By Will Vorys
The Ohio General Assembly remains mostly on summer recess, with legislative activity anticipated to ramp up this Fall. Top of mind for many lawmakers is the November 2023 election that will see recreational marijuana and abortion rights issues on the ballot for voter approval. View our Members Only section for the full update. These initiatives have emerged in the wake of Issue 1, which sought to increase the voting threshold for certain ballot initiatives and was overwhelmingly defeated by Ohioans earlier in August. We continue to monitor updates from the recently passed budget bill, including any news on the new Department of Education and Workforce (DEW). We anticipate an announcement imminently regarding the cabinet-level DEW Director position. After this top spot is filled (with the advice and consent of the Senate), the two deputies—including the deputy director of the office of CTE—will likely be selected / announced. We also suspect some restructuring will occur within the agency in the coming months and will keep members apprised of any updates. The CTE associations intend to convene throughout September and October to discuss legislative priorities for this Fall and next year. Our policy endeavors will likely include a proposal developed over the last year by CTE administrators that would offer additional options to prospective CTE instructors—outside of the traditional university teacher preparatory program. We may also seek to modify and improve certain programs passed in the most recent operating budget. Please inform OACTS leadership if you have any policy or budget priorities you would like to see addressed.
