3301-35-01 Purpose and definitions.

 

 

 

3301-35-01                  Purpose and definitions.

 

 

 

(A)    Under section 3301.07 of the Revised Code, the purpose for adopting operating standards for Ohio school districts and elementary and secondary schools is to assure that all students are provided a general education of high quality. The operating standards in this chapter of the Administrative Code establish specific expectations and provide additional guidelines for school districts and schools to use in creating the best learning conditions for meeting the personalized and individualized needs of each student needs and achieving state and local educational goals and objectives. The operating standards in this chapter incorporate principles of high-performing thinking and learning organizations to assist school districts and schools in focused continuous improvement planning for increased student academic achievement.

 

(B)  The following terms are defined as they are used in the rules of this chapter:

 

(1)     "Adequate yearly progress (AYP)" means a measure of annual academic performance pursuant to section 3302.01 of the Revised Code.

 

(2)    "Assessment" means the measuring of student achievement of performance goals and objectives.

 

(3)    "Benchmark" means a higher performing school district or school , whether similar or not, used to compare performance.

 

(4)    "Board of education" means the locally elected, governing body of a school district or the governing body of a STEM school, nonpublic school, or municipal school district.

 

(5)    "Classified staff" means nonteaching school personnel who are assigned to positions that do not require a certificate, license, permit or other credentialing document under section 3317.12 of the Revised Code.

 

(6)    "Continuous improvement plan" means a document used to guide educators, students and their families, business people, and community members in the process of achieving and measuring substantial improvements in the school district's or school's performance. The continuous improvement plan is part of the strategic plan. All school continuous improvement plans must align with the school district's district continuous improvement plans.

 

(7)     "Credentialed staff" means faculty or staff who hold a certificate, license, permit or other document issued under section 3301.071 or Chapter 3319. of the Revised Code. For non-chartered, non-tax supported schools, credentialed

 

 

 

includes holding a bachelor's degree from a university or college; or certification of any administrator, supervisor, or teacher who has attended and received a diploma from a "bible college" or "bible institute" as described in division (E) of section 1713.02 of the Revised Code.

(8) "Credit flexibility" means that students may earn high school graduation credit by demonstrating subject area competency through the completion of traditional coursework, testing out or otherwise demonstrating mastery of course content and/or pursuing an approved educational option pursuant to the model for credit flexibility adopted by the state board of education (education.ohio.gov).

(9) "Dropout prevention and recovery program" means an approved program that has received a waiver from the department of education pursuant to section 3313.603 of the Revised Code, which may permit enrolled students to qualify for high school graduation by successfully completing a competency-based instructional program administered by the dropout prevention and recovery program in lieu of completing the Ohio core curriculum prescribed in division (C) of section 3313.603 of the Revised Code.

(10)      "Educational options" means learning experiences or activities that are designed to extend, enhance, or supplement, or serve as an alternative to classroom instruction and meet the personalized and individualized needs of each individual student needs. Educational options are offered in accordance with the model for credit flexibility adopted by the state board of education (education.ohio.gov), local board of education policy and with parental approval. Such options may include, but are not limited to:

(a)   "Distance learning" - systematic instruction in which the instructor and/or student participate by mail or electronic media.

(b)    "Educational travel" - an educational activity involving travel under the direction of a person approved by the board of education and parent.

(c)     "Independent study" - an educational activity involving advanced or in-depth work that an individual student pursues under the direction of a credentialed member of the school staff.

(d)"Internship" means a work-based learning experience in which students are placed in a business or work/career related environment for a defined period of time to gain knowledge and experience.

(d)(e)  "Mentor  program"  -  an  educational  activity  including  advanced  or in-depth                 work    by   an    individual   student   under   direction     of    a

non-credentialed individual. Mentors must meet criteria established by the board of education and are subject to parent approval.

(f) "Project portfolio" means a purposeful collection of student work based upon student goals and academic content standards (education.ohio.gov), completed over time, which demonstrates achievement and progress.

(e)(g) "Study abroad program" - a school program in another country that is made available to Ohio students and which is comparable to programs offered in the state of Ohio.

(f)(h) "Tutorial program" - an educational activity involving work by an individual student under the direction of a credentialed teacher.

(i) "Other" means a combination of educational options approved by the local school district superintendent.

(11)     "Educational service personnel" means individuals employed by a school district in one or more of the following positions: counselor, library media specialist, school nurse, visiting teacher, social worker, or specialists in elementary art, music, or physical education.

(12) "Intervention" means alternative or supplemental instruction designed to help students meet performance objectives.

(12) "Extended learning opportunities" means a variety of initiatives that ensure students have access to a diverse array of content-rich, high-quality opportunities that expand the time they are actively engaged in learning. These opportunities provide students with structured opportunities for academic support and enrichment, extra-curricular activities, service-learning; mentoring, recreation, character education, and other developmental activities. Such opportunities may include, but would not be limited to, the following:

(a) "Before- and after-school programs" means school or community-based programs that occur before the scheduled school day begins and/or after the scheduled school day ends on weekday afternoons. They may offer a range of diverse programming including academic support, homework help, mentoring, field trips, physical education, and arts and cultural enrichment.

(b) "Saturday and weekend programs" means programs that offer the potential to engage students and families whose work-related commitments constrain their ability to participate in programs during

the school week.

(c) "Summer programs" include the following main categories:

(i) "School-based remediation and credit-recovery programs" means programs that provide supplemental instruction and supports for students not performing at grade level.

(ii) "Extracurricular, recreational, and enrichment programs" means programs offered by schools, community-based providers, youth-serving organizations, and for-profit companies.

(d)"Extended day/year initiatives" means initiatives that explicitly modify the traditional school calendar by adding time to the school day, lengthening the school year, or otherwise modifying the school schedule. These initiatives may provide more time for core academic instruction, community-based enrichment activities, and teacher professional development.

(13) "Intervention" means alternative or supplemental instruction designed to help students meet performance objectives.

(14)   "Model curriculum program" means a non-binding curriculum provided by the department of education which includes lessons, units, and assessments that are aligned with academic content standards.

(15)     "Parent" means a parent, custodial parent or legal guardian as defined by section 3321.01 of the Revised Code.

(16)     "Policies" means general principles governing the operation of a school. Policies shall be established and adopted by the board of education.

(17)     "Performance index score" means the average of the totals derived from calculations for each subject area of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies of the weighted proportions of untested students and students scoring at each level of skill and defined by section 3302.01 of the Revised Code.

(18)   "Procedures" means detailed rules, regulations and courses of action, specified in writing, for carrying out school district and school policies.

(19) "Professional learning community" means a collaborative process in which educators engage in continuous dialogue and examination of practice, focused on student learning and student performance. Professional learning communities are characterized by a consistent and articulated commitment to

improving student learning by incorporating coordinated strategies to respond to the learning needs of students including, but not limited to, development and implementation of effective instructional practices and strategies, setting high expectations for student learning, development of appropriate intervention and support strategies, analysis of student data, engagement in reflective professional inquiry and professional development, and utilization of opportunities to meet and plan on a regular basis.

(20)   "School," with the exception of the term "school" as used in rule 3301-35-08 of the Administrative Code, means an environment organized for learning and chartered pursuant to this chapter and section 3301.16 of the Revised Code to provide a community of students with the opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge necessary to meet state and local performance objectives.

(21)     "School district" means a local, exempted village, city or joint vocational school district as defined in Chapter 3311. of the Revised Code. For chartered, nonpublic schools, "school district" means a school or schools under the jurisdiction of the governing authority of the chartered, nonpublic school.

(22)   "School year" means the year beginning the first day of July and ending on the thirtieth day of June of the next succeeding calendar year.

(23)     "Site evaluation" means an evaluation the Ohio department of education conducts in accordance with section 3302.04 of the Revised Code to determine whether a school district or school meets the operating standards in this chapter. Among other things, a site evaluation shall determine:

(a)   Whether teachers are assigned to subject areas for which they are licensed or certified;

(b)   Student-teacher ratios;

(c)    Minimum instruction time in the school district for each school day and each school year;

(d)   The availability of materials and equipment aligned with, and promoting skills expected under, the statewide academic content standards (education.ohio.gov) and necessary to implement the curriculum as approved by the board of education; and

(e)    Whether the school district's vision, mission, goals and objectives, and

strategic plan are properly aligned;.

(f)How the school district addresses academic and performance issues for underperforming students and student subgroups; and

(g) How the school district uses data sources in the planning, implementation and monitoring of improvement programs.

(24)      "Stakeholder" means those who directly affect or are affected by the educational success of a school district and school. Stakeholders may include, but are not limited to, colleges and universities, school district and school staff, employers, parents, students, and other individuals or groups in the community. For nonpublic schools, the governing authority of the school identifies "stakeholders."

(25)    "Strategic plan" means a plan used to guide the school district or school and key stakeholders in the on-going measurement of school district and school performance to assure adequate progress is being made toward strategic goals and objectives. Strategic planning identifies short- and long-range goals and the strategies necessary to achieve them. Strategic planning is the responsibility of the board of education, the superintendent and key stakeholders. All school strategic plans must align with the school district strategic plan.

(26)   "Superintendent" means the chief administrative officer of a school district or the chief administrative officer of a nonpublic school.

(27)    "Value-added progress dimension" means a measure of academic gain for a student or group of students over a specific period of time that is calculated by applying a statistical methodology to individual student achievement data derived from the state achievement assessment test as defined by section

3302.01 of the Revised Code.

(C)    This chapter shall not be exempted under the provisions of rule 301-15-02 of the Administrative Code for school districts designated as "excellent" or "effective" pursuant to section 3302.03 of the Revised Code.

Effective:	07/23/2010
R.C. 119.032 review dates:	02/24/2012
CERTIFIED ELECTRONICALLY
Certification
07/13/2010
Date
Promulgated Under:	119.03
Statutory Authority:	3301.07
Rule Amplifies:	3301.07, 3301.16, 3302.03, 3313.603
Prior Effective Dates:	9/1/83, 12/31/00, 2/24/2006