The voice of OFT members were heard throughout the course of deliberation over the Third Grade Reading Guarantee, which resulted in a final law that includes flexibility in implementation to the benefit of students who need focused help from qualified teachers.
Access the guidance manual for details about the final version of the law.
OFT believes that the final version of the bill is more reasonable as it gives flexibility in implementation in several ways, including allowing schools to apply for waivers through 2016. It is important to implement changes in a thoughtful and meaningful way in order to accomplish a productive outcome.
Three additional documents will help you understand provisions of the new law. Read the actual bill - this copy shows the changes that were made to the Senate version with strikeouts signifying language that was removed and underlines indicating language that was added. Read a comparison document provided by the Legislative Service Commission highlighting significant changes from the Senate version to the House version. Read a "quick and easy" reference guide created by OFT to highlight significant changes and give our insight as to what some of these changes mean. We encourage you to look at these documents closely and reach out to President Cropper or staff with any questions.
Please note that the OFT analysis and the LSC comparison document do not contain all provisions of the law, just the areas where significant changes were made. The complete language is in the bill itself.
We encourage teachers to work with your districts to meet the requirements of this bill in a thoughtful manner rather than rushing to be compliant. If you feel that your district is requiring changes that seem to conflict with the provisions outlined here, please contact your field representative or contact one of our Columbus staff members to discuss your concerns. We are here to help.