1. 21st century learning environment

Students will continue to learn core subjects, such as math and science. However, topics such as global awareness and communication and critical thinking skills will be introduced to the curriculum.

Chandler said she thinks this proposal is important because it will allow state support for programs that teachers have always wanted to teach their students.

2. High quality educators

Strickland said that teachers, like doctors and pilots, hold lives in their hands. Therefore, he recommended a four-year residency program for teachers.

When students graduate from college with a degree in education, they will be required to learn teaching techniques from a resident teacher for four years.

He said this program will help identify those not cut out to be teachers.

Chandler said she has a few reservations about this program because a good teacher placed in a low socioeconomic school district may not yield as much academic success as he or she would in a high socioeconomic school district. The opposite may also be true.

3. Expand learning opportunities

To expand learning time for students, the governor proposed universal all-day kindergarten and phasing in 20 additional learning days to the school year. This would expand the school year from 180 days to 200 days over a course of 10 years.

Strickland also said the state will continue to work to bridge the achievement gap between schools and for the first time, provide resources for instruction materials and enrichment activities, such as field trips.

In addition, he proposed an Ohio Academic Olympics, where students would compete in science, math, writing, debate, the arts and technology.

4. Effective funding

Schools will no longer be able to use “phantom revenue” to calculate tax revenue.

Currently, tax payers contribute 23 mills to local schools. This will be reduced to 20 mills and the state will assume responsibility to providing the difference.

In the upcoming two-year budget, the state’s share of education funding will be 55 percent. By the end of the eight-year plan, in 2017, the state’s share of local school budgets will reach 59 percent.

5. School district accountability

Strickland proposed a plan that would allow for more transparency to achieve results.

In this plan, the Ohio Department of Education would regularly review school districts’ spending and performance.

If a school district continually does not comply with this plan’s standards, it would shut down.

6. Measure OH students against the world

Strickland proposed doing away with the Ohio Graduation Test, and instead, replacing it with an “ACT Plus” test.

The “ACT Plus” would include the regular college entrance exam, end of course exams, completion of a service learning project and submission of a senior project.

Contact public affairs reporter Christina Stavale

at [email protected].