New state recommendation would cut requirement for specialty teachers

BOARDMAN

A recommendation from a state school board committee that would eliminate a requirement that school districts offer a certain number of specialty teachers is not a good idea, many Mahoning Valley educators said.

The changes, approved by a committee Monday and debated before the full school board Tuesday, haven’t been adopted by the full board. Another meeting is set for next month. If approved, it would have to go through a joint state house-senate committee before returning to the board for final approval. Its effective date would depend on how those steps proceed.

“My first concern when they talk about flexibility with finances is that districts that are cash-strapped are going to whack these positions because it’s going to save money,” said Dave Pavlansky, president of Boardman Education Association, the union that represents Boardman schoolteachers.

Current requirements, commonly called the “5 of 8 rule,” mandate school districts provide teachers in five of the eight areas per 1,000 students: counselor, library media specialist, school nurse, visiting teacher, social worker and elementary art, music and physical education.

Read more about the proposal in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.