COLUMBUS Salem native wins President's Award from state group

COLUMBUS -- A Salem native has received the President's Award from the Ohio School Boards Association.
William L. Phillis, executive director of the Ohio Coalition for Equity & amp; Adequacy of School Funding, is a former superintendent of the Columbiana County Schools and of the Columbiana County Joint Vocational School District.
Since 1992, Phillis has headed up the equity and adequacy coalition and its 11-year legal challenge to the constitutionality of the state's school-funding system. The Ohio Supreme Court has ruled in the coalition's favor three times and the matter remains on the court's active docket.
Phillis was presented the award -- the highest bestowed by the OSBA -- this week during the association's Capital Conference and Trade Show. Previously granted the award in 1989, he is the only person in the award's 23-year history to have won it twice.
"Regardless of your perspective on the school funding issue, there can be no argument that Bill Phillis has served as a tireless advocate for children his entire career," said OSBA President Linda R. Anderson. "He has dedicated himself to preserving local lay control of public schools on a local, state and national level, and it is for that reason that he has been chosen for this prestigious award."
Phillis began his work in education in 1958 as a teacher at Southeastern High School in Richmond Dale (Ross County), becoming principal in 1963. In 1966, he was hired as superintendent of Minford Local Schools in Scioto County.
After his work in Columbiana County, he was superintendent of public instruction for the Ohio Department of Education from 1977 to 1992. Since 1985, he has served as an adjunct assistant professor at Ashland University.
This is one of many awards Phillis has received during his career.