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00:00:00Speaker Davidson, president.
00:00:03Finding
00:00:04minority leaders Boggs and SB.
00:00:09Distinguished members
00:00:09of the 122nd General Assembly.
00:00:14Senator DeWine.
00:00:16Lieutenant Governor Hollister.
00:00:20Justices of the Supreme Court.
00:00:23Elected state office holders.
00:00:26Members of the cabinet.
00:00:28My wife, Janet and son Peter.
00:00:31Friends
00:00:33and fellow Ohioans.
00:00:36It's hard to believe
00:00:37that it's been exactly
00:00:37six years to the day
00:00:41I was sworn in as governor
00:00:41of the state of Ohio.
00:00:45It's a pleasure to be back
00:00:45in the House chamber
00:00:48for the state of the state
00:00:48address, the first time
00:00:52since 1993,
00:00:54and it's
00:00:54especially comforting to me
00:00:57since my career in public
00:00:57service began right here in
00:01:011967.
00:01:04Some are still serving
00:01:04from the class of 67
00:01:08Troy Lee, James,
00:01:11Bob, Natalie
00:01:13and I understand
00:01:13that we have a new senator
00:01:16who was also a member
00:01:16of that class.
00:01:19Former House Minority Leader
00:01:19Pat Sweeney,
00:01:21now of the 23rd
00:01:21Senate District.
00:01:25Welcome, Pat.
00:01:27It's also a
00:01:27pleasure to welcome Dick fine
00:01:30and an old friend
00:01:30and a veteran of this chamber.
00:01:36Dick, I know that,
00:01:38you will be a great president
00:01:38of the Senate.
00:01:41And I think everyone knows
00:01:41that without your leadership
00:01:44and commitment,
00:01:45we would not have
00:01:46had the statehouse renovation
00:01:46that we have.
00:01:49And this beautifully restored
00:01:49chamber.
00:01:54Let's give them a hand.
00:02:10I appreciate the cooperation
00:02:10that Speaker Davidson and,
00:02:15president have already
00:02:15given me as we tackle
00:02:18the budget and set the agenda
00:02:18for the next two years
00:02:23and all the members
00:02:23of the General Assembly,
00:02:26I do not take for granted
00:02:26the respectful,
00:02:29cooperative relationship
00:02:29that I have with you.
00:02:33I'm confident
00:02:33that by working together
00:02:36in a bipartisan fashion
00:02:36and putting Ohio first,
00:02:40our fellow citizens
00:02:40will continue to benefit from
00:02:43the fruits of our labor.
00:02:46I have told my Cam that,
00:02:48most of whom
00:02:49will serve longer than any of
00:02:49their predecessors.
00:02:53That our final two years
00:02:53will not be a period
00:02:56of winding down,
00:02:56but of winding up
00:02:59and finishing our agenda
00:02:59to secure Ohio's future,
00:03:04a future that takes on added
00:03:04significance to me
00:03:08personally with the birth
00:03:08of our first grandchild,
00:03:11Mary Faith.
00:03:22Like a champion
00:03:22marathon runner.
00:03:24We must summon that extra kick
00:03:27to finish and win the race.
00:03:30This is my seven state
00:03:30of the state speech.
00:03:34More than ever before.
00:03:35I'm a firm believer
00:03:37in the saying that nothing
00:03:37is certain in life but change.
00:03:42Since I took office in 1991.
00:03:45The leadership of both
00:03:45the House
00:03:47and the Senate has changed,
00:03:49and fully half
00:03:49of the membership
00:03:51of the General
00:03:51Assembly has changed.
00:03:53Only 66 of
00:03:53you were here six years ago,
00:03:58and we've seen nothing short
00:03:59of dramatic change
00:03:59in the state.
00:04:03In March of 91,
00:04:03when I first stood here
00:04:05on this occasion, Ohio
00:04:05was facing a potential revenue
00:04:09shortfall of a billion
00:04:09and a half dollars.
00:04:12The rainy day fund
00:04:12was being reduced
00:04:14ultimately to fall to $0.14.
00:04:18Our welfare rolls
00:04:18ballooned throughout the 80s.
00:04:21Our unemployment
00:04:22rate was second worst
00:04:22among the ten largest states,
00:04:26and Ohio's economic future
00:04:26was uncertain at best.
00:04:30In many quarters,
00:04:32Ohio was viewed as part of
00:04:32America's Rust Belt.
00:04:35And perhaps we were.
00:04:38Since then,
00:04:38with the cooperation
00:04:40of the legislature and Ohio's
00:04:40public private partnership,
00:04:45we've gotten
00:04:45Ohio back on the right track.
00:04:49I've always believed
00:04:49that government is just one
00:04:51thread
00:04:51in the fabric of a community,
00:04:55and that government's highest
00:04:55calling is to empower people
00:04:59and galvanize their energy
00:05:00and resources
00:05:00to help solve our problems,
00:05:03meet our challenges,
00:05:03and seize our opportunities.
00:05:09More than any other state,
00:05:10we have put that philosophy
00:05:10into practice by empowering
00:05:14Ohio's private sector to get
00:05:14involved in education reform
00:05:19and many other operations
00:05:19of state government
00:05:23and through.
00:05:23My number one management
00:05:23priority, our quality services
00:05:27through partnership program
00:05:27with our employee unions.
00:05:30We have empowered our state
00:05:30workforce
00:05:32to help us reinvent
00:05:32state government
00:05:36because of our cooperative
00:05:36relationship
00:05:39with our enlightened
00:05:39union leaders.
00:05:41Ohio leads
00:05:42the nation
00:05:42in quality management,
00:05:44and we are going to be
00:05:44the first state to have a high
00:05:48performance workforce.
00:06:00I came into office
00:06:00dedicated to the principle
00:06:03of working harder and smarter
00:06:03and doing more with less.
00:06:07We identified a vision
00:06:07for the future called Ohio
00:06:11First, our strategic plan
00:06:11for maintaining
00:06:15and strengthening Ohio's place
00:06:15as a national leader
00:06:18and world class competitor.
00:06:20Now and into the 21st century.
00:06:23And we've stayed focused
00:06:23on four primary components
00:06:26of that vision.
00:06:27Management, education, jobs
00:06:27and quality of life.
00:06:32And today
00:06:32we are getting results.
00:06:36First and foremost, we have
00:06:36been fiscally conservative,
00:06:39fiscally conservative
00:06:39since 1991.
00:06:43We have held state
00:06:44spending to its lowest
00:06:44growth in 40 years.
00:06:48We've eliminated two state
00:06:48departments, cut the state
00:06:52workforce by over
00:06:525000, excluding corrections
00:06:56and with your help, abolished
00:06:56121 boards and commissions.
00:07:10We have
00:07:11rebuilt the state's rainy day
00:07:11fund to $828 million,
00:07:17which represents a sensible
00:07:175% reserve.
00:07:22Now, there are some who think
00:07:22that amount is too high
00:07:27and that we should spend it
00:07:27down.
00:07:29I would remind you
00:07:29that there are only 20,
00:07:32that our rainy day fund
00:07:32is 23rd out of the 50 states.
00:07:37In terms of a rainy day fund.
00:07:40Ours is at a response
00:07:40over the level
00:07:42and we should keep it
00:07:42that way.
00:07:54And most of us
00:07:54who were around in 91 and 92
00:07:57remember that
00:07:57we had to go through $1.2
00:08:01billion
00:08:01in order to balance the budget
00:08:04back in that biennium budget.
00:08:09Last year,
00:08:09our fiscal conservatism,
00:08:11our rainy day fund,
00:08:13and Ohio's diverse
00:08:13economy combined
00:08:15to secure the first increase
00:08:15in the state's
00:08:18general obligation
00:08:18bond rating in 17 years.
00:08:22Our rating is tied
00:08:22with New Jersey's
00:08:24as the highest
00:08:24among the ten largest states.
00:08:27And it's better than all our
00:08:27competitors on Ohio's borders.
00:08:31We were also
00:08:32able to deliver
00:08:32a good management bonus
00:08:36in the form of the nation's
00:08:36second largest personal income
00:08:41tax cut $400 million, which
00:08:41Ohioans will see this year
00:08:47when they complete their 1996
00:08:47return.
00:08:52To get it the second highest
00:08:53in the country.
00:09:00And through the same
00:09:01mechanism,
00:09:01another good management bonus
00:09:04will be returned
00:09:04to the taxpayers in 98.
00:09:08Today I am recommending
00:09:11that you make the income
00:09:11tax Reduction fund permanent
00:09:17here. That
00:09:19there's Batchelder back there
00:09:20as a permanent.
00:09:24Working
00:09:24and bipartisan agreement
00:09:26with the General Assembly.
00:09:28We transformed welfare from a
00:09:28way of life to a way to work.
00:09:33And today,
00:09:33there are a quarter million,
00:09:36a quarter million fewer
00:09:36people on welfare
00:09:39than at the peak in 1992,
00:09:39a 32% reduction.
00:09:44And we have reinvested
00:09:46part of the savings
00:09:46on children and families.
00:09:57In fact, one of our proudest
00:09:57achievements over the past
00:10:00six years
00:10:02is the fact that we have
00:10:02increased state support
00:10:05for programs that serve our
00:10:05children and families by 34%.
00:10:11We have held our schools
00:10:11accountable
00:10:13for improved performance,
00:10:13and we're getting results.
00:10:17Our S.A.T.
00:10:18and Act scores are above
00:10:18the national average.
00:10:21Our October proficiency
00:10:21test results
00:10:24just released
00:10:24were the best ever.
00:10:28And I call on the state board
00:10:28to raise the bar
00:10:31and make those standards
00:10:31more rigorous.
00:10:42Our two year
00:10:43colleges are doing
00:10:43better than ever.
00:10:47They're meeting the education
00:10:47and training needs
00:10:50of their local communities,
00:10:51and represent
00:10:51the most unsung economic
00:10:55development tool that we have
00:10:55in the state of Ohio.
00:10:59And I want you to know that
00:10:59I meet more and more Ohioans
00:11:01to tell me that quality,
00:11:03that the quality education
00:11:03offered by our state colleges
00:11:06and universities is the best
00:11:06education value in America.
00:11:11And in a recent
00:11:11national survey,
00:11:14ten of our 13 public
00:11:14universities were ranked
00:11:17among the best in the nation.
00:11:19That's something that
00:11:19we should all be very proud.
00:11:29While paying particular
00:11:30attention to the needs
00:11:30of our youngest citizens.
00:11:34We have not forgotten
00:11:34our seniors.
00:11:37For example, we expanded
00:11:37the homestead exemption
00:11:40to bring property tax relief
00:11:40to 76,000 more older Ohioans,
00:11:45bringing the total to 350,000.
00:11:49And we've expanded by 500%.
00:11:53The passport program,
00:11:53which helps older Ohioans
00:11:56remain at home
00:11:56close to their loved ones
00:11:59at 40% of the cost
00:11:59of a skilled
00:12:03nursing home.
00:12:12We've also worked hard
00:12:12to strengthen Ohio's business
00:12:15environment
00:12:16and improve our
00:12:16competitive position
00:12:16in the global marketplace.
00:12:20Through workers
00:12:20compensation reform
00:12:23and last year's unemployment
00:12:23compensation tax cut,
00:12:27we saved Ohio businesses
00:12:27almost $1 billion and costs
00:12:33and have transformed
00:12:33each system
00:12:35to take better care
00:12:35of our customers.
00:12:38Ohio's injured
00:12:38and unemployed workers.
00:12:49By also paying attention
00:12:49to energy and health care
00:12:52costs, transportation needs,
00:12:52and Ohio's incentive package.
00:12:56And by focusing on Ohio's
00:12:56strength and agriculture,
00:13:00travel and tourism, science
00:13:00and technology
00:13:03and international trade,
00:13:05we have rejuvenated
00:13:06Ohio's business environment
00:13:06into one of the best
00:13:09in the nation.
00:13:11Just ask our customers.
00:13:13Our unemployment rate has gone
00:13:13from the second highest
00:13:17to the second lowest
00:13:17among the ten largest states.
00:13:21Ohio has led the nation
00:13:21for the last three years
00:13:23and new business
00:13:23facilities and expansions.
00:13:26And we're
00:13:26in the hunt again for 1996.
00:13:37Let there be no doubt.
00:13:40Ohio is the jobs belt
00:13:40and the productivity
00:13:44belt today.
00:13:52But we must also be aware
00:13:55of what the competition
00:13:55is doing.
00:13:58For example,
00:13:58surrounding states
00:14:00have taken steps toward
00:14:00retail wheeling of electricity
00:14:04to lower energy costs
00:14:04for consumers.
00:14:07An action that could threaten
00:14:07Ohio's competitive position.
00:14:12I'm pleased that Speaker
00:14:12Davidson
00:14:14and President
00:14:14Finan are convening
00:14:16a joint select committee
00:14:16to review this issue.
00:14:20And as we move forward
00:14:20with competition,
00:14:23we must ensure that
00:14:23our schools are made whole
00:14:26from any changes in property
00:14:26tax rates for utilities.
00:14:30Very important.
00:14:39The bottom line
00:14:39is that we must maintain
00:14:41Ohio's competitive
00:14:41edge and protect Ohio jobs.
00:14:46As pleased as we should
00:14:46rightfully be
00:14:49with the progress
00:14:49we've made over the last six
00:14:52years,
00:14:52this is no time to slow down.
00:14:56We need to keep the momentum
00:14:56going.
00:14:59Recognizing that we must act
00:14:59within the
00:15:01context of fiscal reality,
00:15:06for example,
00:15:07the budget will reflect
00:15:07the full impact of corporate
00:15:11franchise tax credits
00:15:11from earlier jobs bills
00:15:14and last session's
00:15:16permanent increase
00:15:16in personal exemptions.
00:15:20I want everyone to understand
00:15:20that our next budget
00:15:24already contains
00:15:24a $203 million reduction
00:15:29in personal income tax funds
00:15:29for the state of Ohio.
00:15:33It's right there
00:15:33for the citizens.
00:15:34It's in the budget already,
00:15:34from what you've done, $203
00:15:37million.
00:15:48Revenue growth
00:15:50will not meet earlier
00:15:50expectations.
00:15:53And the amount of new
00:15:53discretionary money available
00:15:56is going to be extremely
00:15:56limited.
00:15:59Clearly, we have some very
00:15:59difficult choices to make,
00:16:03and I wish I had time
00:16:03to talk about all of them.
00:16:06Instead.
00:16:09I want to focus on
00:16:09the one choice on which I know
00:16:12we can all agree
00:16:14the need to build
00:16:14on the foundation we have laid
00:16:17to make Ohio schools
00:16:17second to none now
00:16:21and in the 21st century.
00:16:24Perhaps the
00:16:24most significant
00:16:24thing we've done since 1991
00:16:28is to reinforce the idea
00:16:31that education
00:16:31is everyone's business,
00:16:34and that education improvement
00:16:34is our state's
00:16:38number one priority.
00:16:41No state,
00:16:43no state in
00:16:44America has seen the level
00:16:44of involvement and commitment
00:16:47by the business community
00:16:47that we have
00:16:50from the statewide
00:16:50best initiative
00:16:53to the local business advisory
00:16:53councils, to the adopt
00:16:57a school program that my wife
00:16:57Janet has championed.
00:17:00Ohio's private sector
00:17:00is making a positive
00:17:04difference
00:17:04in education in Ohio,
00:17:07and I know that without
00:17:07the support of the mayors,
00:17:10I think of this
00:17:10and the business community
00:17:12in Cincinnati,
00:17:13Cleveland and Columbus,
00:17:13we never would have seen
00:17:17major levies passed
00:17:17in those cities last year.
00:17:22And building
00:17:22on the adaptive school program
00:17:24and her effort
00:17:26to help Cleveland fulfill
00:17:26its bicentennial promise
00:17:29that every school will be
00:17:29adopted.
00:17:32Janet has agreed to take
00:17:32on a special challenge
00:17:35in attempting
00:17:35to get every school
00:17:38in our urban
00:17:38districts adopted.
00:17:41Thanks be.
00:17:56I'm also pleased
00:17:56that our new budget provides
00:17:58funding for the Seniors
00:17:58in Schools program,
00:18:01which will enable more older
00:18:01Ohioans to volunteer
00:18:05their time in our schools.
00:18:07We cannot forget
00:18:07the love factor.
00:18:17I want to spend my remaining
00:18:18time outlining what state
00:18:18government can do to help
00:18:21bring about further education
00:18:21improvement in Ohio.
00:18:26My recommendations are grouped
00:18:26into four areas
00:18:29families, finance,
00:18:31finance, reform, teacher
00:18:31support, and urban schools.
00:18:34First, with respect of helping
00:18:34Ohio's families.
00:18:38I could not be more grateful
00:18:38for the support
00:18:41I have received
00:18:41from the General Assembly
00:18:43since 1991 and maintaining
00:18:43the line in the sand
00:18:47that I drew in my first state
00:18:47of the state address
00:18:50on behalf of Ohio's
00:18:50children and families.
00:18:54Your support was never more
00:18:54evident than in 1996,
00:18:59when so many of you stepped
00:19:01up to the line
00:19:01on behalf of Ohio families
00:19:03and help beat back the serious
00:19:03threat of casino gambling.
00:19:19The line
00:19:19in the sand we drew in 91
00:19:22helped create our Family
00:19:22and Children First initiative,
00:19:26which is looked upon
00:19:26as the model program
00:19:29nationwide guide
00:19:29for helping children get off
00:19:29to a healthy start in life
00:19:33so they can begin school
00:19:33ready to learn.
00:19:37Perhaps the most crucial need
00:19:37for families
00:19:40with small children
00:19:40is health care,
00:19:43according to the National
00:19:43Governors Association.
00:19:46Ohio has the fewest children
00:19:46under
00:19:49two not covered
00:19:49by health insurance.
00:19:52And to further help
00:19:52struggling Ohio families,
00:19:55we are proposing to expand
00:19:55Medicaid eligibility
00:19:58to 96,000 additional Ohio
00:19:58children,
00:20:03which should make Ohio
00:20:03one of the nation's leaders
00:20:06in providing health care for
00:20:06children of the working poor.
00:20:20And we also propose
00:20:22financing 2000 new waiver
00:20:22slots
00:20:26to enable families
00:20:26to keep their children
00:20:28with disabilities
00:20:28at home, where they belong.
00:20:32Perhaps no other
00:20:32initiative better underscores
00:20:35our commitment to children
00:20:35and families than Head Start.
00:20:39Since I took office,
00:20:39we have increased state
00:20:42support for Head
00:20:42Start by nearly 500%,
00:20:46and we remain the nation's
00:20:46leader in this area.
00:20:50The number of children served
00:20:50has nearly doubled.
00:20:53And with the additional dollars we
00:20:53will propose in the new budget,
00:20:57Ohio will be the first state
00:20:57to provide a place
00:21:01in preschool
00:21:01for every eligible child
00:21:04whose family so desires.
00:21:16You know, too often.
00:21:19When we talk about programs
00:21:22or we do talk about programs
00:21:22and not about God's children.
00:21:26And now it's my privilege
00:21:26to introduce to Juan Burkhart,
00:21:31a ninth grader at East
00:21:31High School in Columbus.
00:21:33I was going to talk about
00:21:33his family's experience
00:21:38with Head Start to one.
00:21:43Governor and members
00:21:43of the General Assembly.
00:21:47I would like to thank you
00:21:47for this opportunity
00:21:49to speak on behalf
00:21:49of all the past,
00:21:51present and future Head
00:21:51Start students and families.
00:21:54Hester has been a great
00:21:54and strong
00:21:57educational experience
00:21:57for many of us.
00:21:59For sure,
00:22:00I would not be doing
00:22:00well in school
00:22:02without the introduction to
00:22:02learning that I got from here.
00:22:05Start
00:22:06head start
00:22:06is not only for the child.
00:22:08It has been a part
00:22:08of my family
00:22:10life on the last 11 years.
00:22:12My mother started out
00:22:12volunteering in the classroom
00:22:15and serving on the Policy
00:22:15Council.
00:22:17Later, she became a Head
00:22:17Start employee.
00:22:20My mother and I truly believe
00:22:20in the quality
00:22:22of such a great program.
00:22:24Some of my friends I made Head
00:22:24Start are still my
00:22:27friends today
00:22:29and we are all doing well.
00:22:31Education still remains
00:22:31the number one priority to me
00:22:34and my family.
00:22:36So I would like to thank the
00:22:36people of Ohio for supporting
00:22:39Head Start.
00:22:40Thank you.
00:23:02You never know to one
00:23:03make one of these days be
00:23:03sitting in one of those seats
00:23:07to one.
00:23:09Thank you very much
00:23:11for putting a face on Head
00:23:11Start.
00:23:14Perhaps in the future, when
00:23:14we think about head Start.
00:23:18We'll think about you.
00:23:21I now want to offer
00:23:21a brief progress report
00:23:24on school funding reforms
00:23:24we have undertaken,
00:23:28along with our proposals
00:23:28for further action.
00:23:32Since 1991.
00:23:34Total state spending on
00:23:34schools has increased 36%.
00:23:41A essentially double
00:23:41the inflation rate over
00:23:44that period
00:23:44under our proposed budget.
00:23:48Basic funding
00:23:50will have increased
00:23:50almost 50% over eight years,
00:23:55and with years apart,
00:23:55the actual formula
00:23:58for distributing those dollars
00:23:58has become more equitable.
00:24:03With the support
00:24:03of the General Assembly.
00:24:05Our administration
00:24:05was the first in Ohio
00:24:08to take decisive action
00:24:08to close the equity gap
00:24:11between our low and high
00:24:11wealth school districts.
00:24:15You bet.
00:24:21In fact,
00:24:21between fiscal year 91
00:24:24and the current fiscal
00:24:24year, state per pupil
00:24:28appropriations to these school
00:24:28districts grew about 31%,
00:24:33while appropriations
00:24:33to the richest districts grew
00:24:37just 5.7%.
00:24:42We have targeted $375
00:24:44million
00:24:44directly to our poor schools,
00:24:48and we are proposing
00:24:48an additional $213
00:24:53million in the equity line
00:24:53this time around.
00:24:58In our budget, $213 million.
00:25:02And in the area of school
00:25:02building assistance,
00:25:06we have earmarked $300 million
00:25:06since 1994,
00:25:11which is more than what was
00:25:11spent on such assistance
00:25:14during the entire course
00:25:14of our state history.
00:25:19$300 million since 1994 294.
00:25:24Before that time.
00:25:26Today
00:25:26I am proposing that we again
00:25:30double our commitment to Ohio
00:25:30school buildings.
00:25:34Of the $300 million.
00:25:36200 million will be targeted
00:25:36toward the 60 lowest
00:25:40wealth districts around Ohio
00:25:40property
00:25:43and the remaining $100 million
00:25:43designated
00:25:46for use by our eight largest
00:25:46urban
00:25:49districts.
00:26:01Now, a word
00:26:01about school technology
00:26:04with the strong support
00:26:04of the General Assembly.
00:26:07Ohio is a national leader
00:26:07in bringing 21st
00:26:11century technology
00:26:11into our classrooms
00:26:14through school
00:26:14net and school net, plus.
00:26:17Our new budget recommends
00:26:17using $30 million
00:26:21in excess lottery funds toward
00:26:24higher school
00:26:24net wiring initiative,
00:26:26particularly to help schools
00:26:26remedy the electrical problems
00:26:30that some of them
00:26:30have encountered.
00:26:32We ought to take care
00:26:32of that problem.
00:26:41We are also recommending
00:26:42additional dollars
00:26:42for professional development
00:26:46to make sure that our teachers
00:26:46are prepared
00:26:49to use these vital resources.
00:26:52And recognizing the fact
00:26:54that our teachers
00:26:54do a significant amount
00:26:56of their preparation
00:26:56work outside of school.
00:26:59We are proposing
00:26:59the elimination of the sales
00:27:02tax when certified teachers
00:27:02purchase personal computers.
00:27:06It's a little bit,
00:27:06but it's a recognition
00:27:08of what they're doing and will
00:27:08help them in the classroom.
00:27:12And this brings me to
00:27:12the third area in our ongoing
00:27:15education improvement agenda,
00:27:15supporting Ohio's teachers.
00:27:21Next to parents
00:27:21who have not forgotten
00:27:24that they are their children's
00:27:26first
00:27:26and most important teachers.
00:27:28Our teachers
00:27:28are the heart of education.
00:27:32As your governor,
00:27:32I have really enjoyed
00:27:34visiting classrooms
00:27:34throughout the state
00:27:37and getting to know
00:27:37Ohio's historic,
00:27:40historic, heroic teachers.
00:27:42Historic and heroic.
00:27:46People still ask me why
00:27:48today's teachers are as good
00:27:48as they were 30 years ago.
00:27:52And you know what I tell them?
00:27:53I tell them to.
00:27:54Teachers are better.
00:27:56The fact is,
00:27:56they face enormous
00:27:59challenges, not confronted
00:27:59by their predecessors.
00:28:03And that is why we must do
00:28:03even more
00:28:06to help our teachers.
00:28:07We must provide our teachers
00:28:07with additional opportunities
00:28:11for professional development
00:28:11and growth.
00:28:13We've redefined education,
00:28:13as you know what I mean,
00:28:16lifelong learning.
00:28:17And it should certainly apply
00:28:17to those whose profession
00:28:21it is to help others
00:28:21learn and succeed in life.
00:28:25I want to thank
00:28:25the state Board of Education
00:28:28for developing new teaching
00:28:28standards this past year.
00:28:31Our new licensure
00:28:31system is one of the first
00:28:34and most
00:28:34demanding in the nation,
00:28:37and it will help guarantee
00:28:37that our teachers
00:28:40can get the job done where
00:28:40it counts in the classroom.
00:28:45That's where it's at in
00:28:45the classroom.
00:28:49I'm pleased that
00:28:49we also have reached agreement
00:28:51with Ohio's education unions
00:28:53to develop a statewide peer
00:28:53review and mentoring system
00:28:57that identifies
00:28:58and gives help
00:28:58to those teachers who need it.
00:29:02I'm also encouraged
00:29:02that the state board will soon
00:29:05complete
00:29:05its good work on developing
00:29:07core, a core set of students
00:29:07standards.
00:29:10Our School Improvement
00:29:10agenda obviously centers
00:29:14around our students
00:29:14achieving higher results.
00:29:17And I believe these academic
00:29:17and vocational standards
00:29:21will represent
00:29:21another step toward that goal.
00:29:25And today,
00:29:25I'm pleased to announce
00:29:27that 11 school districts
00:29:27will participate
00:29:30in our deregulation
00:29:30pilot project.
00:29:33It will allow them
00:29:33to cut through red tape,
00:29:37get rid of
00:29:37some of the existing rules
00:29:39and regulations, and begin
00:29:39testing these new student
00:29:43standards.
00:29:46Ohio has also been a pioneer
00:29:46in underwriting the cost
00:29:49for teachers
00:29:49to apply for certification
00:29:52by the National Board
00:29:53of Professional
00:29:53Teaching Standards.
00:29:55And one of the few
00:29:55to provide them
00:29:57a yearly stipend
00:29:57once they're successful.
00:30:01Ohio leads the nation
00:30:01with 350 teachers
00:30:05in the process of applying
00:30:05for board certification.
00:30:07And our newest budget
00:30:09will contain funding to help
00:30:09800 more begin the process.
00:30:13And today, I'm pleased
00:30:13that Ohio is fast
00:30:15becoming recognized
00:30:17nationally as
00:30:18the professional development
00:30:18state for teachers.
00:30:32One of Ohio's
00:30:32first teachers to become board
00:30:34certified is here with us
00:30:34today.
00:30:37She teaches
00:30:37English and language arts
00:30:40at Walnut Hills
00:30:40High School in Cincinnati.
00:30:43She's an accomplished
00:30:43author of children's books,
00:30:47and she is Ohio's
00:30:47Teacher of the year for 1997.
00:30:51Please join me in welcoming
00:30:51one of Ohio's outstanding
00:30:54teachers, Sharon Draper.
00:31:31Governor.
00:31:43By the way,
00:31:44Sharon is one of the four
00:31:44finalist for National Teacher
00:31:48of the year. And, Sharon,
00:31:48we wish you good luck.
00:31:51Bring it home to a high.
00:32:00I believe that
00:32:00we must take special action
00:32:02to better support
00:32:02those teachers like Sharon,
00:32:06who work in our troubled
00:32:06big city school systems.
00:32:10We are fortunate in Ohio that
00:32:10we have two model programs
00:32:14the Mayor's Son Academy
00:32:14in Cincinnati,
00:32:16where
00:32:16Sharon serves as a trainer,
00:32:19and the Columbus
00:32:19Urban Academy, which are aimed
00:32:22at providing teachers
00:32:22and those systems
00:32:24with specialized
00:32:24training and support.
00:32:28And to help put this
00:32:29best practice in place
00:32:29elsewhere in Ohio,
00:32:32we are proposing to provide
00:32:32a challenge grant of $1
00:32:35million each to establish
00:32:35similar academies for teachers
00:32:40at Akron, Cleveland,
00:32:40Dayton and Toledo.
00:32:43And I'm confident
00:32:45these communities
00:32:45will respond to the challenge.
00:32:48I've often said
00:32:48at the national level.
00:32:52Our number one
00:32:52challenge is dealing
00:32:54with this country's
00:32:54financial deficit
00:32:57and that on the state
00:32:57and local level,
00:33:00it's the human deficit.
00:33:02And there is no question
00:33:02that our urban school
00:33:06districts are contributing
00:33:06to the human deficit.
00:33:10And I know that some of you
00:33:11who do not represent
00:33:11urban areas are asking,
00:33:16why should I support
00:33:16special initiatives
00:33:19directed at urban school
00:33:19districts?
00:33:22Don't they get enough already?
00:33:28Although our 21 urban
00:33:30districts comprise just 3%
00:33:34of the total statewide,
00:33:36they include 24%
00:33:39of our student population.
00:33:42And just 43% of
00:33:42those students are graduating,
00:33:45including just 35% at the six
00:33:50largest school districts.
00:33:53Ohio's greatest resource
00:33:56is our people,
00:33:58and thousands
00:33:58of our young people
00:34:00from those urban districts
00:34:02are not fully developing
00:34:02their God given talents.
00:34:07And I believe that is
00:34:07our moral responsibility
00:34:11to respond.
00:34:12Second, businesses
00:34:12that are looking to expand
00:34:16or relocate in
00:34:16big cities are shying away
00:34:20because they're concerned
00:34:21about the lack of an educated,
00:34:21trained workforce.
00:34:24And this issue,
00:34:24believe me, is already having
00:34:28a negative impact
00:34:28on our state's economy.
00:34:32And finally, Ohio's welfare
00:34:32and exploding corrections
00:34:36expenditures are fueled
00:34:36by the fact
00:34:40that half of the people
00:34:40on public assistance
00:34:43and three quarters of those
00:34:43in our prisons are dropouts,
00:34:47with a disproportionate
00:34:47number of them coming
00:34:51from our urban areas.
00:34:54Our corrections
00:34:54budget will grow
00:34:57four from $479
00:34:57million in fiscal year
00:35:0291 to a projected $1.2
00:35:02billion by 99,
00:35:08a staggering 149% increase.
00:35:13And if that growth continues
00:35:13for the next eight years,
00:35:17Ohio's correction budget
00:35:17will balloon
00:35:20to almost $3 billion.
00:35:24Now, we can't let that happen
00:35:26because, practically speaking,
00:35:26and you'll see it
00:35:28in this budget, there
00:35:29simply won't be any money left
00:35:29for anything else.
00:35:35We have to attack the problem
00:35:35at its roots.
00:35:39Now, ladies and gentlemen,
00:35:39Ohio is already doing more
00:35:42than any other state
00:35:44to intervene early
00:35:44in our children's lives.
00:35:47Throughout, through our line
00:35:48in the sand family
00:35:48and first initiative.
00:35:52We have to make sure
00:35:52that when children
00:35:55get to school,
00:35:55the progress continues.
00:35:59We know that all day
00:36:00kindergarten
00:36:00can have far reaching
00:36:02positive effects on a child's
00:36:02later academic performance.
00:36:06And for that reason,
00:36:07our new budget
00:36:07will call for an expansion
00:36:09of all day kindergarten
00:36:09in our urban school districts.
00:36:13Make.
00:36:14Now, you have already
00:36:14authorized America's
00:36:16first bonafide
00:36:16experiment in school choice.
00:36:20The Cleveland
00:36:20Scholarship Program
00:36:22has gotten off
00:36:22to a solid start.
00:36:24More than 1800 low income
00:36:24students are taking advantage
00:36:28of this program.
00:36:29It's terrific.
00:36:30You ought to talk
00:36:30to the parents about it.
00:36:32And I am proposing
00:36:32that we expand the program
00:36:35to include a new kindergarten
00:36:35class each year.
00:36:40And last year,
00:36:40we proposed moving forward
00:36:43with a charter
00:36:43school experiment this year.
00:36:46Let's get it done.
00:36:49Let's get it done.
00:36:58And we recommend
00:36:58funding a pilot
00:37:01charter school program
00:37:01in Lucas County.
00:37:12I want to commend
00:37:13state school Superintendent
00:37:13John Goff.
00:37:16The state board
00:37:16members, members of my cabinet
00:37:20and representative of Ohio's
00:37:20urban school districts
00:37:24who have worked diligently
00:37:24over the past year
00:37:27to find
00:37:27some additional creative ways
00:37:29to effectively address
00:37:29our challenges.
00:37:32First,
00:37:32we agree with Speaker Davidson
00:37:36that we need to ensure
00:37:36that these districts
00:37:38are accountable
00:37:38to the taxpayers
00:37:41and developing performance
00:37:41audits, would identify
00:37:45and quantify performance
00:37:45benchmarks, and empower
00:37:48districts to improve
00:37:48on these benchmarks.
00:37:51And second,
00:37:51I support expanding the number
00:37:55of resource centers from
00:37:55the current 6 to 21 districts.
00:37:59This will help families in all
00:37:59urban areas in preparing
00:38:02their children for school
00:38:02by strengthening linkages
00:38:05to health care
00:38:05and other social services.
00:38:09And with
00:38:09respect to school violence,
00:38:11we provided
00:38:11funding and a prior
00:38:13capital bill
00:38:13for detection devices
00:38:15to keep weapons
00:38:15out of the school,
00:38:17and I remember how they Pooh
00:38:17poohed it.
00:38:18Well, that money's gone.
00:38:19Now, we should take
00:38:19the next step.
00:38:22And I support the creation
00:38:22of discipline
00:38:24intervention grants
00:38:25to deal with unruly students
00:38:25in our urban districts,
00:38:28who are keeping everyone else
00:38:28from learning.
00:38:41And with a 43% graduation
00:38:41rate,
00:38:45we've got to do more to help
00:38:45our urban kids stay in school
00:38:48and make sure they
00:38:48graduate our jobs for Ohio.
00:38:52Graduate program
00:38:52does just that by identifying
00:38:55high school seniors
00:38:55at risk of dropping out
00:38:58and putting them back
00:38:58on the right track toward
00:39:01graduation and further school,
00:39:01the military, or a good job.
00:39:06This year,
00:39:07Jack is serving 9000 seniors
00:39:10and 243 schools around Ohio.
00:39:14That represents
00:39:14more participants
00:39:17than any other state
00:39:18and the jobs for America
00:39:18graduates program.
00:39:22We propose to dramatically
00:39:22expand the senior program
00:39:26to reach 12,000 students
00:39:26over the next two years,
00:39:30and we also intend
00:39:30to fund a five year program
00:39:32that targets students
00:39:32as early as the eighth grade.
00:39:36And a third component
00:39:36will expand on an existing
00:39:39pilot project that targets 16
00:39:39to 21 year olds
00:39:42who have already dropped out.
00:39:45Now, those of you
00:39:45in this chamber who know me
00:39:48well understand
00:39:49that I expect results
00:39:49in everything we do
00:39:53in state government.
00:39:54And I've told my directors,
00:39:54if you can't measure it,
00:39:56don't do it.
00:39:58And let me tell you,
00:39:58taxpayers want the same thing.
00:40:04And I assure you
00:40:04that we are going to monitor
00:40:07all of the initiatives
00:40:07I've suggested to you today
00:40:11to make sure they do
00:40:11what they're supposed to do.
00:40:15And one of the reasons
00:40:16why I'm so enthusiastic
00:40:16about the JAG program
00:40:19is that 90% of the kids
00:40:19graduate here, that 90% of
00:40:23the kids in the program
00:40:23graduate, and 80% go on to
00:40:27post high school placement.
00:40:30And today,
00:40:31I'd like you to
00:40:31meet one of our JAG graduates.
00:40:35Airman First Class Jay
00:40:35Percival, a West Carrollton
00:40:38native, currently station
00:40:38with the United States
00:40:41Air Force in Biloxi,
00:40:41Mississippi. Jay.
00:40:45Thank you, governor.
00:40:55Like many high school
00:40:55students,
00:40:56I had to make some decisions
00:40:56to put myself on a path
00:40:59to a happy and successful
00:40:59life.
00:41:00For example, I know
00:41:00I had to get away from drugs.
00:41:03I began using drugs
00:41:03when I was in the ninth grade.
00:41:06My grades were never very good
00:41:06and drugs, and to help any.
00:41:10The drugs affected
00:41:10my social life.
00:41:12I didn't hang out
00:41:12with a lot of people.
00:41:14And I was always very quiet.
00:41:15It also played a part
00:41:15in giving a press.
00:41:17My junior year.
00:41:19My senior year.
00:41:19Mr. Vickers, to you
00:41:19with this program?
00:41:21At the advice of counselors.
00:41:23I took the class
00:41:24because I thought it would be
00:41:24an easy grade.
00:41:25I didn't expect
00:41:25to get anything out of it.
00:41:28To my surprise,
00:41:28it was a great class.
00:41:30Miss Vickers
00:41:31and others in the West
00:41:31Carlton Jobs for Our graduates
00:41:33program taught me
00:41:33very important skills,
00:41:35like how I learned about
00:41:35the fields I was interested
00:41:36in, how to get a job and
00:41:36how to communicate with people
00:41:40who were not famous figures.
00:41:41I would not be standing here
00:41:41before you today.
00:41:43After I graduated
00:41:43from Howard, graduates
00:41:46introduced me to a man in
00:41:46Dayton who remodeled houses.
00:41:48My boss was a man
00:41:48named Clay Ohashi,
00:41:51and he encouraged me to work
00:41:51hard and stay away from drugs.
00:41:54The things I learned from him,
00:41:55I will carry with me
00:41:55for the rest of my life.
00:41:57He even encouraged me
00:41:57to join the Air Force
00:41:59to further my education.
00:42:01Today I'm stationed at Keesler
00:42:01Air Force Base
00:42:03or specialized in ground
00:42:03radio communications.
00:42:06Miss Vickers and Mr.
00:42:07Ohashi, along with my mother,
00:42:08my father and my wife, Tanya,
00:42:08have always been there for me
00:42:11and stood
00:42:11behind all my decisions.
00:42:13I hope the
00:42:13students around, all in Ohio
00:42:13and around
00:42:16the country, will have
00:42:16the same opportunities I did.
00:42:17Take part in this program.
00:42:20If it were not for
00:42:20this program,
00:42:21who knows where
00:42:21I would be today.
00:42:23Thank you.
00:42:23Thank you Jay.
00:42:49Thank you. Jay.
00:42:51You're.
00:42:51Your story underscores
00:42:51how one program or one person
00:42:56can make a difference
00:42:56in someone's life.
00:43:00Just think about your own
00:43:00lives.
00:43:03Think about them
00:43:04and the people
00:43:04who made a difference
00:43:07for you.
00:43:11The education challenges
00:43:13that I've outlined.
00:43:16Are not unique to Ohio.
00:43:18They're not unique to Ohio.
00:43:21In fact,
00:43:21the problems in America's
00:43:23big city school systems
00:43:23constitute
00:43:26a national crisis.
00:43:29If ignored, they will result
00:43:32in a national catastrophe
00:43:35in Ohio.
00:43:36We're doing something about it
00:43:38because the people
00:43:38of this state understand
00:43:42that a
00:43:42crisis frightening,
00:43:42threatening some of us today
00:43:45ultimately threatens us all.
00:43:49And more important,
00:43:51we care.
00:43:53As Doctor
00:43:53Martin Luther King Jr.
00:43:55Whose birthday is tomorrow?
00:43:56One said, I can never be
00:43:56what I ought to be.
00:44:01Until you are
00:44:01what you ought to be.
00:44:04No individual or nation
00:44:04can stand out
00:44:07boasting of being independent.
00:44:11We are interdependent
00:44:14and realizing that
00:44:14we must work with parents,
00:44:17local communities
00:44:17and the private sector.
00:44:21We, the
00:44:22elected representatives
00:44:22of the people of this state,
00:44:26should never rest
00:44:27in our efforts
00:44:27to build an education system
00:44:30that enables all Ohioans
00:44:30to go as far in life
00:44:34as their God
00:44:34given talents will take them.
00:44:50Someday.
00:44:51When to shine
00:44:51and realize their dreams.
00:44:55I suspect that each will think
00:44:55back to that crucial point
00:44:59when, as youngsters,
00:44:59their lives turned around,
00:45:04when people, some of
00:45:04whom were strangers to begin
00:45:06with, cared enough about them
00:45:06to make a difference
00:45:11with God's help.
00:45:13And all of us in Ohio
00:45:13working together.
00:45:16I am confident that we will
00:45:16continue to make a difference.
00:45:21Thank you.
00:45:56Thank you very much.
00:45:57Thank.
Note : Transcripts are compiled from uncorrected captions