Back-to-School Message from State Superintendent Paul Craft

Welcome to the upcoming 2024-25 school year! My name is Paul Craft, and I have the honor of serving as Ohio’s 40th Superintendent of Public Instruction. As a long-time teacher and building and district level administrator, including service as a district superintendent for over a decade, I, like you, have focused on building incredible staffs who effectively grow young learners while serving as role models for their students. In my current role I have learned even more about the importance of that work.

Due to changes in House Bill 33, the State Board of Education of Ohio (SBOE) now has a more focused set of duties, with the most important being providing oversight of Educator Licensure and Professional Conduct. Our SBOE team’s focus is ensuring that Ohio’s 1.6 million students interact every day with individuals who are well qualified and who exhibit strong moral character and judgment. To that end, I wanted to provide some thoughts and resources as so many of our districts, community schools, and other LEAs work to prepare for the school year.  

The most problematic change we have seen from a professional conduct perspective over the last few years is the role of social media. I encourage you to take the opportunity of your beginning-of-the-year staff in-service days or convocations to reiterate the importance of understanding the risks and challenges that come with social media posts and social media/text interactions with students. Please see the articles below from our Professional Conduct team for important links to the code of professional conduct and other information that you may want to share with your staff.

An important initiative at the start of this school year is the expansion of Rapback monitoring, a system through BCI wherein schools and districts are notified by SBOE about school employees who interact with law enforcement and the court system anywhere in the state. Our licensed and permitted educators, along with bus and van drivers, have been included in this system for years. Starting this school year, non-licensed school personnel who interact with students - employees such as building secretaries, lunchroom personnel, custodians, etc. - are now required to be enrolled in the system as well. Additionally, the management of bus and van driver Rapback enrollment is moving from DEW to SBOE. Please see the information on our website regarding this Rapback expansion. All schools and districts should have these employees enrolled through SBOE and associated with their school or district by October 31st for drivers and by December 31st for other required non-licensed staff.

Finally, please encourage your staff members to submit license or permit applications as early as possible. Applications for next year can be submitted starting Nov. 1 of this year. I am including a link to our licensure renewal page here.

Please feel free to reach out to me if I can ever be of service in your efforts.

The State Board of Education Announces 2025 Teacher of the Year Finalists

Four finalists have been selected from eleven State Board District Teachers of the Year. Congratulations to Justin Stone, Michelle Dohrmann, Daneé Pinckney, and Jennifer Winkler! The 2025 Ohio Teacher of the Year will be announced at the beginning of the school year. Learn more about the Ohio Teacher of the Year program and watch a video of the 2025 finalists announcement.

Application Processing Time

Applicants may view up-to-date application processing times from their CORE Dashboard (under My Application Status). The current licensure application processing time is 5-7 business days. Please be aware that if an application must go through the Office of Professional Conduct for further review (such as a criminal record review), there will be an additional processing time.

Substitute Teaching Licenses

The One-Year Temporary Non-Bachelor’s Substitute Teaching Licenses is available to applicants who do not hold the minimum bachelor’s degree requirement for the standard substitute teaching license but meet the employing school or district’s set of educational requirements. Please see the Substitute License webpage for information, including a checklist to guide applicants through the licensure process.

Supplemental Teaching Licenses

Educators who hold an active, standard Ohio teaching license and need additional licensure for employment in an Ohio school or district should consider the supplemental pathway to meet licensure needs. Educators working under a supplemental teaching license are properly certified in the supplemental licensure area while completing the requirements for standard licensure. Schools, districts, and educational service centers may download and print Supplemental License Checklists to use in guiding teachers through the supplemental licensure pathway. Please see the Supplemental License webpage and select the license type to obtain the checklists.

Licensure Code Provides Framework for Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators

The Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators provides the framework for professional conduct for all Ohio educators. This includes any person who holds or applies for a license through the State Board of Education, including teachers, aides, coaches, principals, and more. The Licensure Code was first adopted by the State Board in 2008, with  updates being made and adopted in 2019. The Licensure Code is broken down into nine principles, covering topics like appropriate use of technology, criminal acts, and professional relationships with students, and provides a guide for conduct and possible disciplinary recommendations.

Professional Conduct Resources for Educators and Districts

The mission of the Office of Professional Conduct is to provide a safe environment where all Ohio students can thrive while ensuring the rights of licensed educators and maintaining the integrity of the teaching profession. To further that mission, the office is happy to provide resources for educators and districts to ensure all educators provide a safe, healthy and supportive environment for each child. These resources include: #ABConduct Tip Sheets on a variety of topics including social media, drugs and alcohol, broken contracts, professional boundaries, and mandatory reporting; the Licensure Code of Professional Conduct for Ohio Educators; Professional Conduct Procedures; Frequently Asked Questions; and more. Don’t forget that schools and districts are required to check the educator profile database regarding licensure status before hiring and are permitted to request referrals from the Office of Professional Conduct.