Overview

• The Ohio Education Association, Ohio Federation of Teachers, and the Ohio Conference of the AAUP filed in Franklin County to halt the board overhaul, and the law remains in effect while the case proceeds.
• The budget measure enacted in June phases out four educator-elected seats and adds four appointees, creating an eight-to-three appointed majority by 2028.
• New appointments would be made by the governor, legislative leaders, the state treasurer, the Department of Education and Workforce, and the higher-education chancellor under the statute.
• Plaintiffs contend the change violates equal-protection, single-subject, and three-day consideration requirements because only STRS was altered and the provision was added at the end of budget negotiations.
• Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Adam Bird and House Finance Chair Brian Stewart, say the change stabilizes governance after turmoil that featured a whistleblower memo and an attorney general suit alleging contract-steering involving QED, allegations the accused deny.