Cleveland mayor wants changes in rules on teachers

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Cleveland’s mayor isn’t dropping his push for changes that would enable him to more easily fire public school teachers who perform poorly.

The Plain Dealer reports the state budget that recently passed included some changes in education, but the Ohio Senate took out stricter language that Mayor Frank Jackson strongly supported.

The Democrat is hoping lawmakers will introduce a bill this fall to keep teachers’ seniority from being the only factor used to determine who can be laid off or fired. He’s also seeking changes in teacher evaluations.

Cleveland has Ohio’s only municipal-run school district, meaning it’s controlled by the mayor, not solely by an elected school board as other districts are.

Gov. John Kasich says he’s open to talking about the ideas with Jackson and lawmakers.