In late December Congress passed, and on January 5 President Biden signed into law, the Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82). This is the first significant expansion of Social Security benefits in over 20 years. This landmark legislation repeals two long-standing provisions that had reduced benefits for former government workers. Specifically, retirees who worked for an extended time in both a Social Security covered position and a public pension position, as well as their survivor beneficiaries, are impacted.

The law eliminates both the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) from 1983, and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) from 1977. These provisions had previously reduced Social Security benefits for public sector workers who also received public pensions, with some retirees experiencing benefit reductions of up to 50% or more.

This change particularly benefits three million retired public servants like police officers, firefighters, and teachers in states with public pension systems. In Ohio alone, nearly a quarter million residents will see their benefits restored to full levels. Ohio has one of the highest number of beneficiaries who will see increased benefits due to the state’s robust public pension systems.

The Social Security Administration estimates that affected recipients, including survivor beneficiaries, could see average increases of nearly $1,200 per month. Current retirees may be eligible for payments retroactive to the 2024 benefit year.

While the act received strong bipartisan support, it has faced some criticism regarding its fiscal impact. The legislation is projected to add $195 billion to the federal deficit over the next decade. However, supporters note that given the vast scale of the Social Security program, this increase only accelerates the Trust Fund’s projected depletion date by approximately six months.

This reform represents a significant victory for public sector workers who have long advocated for fair treatment in their retirement benefits, though it does not address the broader challenges facing Social Security’s long-term solvency.

InnovateOhio has developed the “AI Toolkit: Guidance and Resources to Advance AI Readiness in Ohio’s Schools,” which aims to help educators, parents, and school leaders prepare students for a world shaped by artificial intelligence (AI). The toolkit offers practical guidance on integrating AI in education safely and responsibly. It provides a step-by-step framework for policy development, alongside resources for policymakers, teachers, and parents to foster AI literacy and address potential risks. While not a mandate, the toolkit serves as a trusted resource to ensure Ohio’s educational system can effectively harness AI technology, helping students thrive in the evolving technological landscape.

InnovateOhio is an initiative founded by Lt. Governor Jon Husted, whose vision for InnovateOhio is to “look at every state service through the eyes of customers – Ohio citizens and businesses – and create a culture of innovation in state government by using technology to improve people’s lives, transform services, and ultimately, save money for taxpayers.”

The toolkit is broken into seven parts which are described as follows:

Part 1: Policy Development for AI in Education – A Step-By-Step Approach. An overview of a five-step process for deriving concrete policies from aspirational values and objectives.

Part 2: Introduction to Resources for Policymakers, Teachers, and Parents. An introduction to the survey of resources provided in Parts 3 – 7 of the Toolkit.

Part 3: Resources for Policymakers – A Functional Overview. An overview of the resources policymakers may draw upon in executing the policy-development steps identified in Part 1.

Part 4: Resources for Teachers. An overview of resources available to teachers seeking to integrate AI in their classroom instruction and practices.

Part 5: Resources for Parents. An overview of resources available to parents seeking to partner with schools in ensuring that their children are well-equipped for an AI-enabled world.

Part 6: A Guide to Guidelines. An inventory of key guidelines for the responsible use of AI, covering their scope, intent, and significant contributions.

Part 7: Summary of Resources. A summary of the areas of focus for each of the guidelines discussed in the toolkit.

The toolkit can be located here.

What does this mean for your District? AI is moving quickly and becoming more and more relevant to career-technical education. This resource, among others, could be a source for harnessing the power of AI in the curriculum and staying on the cutting edge of developing technology.

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (“ODEW”) recently adopted changes to the procedural safeguard rules in the Ohio Operating Standards for the Education of Students with Disabilities (“Operating Standards”). These changes, which are likely to take effect this school year, will significantly alter the responsibilities for educational agencies such as joint vocational school districts (“JVS”) and educational service centers. The proposed changes were initially published in July and were finalized in October after the last round of public comments closed. Although the changes are significant, the ODEW received only two public comments before the regulation was sent for final approval to the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (“JCARR”).

The procedural safeguard rule, codified in OAC 3301-51-05, establishes legal protections and rights that must be provided to students with disabilities and their parents under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”). These rules ensure that students receive a free appropriate public education (“FAPE”) and that parents are actively involved in their child’s education. Procedural safeguards provide a framework that encourages collaboration and accountability in the special education process.

Under the current version of the rule, a student’s district of residence is generally responsible for ensuring that procedural safeguards are provided to eligible students. When parents and students believe that they have not received the procedural safeguards to which they are entitled, they may file for due process against the district of residence, even if the student is enrolled in a joint vocational school district program. This may be about to change under the new rule, where the term “district of residence” has been replaced by the term “educational agency” throughout the rule. The term “educational agency” appears to include a JVS as well as other entities such as an educational service center.

These “educational agencies” are now listed as the parties responsible for all of the following under OAC 3301-0-51-05:

• Obtaining parental consent on evaluations and services;
• Sending notice about transfer of rights at a student’s age of majority;
• Assigning surrogates to students;
• Paying for or filing due process when a parent requests an Independent Educational Evaluation at public expense;
• Considering results of an outside evaluation that is obtained by the parent;
• Drafting and sending Prior Written Notices;
• Being named in due process and state complaints; and
• Participating in facilitation and mediation.

This is where things get more complicated and confusing. The other rules in the Operating Standards have not been changed, and now appear to conflict with the Procedural Safeguards rule. For instance, rule OAC 3301-51-02 declares that a district of residence and not any other “educational agency” is ultimately responsible for providing FAPE. While a due process complaint may now be filed against a JVS rather than a district of residence, it seems that the district of residence still has a lot at stake and may still be responsible for addressing any FAPE deficiencies that are discovered through the hearing process. It remains unclear how ODEW and hearing officers will harmonize the conflicting provisions.

 In the meantime, joint vocational school districts should contact member districts and discuss how both entities may work together to ensure that Procedural Safeguards are provided to all students who receive protections under the IDEA. It may be helpful to set aside some time in upcoming professional development sessions to help JVS staff learn more about the procedural safeguards that they may not have been directly responsible for or involved with in the past. Stay tuned for further updates.