Who controls creating Ohio’s statewide curriculum, education standards and long-term planning for its 1.7 million public school children could be decided, at least temporarily, by a Franklin County Court judge Monday.
The state was preparing to transfer those powers from the State Board of Education to the governor’s office later this week, but a lawsuit filed by seven board members could postpone that overhaul of Ohio’s public education system for years.
Supporters of these changes say taking control over education away from the 19-member board would improve academic outcomes for children, make the department more nimble by centralizing power and end the ideological fighting over culture war issues that has bogged down board meetings.
The plaintiffs say Ohioans voted to remove the governor from education policy when they created the board in 1953, and lawmakers can’t override that. Parents would also lose their right to directly elect the people who write education policy.
Monday’s hearing won’t determine who is right. Instead, Judge Jennifer Hunt will hear arguments for and against putting the law on hold while the case moves through the courts. A process that could take years.
