A lot of people have a lot to learn about what Career Tech Education is and the amazing opportunities it offers for students in Ohio, whether they're pursuing paths to careers, college, or the military. In this episode, the president of the Greene County Career Center Education Association gives us an education on CTE in our state, his path to becoming a Career Tech educator, and what Career Tech educators learned from each other at the first-ever OEA Career Tech Leaders Retreat in the fall.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS | For too long, the federal Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provisions of the Social Security Act have unfairly hurt Career Tech educators, who often enter the education profession after private sector careers. At the end of 2024, Sen. Sherrod Brown's Social Security Fairness Act passed in Congress. Click here to read OEA's statement on the landmark legislation.

Featured Public Education Matters guest: 

• Doug Picard, Greene County Career Center Education Association President 
  • Doug Picard is in his sixth year as a manufacturing and engineering instructor at the Greene County Career Center (GCCC) in Xenia, Ohio. Before joining GCCC, he served 21 years in the U.S. Air Force, where he taught in classrooms, developed avionics test programs, and authored technical policies. At GCCC, his teaching emphasizes human-centered design and adaptive technologies to support underrepresented communities. Picard has also collaborated with the University of Dayton and Central State University as a research mentor for their Global STEM Research Experience for Teachers where he studied engineering in developing areas in Ecuador and India. Over the next three years, he will work with these universities, along with Wright State University, on a National Science Foundation-funded Research Experience for Teachers focused on electronics and semiconductors.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. 

This episode was recorded on October 14, 2024.

2024 marks 40 years since Ohio's collective bargaining law took effect. Before that, public employees, including educators, could face jail time for going on strike, and the so-called professional agreements they had been able to negotiate with school districts didn't carry much weight. All of that changed with a stroke of Gov. Richard Celeste's pen in 1983, with the law taking effect the following year. OEA-Retired member Bill Lavezzi shares his memories of working in Ohio schools before and after the legal protections that were granted under Ohio's collective bargaining law.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Important Moments in Ohio's Collective Bargaining History:

• 1947 - Hagerman Decision
  • Ohio Supreme Court case regarding dues checkoff
  • Spoke in “strident terms” against public sector bargaining
  • “[unions] have no function which they may discharge in connection with civil service employees"
  • Deemed it was improper for a public entity to delegate authority to another entity (including a union)
• 1947 - Ferguson Act
  • Banned public employee strikes and expressly allowed discipline, including termination, for participating in a strike
• 1958 - Voters reject a right-to-work amendment to the Ohio Constitution
• 1959 - The Ohio legislature authorizes union dues checkoff, which nullifies part of the Hagerman Decision
• 1975 reversal of the Hagerman Decision
  • The Dayton Classroom Teachers Association won an Ohio Supreme Court case, which stated that a "board of education is vested with discretionary authority to negotiate and to enter into a collective bargaining agreement..."
• 1975 - Gov. James Rhodes vetoes the first public sector bargaining bill
• 1977 - Gov. James Rhodes vetoes the second public sector bargaining bill
• Between 1978 and 1980, there were 183 public sector strikes
• 1983 - Gov. Richard F. Celeste signs into the law the "Ohio Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act"
• April 1, 1984 - Ohio's collective bargaining law comes into effect
• 2010 - Senate Bill 5 would have eliminated nearly all collective bargaining rights for public sector employees
  • On November 8, 2011, 61.33% of Ohio voters reject SB5 in a veto referendum
• 2018 - Janus v. AFSCME US Supreme Court decision eliminates agency fees
  • **Information from OEA Collective Bargaining and Research Consultant Eric Watson-Urban. 

Featured Public Education Matters guest: 

• William Lavezzi, OEA-Retired member 
  • Retired English teacher Bill Lavezzi served as president of two OEA locals both before and after enactment of Ohio’s Collective Bargaining Law. While teaching, he served in a variety of leadership roles in OEA and the North Eastern Ohio Education Association. Upon retirement, he served as NEOEA’s executive director for sixteen years. Bill is a Professional Registered Parliamentarian and frequent presenter on parliamentary procedure. He is a retired delegate to the OEA Representative Assembly and a member of OEA’s Convention Planning Committee. 
  • When not in a meeting room, Bill is a pianist and cantor at several worship sites in Ohio and participates in local open mic nights, where he is expanding his repertoire of jazz classics and Cole Porter songs.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. 

This episode was recorded on September 23, 2024.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like MagicSchoolAI, ChatGPT, and others can serve important roles as both a teacher's assistant and a student's personal tutor, but there are important issues like privacy laws that must be considered. Those are just a few of the takeaways from a recent "ONE Beyond the Classroom" virtual PD session on AI and Digital Tools in the Classroom, led by Julia Tilton. The former ONE Member Ambassador-turned-EdTech integration specialist joins us for this episode to offer practical guidance for educators as they learn to use these emerging technologies to best serve their students. 

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM | For more information about other upcoming Beyond the Classroom professional development opportunities through the Ohio's New Educators (ONE) department of OEA, click here.

GET MORE GUIDANCE | In October 2024, the US Department of Education released a new toolkit for educators regarding AI in the classroom. Click here to read it.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Featured Public Education Matters guest: 

• Julia Tilton, Northeast Ohio Network for Educational Technology (NEOnet) Technology Integration Specialist 
  • A former ONE Member Ambassador, Julia now serves in a role of training teachers in educational technology. She was previously a middle school science and STEM teacher, and now is an EdTech session instructor. 

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. 

This episode was recorded on August 27, 2024.

Senate Bill 295, which is being rushed through the Ohio General Assembly in the final days of Lame Duck, represents a state overreach that punishes communities for their poverty and hurts public school students and educators. Ohio educators must act now to help our lawmakers understand why it must be stopped. OEA's Director of Government Relations joins us for this episode to explain what's in SB 295, and the president of the East Cleveland Education Association explains how SB 295 doubles down on the failed policies of state takeovers under House Bill 290, rather than focusing on the real needs of the students who need the state's support the most.

TAKE ACTION NOW | Click here for the OEA Action Alert to help contact your state lawmakers and express your opposition to Senate Bill 295

TELL YOUR STORY | Click here to record a short video to share on social media to help Ohioans understand why SB 295 is bad for Ohio's students, educators, and communities.

WATCH THE SENATE HEARING | SB 295 got its first, and possibly only, hearing in the Ohio Senate Education Committee on Tuesday, December 10, 24. Watch it here, with discussion on SB 295 starting about 24 minutes into the recording.

Featured Public Education Matters guest: 

• Dan Ramos, OEA Director of Government Relations
  • Dan Ramos is from Lorain, Ohio, where he attended school at St. John the Baptist and Lorain Southview High School.  After graduating high school in 2003, Dan obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science, International Affairs and Philosophy from Baldwin Wallace College in Berea, OH in 2007.  Through the 2008 presidential election cycle, he joined the Obama for America campaign, working to help elect President Obama in northeastern Ohio.  In 2009, Dan was hired by the Service Employees’ International Union (SEIU) District 1199 WV/OH/KY.  Initially working with SEIU as an Administrative Organizer, representing and negotiating contracts for SEIU’s state employees’ division, he became SEIU 1199’s Political and Legislative Liaison in late 2010.  In 2011, Dan worked with fellow labor lobbyists and attorneys in the effort to stop Senate Bill 5 while it was in the General Assembly, and then lead SEIU’s efforts field in Central and Northeast Ohio to collect signatures referendum and then defeat SB 5 on the November 2011 ballot.  In 2012, Dan moved to the Ohio Education Association. Dan has served as OEA’s Political Advocacy Consultant, where he was responsible for growing OEA’s member political action and legislative advocacy, increasing OEA’s PAC membership, the Fund for Children and Public Education, and assisting in OEA’s political coalitions, such as LEAD Ohio and the America Votes Coalition. In 2018, Dan Ramos moved to Cincinnati, Ohio where he served as a Labor Relations Consultant for the Warren County Leadership Council, representing over 2,400 certified and classified K-12 teachers and ESPs.
  • Dan returned to his political role with OEA in 2021, returning as a UniServ Political Advocacy Consultant and then moving into his current role as the Manager of Government Relations in May of 2022. Now, as the Director of Government Relations, Dan heads up OEA’s efforts to engage the Ohio General Assembly and Members of Congress to advance OEA’s legislative policy priorities, build relationships with Ohio’s elected officials, and engage members in advocacy and accountability programs.  Dan also helps coordinate OEA’s political, coalition, and electoral programs.  
• Lillian Tolbert, East Cleveland Education Association President
  • Lillian M. Tolbert is a dedicated educator with over three decades of service in the East Cleveland City Schools. A proud Shaw High School alumna, class of 1987, she pursued her undergraduate education at Hampton University in Hampton, VA, and earned her graduate degree from the University of Akron before returning to East Cleveland to teach. Lillian has taught grades 4-6 and currently serves as an ELA Instructional Coach and Lead Teacher for grades K-5. As the president of the East Cleveland Education Association, she is a passionate advocate for educators and students. Above all, she is a proud mother to three wonderful children—Arin, Jacques, and Nyzier—who each experienced part of their educational journey in East Cleveland City Schools. Lillian looks forward to continuing her positive impact on the East Cleveland community before retiring in June of 2026.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. 

This episode was recorded on December 10 and 11, 2024.

Twinsburg High School teacher Daneé Pinckney says she knew she wanted to be a teacher ever since she was a small child, but it wasn't that long ago that she found herself at a burnout point in her career and was considering leaving the profession. Starting an African American literature course for her students and empowering them to be engaged citizens helped reignite her passion. Now, as the 2025 Ohio Teacher of the Year, Pinckney is hoping to help other educators find their passion again while shining a spotlight on what they need to succeed for their students.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DANEÉ PICKNEY'S PATH TO HER EDUCATION CAREER | Click here to read the 2025 Ohio Teacher of the Year's story on the Ohio State Board of Education site.
 
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE DISTRICT TEACHERS OF THE YEAR | The State Board of Education selects the Ohio Teacher of the Year from among the State Board District Teachers of the Year, all of whom are OEA members this year. Click here to learn more about each of these outstanding educators!

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Featured Public Education Matters guest: 

• Daneé Pinckney, Twinsburg Education Association member 
  • Daneé Pinckney began teaching in Columbus, Ohio after graduating from The Ohio State University. There Pinckney earned her Bachelor of Arts and Sciences in Middle Childhood Education. Later, she realized her passions were more suited to high school, and received her Ohio English K-12 Certification before earning a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction: Educational Technology from Ashland University. 
  • Pinckney, currently, teaches 11th and 12th-grade English at Twinsburg High School in Twinsburg, Ohio. Here, she makes a point to constantly search for new opportunities to challenge herself professionally and personally, as evidenced by her creating a senior-level course on African American Literature. The course addressed a need for representation sought by both students and community members. She obtained grant funding to support its implementation enriching educational experiences for all.
  • Using literature as the anchor, she works to encourage students’ engagement in community service and activism projects instilling in them a sense of social responsibility and civic engagement. She believes students can change the world “right here and right now.” Believing this to be true, her students most recently collaborated with students in Ghana and led a community fundraiser building global community and empathy. 
  • Pinckney's dedication to pursuing personal growth as an educator has earned her recognition as the 2025 Ohio Teacher of the Year, a Master Teacher Finalist by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, and accolades such as the 2023 Twinsburg City Schools Teacher of the Year, and a 2023 Fund for Teachers Fellow. 

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. 

This episode was recorded on September 30, 2024.

As the former chair of OEA's Aspiring Educators division and as the current co-president of the Kent Student Education Association, the AE chapter at Kent State, Audrey S. works hard to give college students a voice in their current path and in their future profession. Audrey shares her thoughts about what led to her path to the teaching profession and what the future looks like as current and future educators contend with the realities of the public education field today. 

SHARE YOUR STORY | As Ohio lawmakers consider a bill to provide financial support for student teachers, it is extremely important that they hear from current and future educators about why this opportunity is so important and the kinds of barriers the current system creates. Click here to share your perspective.

AE VOICES MATTER | Aspiring Educator members, click here for links to surveys about yearround organizing and financial supports for student teachers.  

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Featured Public Education Matters guest: 

• Audrey S., Kent Student Education Association president 
  • Audrey S. is a senior at Kent State University majoring in Middle Childhood Education with concentrations in Language Arts and Social Studies. Outside of her studies, she is the president of the Kent Student Education Association, as well as the former OEA Aspiring Educators chairperson. Within her chapter and OEA Aspiring Educators, Audrey has worked with teams to plan conferences for students across the state of Ohio connecting future leaders to a network of educators. Audrey and her colleague also have presented at conferences on Chapter Foundations - how to grow membership and keep students active within your local university. 

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. 

This episode was recorded on August 8, 2024.

Rob McFee is no stranger to leadership. Before assuming his new role as Ohio Education Association Secretary-Treasurer in July, 2024, he served in every role from president of the Willoughby-Eastlake Education Association to NEOEA president to a member of the State Teachers Retirement System Board of Directors, and many roles in between. In this episode, Rob McFee looks back at some of the pivotal moments that shaped his journey from being a math teacher in northeast Ohio to being an OEA officer helping amplify the advocacy of educators across the state. He also discusses the challenges and opportunities he has found so far in this new chapter.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK | OEA members have been weighing in on the Public Education Matters podcast and on podcasts in general to help shape the future of OEA's podcast. More feedback is always welcome! Please email [email protected] or complete the podcast survey here.

Featured Public Education Matters guests: 

• Rob McFee, OEA Secretary-Treasurer 
  • Rob McFee brings over two decades of dedicated leadership in education and union advocacy to his role as OEA Secretary-Treasurer. While serving as a secondary math teacher in the Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools, Rob has consistently demonstrated his commitment to advancing the rights and interests of both his students and his members.
  • Rob’s union leadership journey has seen him wear a variety of hats. Most notably, he served nine years as local president and as the NEOEA President from 2018 to 2022. He has also advocated for members while serving on the NEOEA and OEA Board of Directors, and as a member of the State Teachers Retirement System Board of Directors, including a term as chair from 2021 to 2022. As local president, Rob successfully negotiated multiple contracts and served on various levy committees. He led his local union through significant changes, including the construction of new buildings and the aftermath of a fire that devastated the district’s Board of Education Office. His unwavering advocacy for the health, safety, and working conditions of union members underscored his leadership as NEOEA President during the COVID pandemic. Rob believes deeply in the power of collaboration and diversity. For him, leadership means assembling the right team, empowering individuals to succeed, and finding equitable solutions through collective effort.
  • As OEA Secretary-Treasurer, Rob is dedicated to upholding financial transparency and accountability. Working closely with the leadership team, Rob is committed to amplifying OEA’s voice in advocating for public education. He believes passionately in racial, social, and economic justice, viewing diversity as a cornerstone of strength within the OEA. Rob’s vision for an inclusive education system demonstrates his commitment to ensuring all students and educators have the resources they need to succeed.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. 

This episode was recorded on August 21, 2024.

Public school educators are called to the profession by a dedication to serving their students. And, before their careers in the classroom, quite a few teachers served their country in the US Military. But not every veteran-turned-teacher knows their years of service in the military counts toward years of service for a higher initial placement on the salary schedule when they begin working for a school district in Ohio. That can mean missing out on a significant amount of money they should be receiving! Delaware City Education Association Member Josh Caslow shares his story of getting the credit he was owed for his time in the Army and National Guard, and his message to other veterans in the education profession.

KNOW THE LAW | Under Ohio Revised Code Section 3317.13 (Minimum Salary Schedule for Teachers), "years of service" includes: 

• "All years of active military service in the armed forces of the United States, as defined in section 3307.75 of the Revised Code, to a maximum of five years. For purposes of this calculation, a partial year of active military service of eight continuous months or more in the armed forces shall be counted as a full year." 
  • Unfortunately, since there is no minimum salary schedule in statute for Education Support Professionals in Ohio, years of military service does not necessarily impact salary schedule placement. But, just like teachers in Ohio, military veterans who become ESPs have the ability to purchase service credit in SERS/PERS, and also have licensure fees waived, if applicable to their position. 

GET HELP | If you are an educator who previously served in the US Military, and you think you should have been credited for years of service that you have not received, please contact your Labor Relations Consultant.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

Featured Public Education Matters guest: 

• Josh Caslow, US Army Veteran, Delaware City Education Association member
  • "I’ve been an educator for the last 11 years, teaching grades 5, 6 and 7 math to students at all ability levels.  Prior to education, I served in the United States Army for 6 and a half years, half being active duty and half in the Ohio National Guard.  I have two children, 10 and 13, that I raise with their bonus mom, Natalie Geer."

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. 

This episode was recorded on September 10, 2024.

Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan (D-Ohio District 14) says being a voice for Ohio's educators in the statehouse has been one of the greatest honors of his life. The OEA-Retired member taught in Brecksville-Broadview Heights Schools right up until went to the Ohio House after winning election in 2022. Now, as the OEA member-recommended candidate seeks another term in the General Assembly, Rep. Brennan is reminding educators across Ohio that their voices are crucial in this election. He joins us for this episode to share his thoughts about what he has achieved in office so far, and what he still is working to do, including securing financial support for student teachers, among other aims. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT WHERE REP. BRENNAN STANDS | Visit brennanforohio.com to learn more about Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan's campaign for re-election and where he stands on the issues. Click here to read why Cleveland.com/The Plain Dealer have endorsed Rep. Brennan for re-election. It reads, in part: 

MAKE A PLAN TO VOTE | Election Day is November 5, 2024. Now is the time to make your plan to vote, whether early in-person at your county board of elections location beginning October 7th, absentee by mail, or in-person on Election Day at your local polling location. Early in-person voting ends November 3. Mailed absentee ballots must be postmarked by November 4. Check your voter registration and find your local polling place at VoteOhio.gov

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK | OEA members have been weighing in on the Public Education Matters podcast and on podcasts in general to help shape the future of OEA's podcast. More feedback is always welcome! Please email [email protected] or complete the podcast survey here.

Featured Public Education Matters guest: 

• Ohio Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan, D-District 14
  • State Representative Sean Patrick Brennan has dedicated his life to public service. He firmly believes that his story informs his calling to public service and proves that the American Dream survives. After his father abandoned his family, his strong mother modeled the importance of family and the satisfaction of a hard day’s work, making their trailer a home and utilizing public assistance only as needed. Sadly, his mother later suffered through an abusive relationship. As a result, Rep. Brennan was blessed when his loving grandmother took him in to help tend the family farm and focus on his studies.
  • Brennan went on to attend the University of Dayton where he graduated summa cum laude earning a Bachelor’s Degree in International Studies concentrating in Russian and Soviet Studies. While there, he fell in love with Deena Denk from Parma, where they currently reside and raised their two beautiful children. He has also completed graduate-level coursework in history, political science, economics, and pedagogy at several colleges and universities and has a Master’s Degree in Secondary School Administration from Cleveland State University. Brennan’s scholarly activities involve projects on the subjects of the U.S. Constitution, religious freedom in America, and various other American political and historical topics at George Washington’s Mount Vernon, James Madison’s Montpelier, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, the University of Oxford in England, George Washington University in Washington, D.C., the Bill of Rights Institute in Arlington, Virginia, and the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University.
  • Brennan served as an award-winning public school teacher for three decades, as well as a Parma councilman for nearly two decades, including over a decade as the at-large elected President of Council and the Public Housing Board of Ohio’s 7th largest city. He is active in civic, professional, and charitable organizations, which include founder and board member of the Andrew Boyko Scholarship Foundation, St. Charles Borromeo Parish lector and adult server, Friends of Parma Libraries life member, founder of the Parma Peanut Butter Drive benefitting All Faiths Pantry, founder and past adviser of the Parma Youth Commission, advisory board member of Big Creek Connects, member of West Creek Conservancy, Parma Historical Society, the City Club of Cleveland, German Central Foundation, National Education Association, Ohio Education Association and Northeast Ohio Education Association.
  • An avid runner and advocate of healthy living, Brennan has completed more than 110 marathons, as well as countless other smaller running events. His love of running led to his creation of the annual Parma Run-Walk for Pierogies, which has raised thousands of dollars for local charities. Among other projects, his charitable work led to the creation of the script Parma sign which was subsequently donated to the City of Parma and adorns Anthony Zielinski Park and raising thousands of dollars to assist residents whose incomes were negatively impacted by the pandemic.

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• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in v...

The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 educators across the state, across a wide variety of professional paths and in every stage of their careers. One of the big benefits of membership is having OEA's assistance in bargaining the strongest contracts possible to create the best learning and working conditions possible for everyone. In this episode, OEA Collective Bargaining and Research Consultant Eric Watson-Urban offers his wisdom on the PUMP Act, continuing contracts, and 403(b) special pay plans, three important areas where the law intersects with potential contract provisions and the language every Local bargaining team should be aiming to include in any future agreement.

CHECK OUT THE CHANGES TO OHEA.ORG | OEA just launched the much-anticipated redesign of its website. It is easier to navigate and integrates more seamlessly with the My OEA app than ever before. Take a look for yourself at www.ohea.org.

SUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.

SHARE YOUR FEEDBACK | OEA members have been weighing in on the Public Education Matters podcast and on podcasts in general to help shape the future of OEA's podcast. More feedback is always welcome! Please email [email protected] or complete the podcast survey here.

Featured Public Education Matters guests: 

• Eric Watson-Urban, OEA Collective Bargaining and Research Consultant 
  • Eric Watson-Urban is an experienced negotiator with over two decades of service to the members of the Ohio Education Association (OEA). In his role, first as a Labor Relations Consultant and now as a Collective Bargaining and Research Consultant, Eric has successfully negotiated over 100 public and private sector collective bargaining agreements, demonstrating his knowledge in navigating complex labor negotiations and advocating for fair and equitable working conditions for union members.
  • In addition to his work at the OEA, Eric serves as the Treasurer of his union, the National Staff Organization (NSO), where he manages the day-to-day financial operations and contributes, along with his fellow Executive Committee members, to the strategic direction of the union. His dual roles underscore his deep commitment to supporting labor unions at the local, state, and national levels.

Connect with OEA:

• Email [email protected] with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topics
• Like OEA on Facebook
• Follow OEA on Twitter
• Follow OEA on Instagram
• Get the latest news and statements from OEA here
• Learn more about where OEA stands on the issues 
• Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative Watch

About us:

• The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio’s schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio’s children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio’s schools.
• Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. 

This episode was recorded on August 21, 2024.