Former OFT president Marec dies at 76
Ron Marec, a former president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, died Jan. 8. A resident of Shaker Heights near Cleveland, Marec was 76. "Our thoughts are with Ron's family and close friends."
Press
ESSA Offers Opportunity for Ohio to Get Education Right for Our Children
Teachers across Ohio are excited by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the opportunities it creates for Ohio to reset education policy to focus on students and their success, and end the harmful test fixation that has become the predominant schooling strategy. The ESSA was overwhelmingly approved Dec. 3 by the U.S. House of Representatives as reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, formerly known as No Child Left Behind. The Senate is scheduled to vote tomorrow.
Conference on HB 70 highlights benefits of community-school partnerships
A day-long conference Oct. 28 will explore how expanding Community Learning Centers across Ohio could raise student achievement and attendance, and improve student behavior and development statewide. Establishing Community Learning Centers across Ohio was the intent of the original version of House Bill 70 and remains the most important piece of the legislation.
OFT welcomes vote to create charter accountability, questions procedural move to kill teacher pensions
A bill to hold charter school operators accountable will move toward a final vote tomorrow. However, we believe the conference committee overstepped its authority by adding a new provision to the bill to kill educator pensions.
Ohio Teacher Unions Jointly Call For Independent Investigation Of ODE’s Role In Charter School Data Rigging
The Ohio Education Association and the Ohio Federation of Teachers sent a letter to Ohio's State Board of Education President Thomas Gunlock regarding #chartergate. Read the letter.
Poll: Americans say biggest issue facing schools is funding
(Aug. 25, 2015) Big news: Americans agree with educators about the biggest issues facing our schools. What tops the list?
Lawmakers should concur on HB 2 to create charter accountability #concurHB2
The House should concur on HB 2 to hold charter schools accountable for failed academic results and financial missteps. A vote to concur will update a weak HB 2 with stronger accountability provisions from SB 148. Urge your Representative to concur on HB 2. #concurHB2
Nurses, teachers urge Senate to restore collective bargaining rights
ONA and OFT push the Ohio Senate to amend the budget bill to give back union rights to home health care, child care providers.
As Supreme Court weighs question, union celebrates support for marriage equality
As the issue of marriage equality comes before the U.S. Supreme Court, OFT celebrates a long history of standing on the right side of history as a supporter of fairness and equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.
Bipartisan bill first serious effort at charter school accountability
A new charter accountability bill is Ohio's first real attempt to hold accountable those who operate the privately run, publicly funded charter chains. Tell your senator to support charter accountability SB 148.