for teaching applicants.
Aside from teacher salaries, Snively told Lear and Kick, “We’re looking for greater internship opportunities for students outside our buildings which would allow us to partner with the community.”
Hebenthal noted the difference in tax revenue ability for the state and local school districts. For example, inflation benefits the state because higher prices mean higher sales tax revenue, he said, while school districts must turn to voters for more money.
“Voters may be unhappy at some other level but their only opportunity to say no is a on a local tax option like a school district levy,” Hebenthal said.
Other comments during the meeting included:
Wyckoff: “I’m all for testing but when we reach proficiency, the state changes the standards and the tests.”
Gallwitz: “I would like more local control over graduation requirements. I’m not saying reduce the number of credits. We just need more local flexibility.”
Chapman: “The entire education landscape has changed because we have given up more local control.”
As a group, the superintendents urged Lear and Kick to support legislation that would require voucher schools to accept special needs students and provide services for them, the same as public schools must do. Currently, voucher schools may pick and choose the students they accept.