Mike DeWine on Education
Former Republican Sr Senator (OH, 1995-2007)
Voted NO on $52M for "21st century community learning centers".
To increase appropriations for after-school programs through 21st century community learning centers. Voting YES would increase funding by $51.9 million for after school programs run by the 21st century community learning centers and would decrease funding by $51.9 million for salaries and expenses in the Department of Labor.
Reference: Amendment to Agencies Appropriations Act; Bill S Amdt 2287 to HR 3010 ; vote number 2005-279 on Oct 27, 2005
Voted NO on $5B for grants to local educational agencies.
To provide an additional $5 billion for title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. Voting YES would provide:
- $2.5 billion for targeting grants to local educational agencies
- $2.5 billion for education finance incentive grants
Voted YES on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education.
Vote to adopt an amendment to the Senate's 2006 Fiscal Year Budget Resolution that would adjust education funding while still reducing the deficit by $5.4 billion. A YES vote would:
- Restore education program cuts slated for vocational education, adult education, GEAR UP, and TRIO.
- Increase the maximum Pell Grant scholarship to $4,500 immediately.
- Increases future math and science teacher student loan forgiveness to $23,000.
- Pay for the education funding by closing $10.8 billion in corporate tax loopholes.
Voted NO on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors.
Vote to authorize a federal program aimed at reducing class size. The plan would assist states and local education agencies in recruiting, hiring and training 100,000 new teachers, with $2.4 billion in fiscal 2002. This amendment would replace an amendment allowing parents with children at under-performing schools to use public funding for private tutors.
Reference: Bill S1 ; vote number 2001-103 on May 15, 2001
Voted NO on funding student testing instead of private tutors.
Vote to pass an amendment that would authorize $200 million to provide grants to help states develop assessment systems that describe student achievement. This amendment would replace an amendment by Jeffords, R-VT, which would allow parents with children at under-performing schools to use public funding for private tutors.
Reference: Bill S1 ; vote number 2001-99 on May 10, 2001
Voted NO on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction.
Vote to reduce the size of the $1.6 trillion tax cut by $448 billion while increasing education spending by $250 billion and providing an increase of approximately $224 billion for debt reduction over 10 years.
Reference: Bill H Con Res 83 ; vote number 2001-69 on Apr 4, 2001
Voted YES on Educational Savings Accounts.
Vote to pass a bill that would permit tax-free savings accounts of up to $2000 per child annually to be used for public or private school tuition or other education expenses.
Reference: Bill S.1134 ; vote number 2000-33 on Mar 2, 2000
Voted YES on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules.
This vote was a motion to invoke cloture on a bill aimed at allowing states to waive certain federal rules normally required in order to use federal school aid. [A YES vote implies support of charter schools and vouchers].
Status: Cloture Motion Rejected Y)55; N)39; NV)6
Reference: Motion to Invoke cloture on Jeffords Amdt #31; Bill S. 280 ; vote number 1999-35 on Mar 9, 1999
Voted YES on education savings accounts.
This Conference Report approved tax-sheltered education savings accounts.
Status: Conf Rpt Agreed to Y)59; N)36; NV)5
Reference: H.R. 2646 Conference Report; Bill H.R. 2646 ; vote number 1998-169 on Jun 24, 1998
Voted YES on school vouchers in DC.
This legislation would have amended the DC spending measure, imposing an unconstitutional school voucher program on the District.
Status: Cloture Motion Rejected Y)58; N)41; NV)1
Reference: DC Appropriations Act; Bill S. 1156 ; vote number 1997-260 on Sep 30, 1997
Voted YES on $75M for abstinence education.
Vote to retain a provision of the Budget Act that funds abstinence education to help reduce teenage pregnancy, using $75 million of the Maternal and Child Health Block Grant Program.
Reference: Bill S 1956 ; vote number 1996-231 on Jul 23, 1996
Rated 27% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes.
DeWine scores 27% by the NEA on public education issuesThe National Education Association has a long, proud history as the nation's leading organization committed to advancing the cause of public education. Founded in 1857 "to elevate the character and advance the interests of the profession of teaching and to promote the cause of popular education in the United States," the NEA has remained constant in its commitment to its original mission as evidenced by the current mission statement:
To fulfill the promise of a democratic society, the National Education Association shall promote the cause of quality public education and advance the profession of education; expand the rights and further the interest of educational employees; and advocate human, civil, and economic rights for all.
In pursuing its mission, the NEA has determined that it will focus the energy and resources of its 2.7 million members toward the "promotion of public confidence in public education." The ratings are based on the votes the organization considered most important; the numbers reflect the percentage of time the representative voted the organization's preferred position.
Source: NEA website 03n-NEA on Dec 31, 2003
Toledo Public Schools’ Mona Al-Hayani Named 2019 Ohio Teacher of the Year
Her passion to nurture and expand the minds and hearts of students helped Mona Al-Hayani become a standout teacher at Toledo Early College High School — and now, she’s earned the title of Ohio’s 2019 Teacher of the Year.
December STRS Board News
Fiscal 2018 Financial Statement Audit Complete, Clean Opinion Issued
At the December meeting of the State Teachers Retirement Board, Clifton Allen reported the results of its audit of the STRS Ohio financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018. The report showed that the retirement system’s financial statements were fairly stated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles and that no material weaknesses in internal controls or instances of noncompliance were found. As a result, STRS Ohio received an unmodified opinion — also known as a “clean” opinion — affirming the financial information prepared by STRS Ohio.
STRS Ohio’s financial statements are included in the 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, which will be posted on the system’s website by Dec. 28, 2018. In addition to the financial statements, the report includes investment, actuarial and statistical information about STRS Ohio. This report can also be requested by calling STRS Ohio’s Member Services Center toll-free at 888‑227‑7877.
Board Adopts Health Care Plan Management Policy, Plans to Study Pension Funding Policy in 2019
Following many months of discussion and review, the Retirement Board adopted a health care plan management policy. The new policy’s purpose is to state the board’s objectives for the health care plan and to lay out clear criteria for making decisions regarding changes to benefits, as well as when those changes should be considered by the board. The policy indicates the goal is to provide a sustainable long-term health care benefit and to make benefit adjustments as conditions allow or are necessary. As this policy was developed, the Health Care Fund is currently in a solid actuarial position, with a funded ratio of 176%.
The health care objectives outlined in the policy include (in priority order):
- To maintain an estimated 50% chance that the plan will remain solvent for 60 or more years, to promote intergenerational equity;
- To the extent consistent with the first objective, to provide a baseline of up to 6% inflation protection for the Medicare subsidy;
- To the extent consistent with the first two objectives, to share gains and losses between the pre-Medicare and the Medicare groups; and
- To administer and communicate the plan in a transparent and objective manner.
- The probability of 60 years of solvency for the plan
- The plan’s funded ratio — that is, the Health Care Fund’s Actuarial assets compared to actuarial liabilities
- Stress testing of various aspects of the plan
- The pension funding period (the time needed to reach a 100% funded ratio if all assumptions are met)
- Consideration of current economic environment
The board is expected to begin reviewing its current pension funding policy in early 2019.
Independent Analysis Shows STRS Ohio Has Strong Investment Returns, Low Investment Costs Compared to Peer Retirement SystemsCEM Benchmarking, a leading global research and benchmarking company, presented the results of its 2017 investment benchmarking study to the Retirement Board. The report compared investment data — both performance and cost data — for the five-year period ending Dec. 31, 2017, from nearly 300 pension funds from around the world. The study showed that STRS Ohio’s five-year total net return of 10.1% placed in the top 10% of CEM Benchmarking’s U.S. public fund universe. STRS Ohio’s strong performance was primarily due to its asset mix, which had a higher weighting than most other funds in one of the better performing asset classes during the five-year period (U.S. stocks) and a lower weighting in one of the poorer performing asset classes during the same period (fixed income).
STRS Ohio also ranked fourth in its peer group of 17 large U.S. public pension fund sponsors for lowest investment costs. STRS Ohio’s strategy of using internal investment managers for about 70% of the system’s assets was the primary reason for its low overall costs, and the report noted STRS Ohio paid less than peers for similar services. The report also showed that STRS Ohio saved about $95 million in calendar year 2017 by using the internal management approach. The savings figure is based on the peer group’s median external management costs.
Retirements ApprovedThe Retirement Board approved 46 active members and 46 inactive members for service retirement benefits in December. The Retirement Board previously approved 75 active members and 42 inactive members for service retirement benefits in November.
Other STRS Ohio News
NASRA Report Shows STRS Ohio’s Funding Position Relative to Other FundsIn November 2018, The National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA) published its Public Fund Summary of Findings for fiscal year 2017. The survey contains data on public retirement systems that provide pension and other benefits for 12.9 million active members and 9.3 million annuitants. As of fiscal year end 2017, systems in the survey held combined assets of $3.47 trillion. Membership and assets of systems included in the survey comprise approximately 85% of the entire state and local government retirement system community. Highlights from this year’s survey will be shared with the board in an upcoming month. One highlight of note is that the median funding level is 72.9%, compared to STRS Ohio’s funded ratio of 75.5%.
The report also provided some perspective on each system’s investment return assumptions. NASRA’s findings showed that since 2009, more than 90% of plans in the survey have reduced their assumed investment return. The median return assumption for these plans in fiscal year 2017 was shown to be just below 7.4%, compared to 7.45% for STRS Ohio.
STRS Ohio Earns Awards From Public Pension Coordinating CouncilSTRS Ohio has received the Public Pension Standards Awards for Funding and Administration for 2018 from the Public Pension Coordinating Council (PPCC). PPCC is a confederation of the National Association of State Retirement Administrators, the National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems and the National Council on Teacher Retirement. The awards recognize public pension plans that meet key standards in several assessment areas, including actuarial, audit, benefit programs and communications.
Retirement Board Election Process Now UnderwayThe contributing member seat currently held by Taiyia Hayden will be up for election in 2019. Members eligible to run are current contributing members, members who have contributions on deposit at STRS Ohio and disability benefit recipients. Individuals interested in running for this seat can request petitions from STRS Ohio by calling toll-free 888‑227‑7877. Election information is also posted on the STRS Ohio website. The four-year term for this seat will begin on Sept. 1, 2019, and run through Aug. 31, 2023. STRS Ohio members will receive their ballots and voting information in April 2019 and will have through May 6, 2019, to cast their votes by mail, phone or online. Board members are not compensated for board service but may be reimbursed for actual necessary expenses incurred while serving on the board.
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