[Letterhead]

To: My Constituents and Other Interested Parties:
From: Diana Fessler - E:mail: [email protected] Internet: http//.www.fessler.com 
Date: July 26, 1997

RE: Pending legislation: Substitute Senate Bill 55 which is now in the House of Representatives

Ideally, the vote on SB 55 will be postponed until a comprehensive fiscal analysis is available, but since that might not happen, I hope that the bill will be amended to make it as palatable as a dead fish can be. Currently, there are four opportunities to have amendments incorporated into the bill.

1. This weekend as the substitute bill is being worked on;
2. in Committee on Monday,
3. when the bill comes before 99 House members for the final vote (probably Tuesday or Wednesday); and
4. to a limited extent, when the bill goes to Conference Committee for reconciliation.

Last night, I started writing a summary of this complex piece of legislation for constituents who want the whole story in a nutshell. However, the summary developed into a 6-page analysis and proposed amendments. This afternoon, I sent the letter to members of the House Education Committee and to the legislators in my district. It's long, but
if you care to read it, it's at http://www.fessler.com on the Internet.

Regrettably, I still haven't written a concise summary of SB 55 that addresses the questions that I am being asked about the bill, such as: "I've called and ordered a copy of the bill, but I'm afraid it won't get here in time for me to read it before it's voted on. I want to call my legislator, but I don't know what's in it; just tell me what to say." I won't presume to tell anyone what to say; I can only tell people what I am doing, which in this case, is asking my representative to VOTE NO on Substitute SB 55. However, as an elected official, I am very sensitive to the intense pressure that will be brought to bear to get this bill passed. Therefore, even though I oppose the bill, for the sake of practicality, I am asking my representative to OFFER, OR SUPPORT, ANY AMENDMENTS THAT:

1. Oppose the creation of the Office of Education Accountability and Performance;
2. Oppose the creation of a State Board of Education and Board of Regent's Joint Council; the $30,000 report being requested has already been completed: A Total Approach: Improving College Preparation in Ohio. (I may put the report on my web site this weekend.)
3. Abolish the proficiency tests; replace them with norm-referenced standardized academic achievement tests;
4. Allow parents and teachers to inspect all tests that are given to students and the scoring mechanisms; (if I had to choose between reviewing the test or the scoring tools, I would choose to see the scoring mechanism;that's how important they are);
5. Require a comprehensive, unbiased, independent audit of the proficiency tests;
6. Oppose site-based management councils; if people want to manage schools they should run for office.
7. Require all members of the State Board of Education to be elected by the people, thereby eliminating the eight appointed positions;
8. Call for an accurate and complete fiscal analysis of the bill before it is voted on, and I am asking that a copy of it be faxed to me as soon as possible; and
9. Slows down SB 55.

In my opinion, the public should be adamant that additional public hearings be held. There may be resistance to scheduling additional public testimony since some legislators perceived the testimony given last week as not being relevant to SB 55. Legislators are accustomed to dealing with specific line items, but because the public did not get access to the bill until the hearing began, their comments were wide and varied, oftentimes focusing on national education restructuring, School-to-Work, parental rights, home-schooling, and theology. Unfortunately, if legislators withhold the revised bill until Monday afternoon, frustrated citizens will again be forced to air general concerns or to comment on the previous version of the bill. Obviously, there is an information disconnect that needs to be remedied, but that is not likely to take place in the next few days. The House Education Committee will meet, and perhaps vote, on Monday at 4:00 p.m. and (if needed) Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. in Room 017 in the Statehouse. - END

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