The National Governors Association Center for Best Practices (NGA Center) and the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) released the first official public draft of the K-12 standards as part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

The OEA Board of Directors has endorsed two candidates for election to the STRS Board. Mark Hill is a middle school math teacher from Worthington who also serves as Vice President of the Worthington Education Association. Dale Price is a math teacher in the Toledo Public Schools who is also active with his local union. Both are also endorsed by the Ohio Federation of Teachers.

It’s common to hear that school custodians perform routine cleaning, handle fire drills, and assist with building security. But we don’t often to get to hear about some of the unique roles they fulfill such as serving as the Chess Master to the school’s top chess champion each year. Rick Larkin, head custodian at Hopewell Elementary in West Chester, Ohio, however, does just that.

The Ohio Education Association has joined the protest of the firing of 93 teachers and other personnel at a Rhode Island High School as a short-sighted decision that will prove ineffective in improving student learning and achievement. The Central Falls school board fired teachers after only 7 percent of 11th graders passed state math tests.

March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss, ushers in Read Across America, a month-long celebration of the joys of reading -- and the joys of discovery for young readers. OEA and local schools throughout Ohio celebrate with many events, including a widely attended reading event at Wright Patterson Air Force Base museum and other appearances by OEA leaders at local schools around Ohio.

The Ohio Education Association said eliminating the Ohio income tax would pose "devastating" losses for Ohio school districts. An Ohio Legislative Service Commission report confirmed local schools would lose up to $2 billion in state funds when the state income tax is fully eliminated.

NEA Women’s Leadership Training: Group Process Skills

All early-career teachers belonging to the OEA are invited to a series of regional New Teacher Forums throughout Ohio.

New -- download OEA's presentation on Race to the Top (RTTT) resources for local leaders and associations. To support local associations on RTTT, OEA has established a series of webinars, conference calls and an RTTT “boot camp” to help local leaders shape the substance and process of writing school district plans.

New! See the latest Teacher Tip from OEA on volunteering in a child's classroom. Students do a better job in school when parents & guardians are interested and supportive. OEA has gathered suggestions from teachers across the state and we are proud to share them with you.