HB 684

As Introduced
136th General Assembly
   Regular Session  H. B. No. 684
       2025-2026
  Representatives Hiner, John
  Cosponsor: Representative Johnson
  To amend sections 755.16, 3311.05, 3311.053,  1
  3311.0510, 3313.01, 3313.376, 3313.843,  2
  3313.845, 3313.846, 3313.848, 3313.849, 3317.11,  3
  3319.80, 3326.45, 3513.255, and 3513.256; to  4
  amend, for the purpose of adopting a new section  5
  number as indicated in parentheses, section  6
  3326.45 (3313.847); to enact section 3311.052;  7
  and to repeal sections 3311.054, 3311.056,  8
  3311.057, and 3311.059 of the Revised Code  9
  regarding the territory, operation, and  10
  governance of educational service centers.  11
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
     Section 1. That sections 755.16, 3311.05, 3311.053,  12
3311.0510, 3313.01, 3313.376, 3313.843, 3313.845, 3313.846,  13
3313.848, 3313.849, 3317.11, 3319.80, 3326.45, 3513.255, and  14
3513.256 be amended; section 3326.45 (3313.847) be amended for  15
the purpose of adopting a new section number as indicated in  16
parentheses; and section 3311.052 of the Revised Code be enacted  17
to read as follows:  18
     Sec. 755.16. (A) Any contracting subdivision, jointly with  19
one or more other contracting subdivisions, in any combination,  20
H. B. No. 684  Page 2
As Introduced
may acquire property for, construct, operate, and maintain any  21
parks, playgrounds, playfields, gymnasiums, public baths,  22
swimming pools, indoor recreation centers, educational  23
facilities, or community centers. Any school district,  24
educational service center, or state institution of higher  25
education may provide by the erection of any school, educational  26
service center, or state institution of higher education  27
building or premises, or by the enlargement of, addition to, or  28
reconstruction or improvement of any school, educational service  29
center, or state institution of higher education building or  30
premises, for the inclusion of any such parks, recreational  31
facilities, educational facilities, and community centers to be  32
jointly acquired, constructed, operated, and maintained. Any  33
contracting subdivision, jointly with one or more other  34
contracting subdivisions, in any combination, may equip,  35
operate, and maintain those parks, recreational facilities,  36
educational facilities, and community centers and may  37
appropriate money for those purposes.  38
       Any contracting subdivision agreeing to jointly acquire,  39
construct, operate, or maintain parks, recreational facilities,  40
educational facilities, and community centers pursuant to this  41
section may contribute lands, money, other personal property, or  42
services to the joint venture, as may be agreed upon. Any  43
agreement shall specify the rights of the parties in any lands  44
or personal property contributed.  45
       Any lands acquired by a township park district pursuant to  46
Chapter 511. of the Revised Code and established as a public  47
park or parks may be contributed to a joint venture authorized  48
by this section. Fees may be charged in connection with the use  49
of any recreational facilities, educational facilities, and  50
community centers that may be constructed on those lands.  51
H. B. No. 684  Page 3
As Introduced
       (B) Any township may, jointly with a private land owner,  52
construct, operate, equip, and maintain free public playgrounds  53
and playfields. Any equipment provided by a township pursuant to  54
this division shall remain township property and shall be used  55
subject to a right of removal by the township.  56
       (C) As used in this section and in sections 755.17 and  57
755.18 of the Revised Code:  58
       (1) "Community centers" means facilities characterized by  59
all of the following:  60
       (a) They are acquired, constructed, operated, or  61
maintained by contracting subdivisions pursuant to division (A)  62
of this section.  63
       (b) They may be used for governmental, civic, or  64
educational operations or purposes, or recreational activities.  65
       (c) They may be used only by the contracting subdivisions  66
that acquire, construct, operate, or maintain them or by any  67
other person upon terms and conditions determined by those  68
contracting subdivisions.  69
       (2) "Educational service center" has the same meaning as  70
in division (A) of section 3311.05 of the Revised Code.  71
       (3) "Contracting subdivision" means a municipal  72
corporation, township, joint recreation district, township park  73
district, a park district created under Chapter 1545. of the  74
Revised Code, county, school district, educational service  75
center, or state institution of higher education.  76
       (4) "School district" means any of the school districts or  77
joint vocational school districts referred to in section 3311.01  78
of the Revised Code.  79
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As Introduced
       (5) "State institution of higher education" has the same  80
meaning as in section 3345.011 of the Revised Code.  81
       Sec. 3311.05. (A) The territory within the territorial  82
limits of a As used in this section and sections 3311.051 to  83
3311.0510 of the Revised Code, "client," "primary service  84
agreement," and "service agreement" have the same meanings as in  85
section 3313.843 of the Revised Code.  86
       (B) There is in each county, or the territory included in  87
a district each group of counties formed under section 3311.053  88
of the Revised Code, exclusive of the territory embraced in any  89
city school district or exempted village school district, and  90
excluding the territory detached therefrom for school purposes  91
and including the territory attached thereto for school purposes  92
constitutes an educational service center. If the educational  93
service center in which the territory of a local school district  94
is located is dissolved under section 3311.0510 of the Revised  95
Code, the territory of that local school district shall not  96
constitute part of any educational service center.  97
       (B) (C)(1) During the period beginning on the effective  98
date of this amendment and ending on the next thirtieth day of  99
June of an odd-numbered year, the territory of an educational  100
service center is as it existed immediately before the effective  101
date of this amendment.  102
       (2)(a) Beginning on the first day of July of an odd-  103
numbered year after the effective date of this amendment, the  104
territory of an educational service center consists of the  105
combined territory of all of the school districts that have  106
primary service agreements with the educational service center  107
under section 3313.843 of the Revised Code, regardless of  108
whether that territory is located in the county or group of  109
H. B. No. 684  Page 5
As Introduced
counties for which the educational service center was  110
established.  111
        (b) The territory or service area of any client that has a  112
service agreement with an educational service center under  113
section 3313.844, 3313.845, 3313.846, or 3313.847 of the Revised  114
Code is not part of the territory of the educational service  115
center unless the territory is also part of the territory of a  116
school district that has a primary service agreement with the  117
educational service center under section 3313.843 of the Revised  118
Code.  119
        (3) Not later than the first day of May of each odd-  120
numbered year, an educational service center shall send a  121
written notice to the board of elections of each county in which  122
the educational service center will have territory as of the  123
first day of July of that year. The notice shall identify each  124
school district that has a primary service agreement with the  125
educational service center under section 3313.843 of the Revised  126
Code as of the first day of July of that year.  127
        (D) A county school financing district created under  128
section 3311.50 of the Revised Code is not the school district  129
described in division (A) of this section an educational service  130
center or any other school district but is a taxing district.  131
        Sec. 3311.052. (A) During the period beginning on the  132
effective date of this section and ending on the next thirtieth  133
day of December of an odd-numbered year after the effective date  134
of this section, the membership of the governing board of an  135
educational service center is as it existed immediately before  136
the effective date of this section, and any vacancy on the board  137
shall be filled in accordance with the law as it existed  138
immediately before the effective date of this section.  139
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As Introduced
        (B) Beginning on the first day of January of an even-  140
numbered year after the effective date of this section, subject  141
to divisions (C) and (D) of this section, all of the following  142
apply:  143
        (1) The governing board of an educational service center  144
consists of members equal to the number of school districts that  145
have primary service agreements with the educational service  146
center under section 3313.843 of the Revised Code as of the  147
first day of July of the previous year, with one member elected  148
by the electors of each such school district. Each member shall  149
be an elector of the school district the member represents on  150
the governing board.  151
        (2) The members of the governing board shall be elected at  152
regular municipal elections to serve two-year terms beginning on  153
the first day of January after the election and ending on the  154
last day of December of the year following the year of the  155
election.  156
        (3) A vacancy in the office of member of the governing  157
board shall be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term by  158
appointment by a majority vote of the board of education of the  159
school district the member represents. Within ten days after the  160
vacancy is filled, the educational service center shall send a  161
written notice of the appointment to the board of elections of  162
each county in which the educational service center has  163
territory.  164
        (4) If a school district terminates its primary service  165
agreement with the educational service center, the school  166
district remains entitled to be represented by a member of the  167
governing board for the remainder of the member's unexpired  168
term.  169
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As Introduced
       (5) When a school district that does not currently have a  170
primary service agreement with the educational service center  171
enters into such an agreement, the electors of the school  172
district are first entitled to elect a member of the governing  173
board of the educational service center for a term beginning on  174
the first day of January after the primary service agreement  175
takes effect.  176
       (6) The fact that any client has a service agreement with  177
an educational service center under section 3313.844, 3313.845,  178
3313.846, or 3313.847 of the Revised Code does not entitle the  179
client to be represented on the governing board of the  180
educational service center.  181
       (C) A member of the governing board of an educational  182
service center who is serving as of the effective date of this  183
section retains the member's position until the expiration of  184
the member's existing term. If the member's seat becomes vacant  185
before the expiration of the existing term, the vacancy shall be  186
filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in accordance  187
with the law as it existed immediately before the effective date  188
of this section.  189
       (D)(1) If, under divisions (B) and (C) of this section,  190
the governing board of an educational service center would have  191
an even number of members, then not later than the tenth day of  192
January of an even-numbered year, the members shall, by a  193
majority vote, appoint one additional member who is an elector  194
of the territory of the educational service center to serve a  195
term of office ending on the last day of December of the  196
following year. If the members fail to appoint the additional  197
member not later than the tenth day of January, the probate  198
judge of the county in which the greatest number of pupils under  199
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As Introduced
the supervision of the educational service center reside shall  200
appoint the additional member.  201
        (2) A vacancy in the seat of the additional member shall  202
be filled for the remainder of the unexpired term in the same  203
manner as the initial appointment was required to be made under  204
division (D)(1) of this section.  205
        (3) Within ten days after an appointment is made under  206
division (D)(1) or (2) of this section, the educational service  207
center shall send a written notice of the appointment to the  208
board of elections of each county in which the educational  209
service center has territory.  210
        Sec. 3311.053. (A) The (A)(1) Beginning on the first day  211
of July of an odd-numbered year after the effective date of this  212
amendment, the boards of education of up to five adjoining  213
educational service centers may, by identical resolutions  214
adopted by a majority of the members of each governing board  215
within any sixty-day period, combine such educational service  216
centers into one educational service center for the combined  217
territory. No such combination shall occur during the period  218
beginning on the effective date of this amendment and ending on  219
the next thirtieth day of June of an odd-numbered year.  220
        (2) The resolutions shall state the name of the new  221
center, which may be styled as a "joint educational service  222
center." The resolutions shall also indicate whether the  223
governing board of the new educational service center is to be  224
formed in accordance with division (B) of this section, in  225
accordance with division (A) of section 3311.054 of the Revised  226
Code, or in accordance with section 3311.057 of the Revised  227
Code.  228
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As Introduced
       (3) A copy of each resolution shall be filed with the  229
state board of education and with the board of elections of each  230
county in which the new educational service center has  231
territory. The  232
       (B)(1) Subject to division (B)(2) of this section, the new  233
educational service center shall be created and the members of  234
the governing boards of the participating educational service  235
centers shall be dissolved and a new are members of the  236
governing board established thirty days after the date on which  237
the last resolution was filed with the state board of the new  238
educational service center for the duration of their original  239
terms of office.  240
       (B) The initial members of a new governing board  241
established in accordance with this division shall be appointed  242
as follows:  243
       (1) If two educational service centers combine, each  244
center's governing board, prior to its dissolution, shall  245
appoint two members to the new governing board and the four  246
members so selected shall select a fifth member within ten days  247
of the date on which the last of the four members is appointed.  248
       (2) If three educational service centers combine, each  249
center's governing board, prior to its dissolution, shall  250
appoint one member to the new governing board and the three  251
members so selected shall select the remaining two members of  252
the governing board within ten days of the date on which the  253
last of the three members is appointed.  254
       (3) If four educational service centers combine, each  255
center's governing board, prior to its dissolution, shall  256
appoint one member to the new governing board and the four  257
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As Introduced
members so selected shall select the remaining member of the  258
governing board within ten days of the date on which the last of  259
the four members is appointed.  260
       (4) If five educational service centers combine, each  261
center's governing board, prior to its dissolution, shall  262
appoint one member to the new governing board.  263
       If the members appointed to a new governing board by the  264
governing boards of the combining educational service centers  265
are unable to agree on the selection of the remaining members of  266
the new governing board within ten days, the probate judge of  267
the county in which the greatest number of pupils under the  268
supervision of the new educational service center reside shall  269
appoint the remaining members.  270
       Electors of the new educational service center shall elect  271
a new governing board at the next general election occurring in  272
an odd-numbered year and more than ninety days after the date of  273
the appointment of the last member to the initial governing  274
board. Members shall serve for the duration of the term to which  275
they are elected or until their successors are elected and  276
qualified. At such election, two members shall be elected to  277
terms of two years and three members shall be elected to terms  278
of four years. Thereafter, their successors shall be elected in  279
the same manner and for the same terms as members of governing  280
boards of all educational service centers. Each candidate for  281
election as a member of the educational service center governing  282
board shall file a nominating petition in accordance with  283
section 3513.255 of the Revised Code.  284
       (2) If the governing board of the new educational service  285
center has an even number of members, the members shall, by a  286
majority vote, appoint one additional member who is an elector  287
H. B. No. 684  Page 11
As Introduced
of the territory of the educational service center to serve the  288
same term of office as the elected members. If the members are  289
unable to agree on the appointment of the additional member  290
within ten days after the board forms, the probate judge of the  291
county in which the greatest number of pupils under the  292
supervision of the new educational service center reside shall  293
appoint the additional member. Within ten days after an  294
appointment is made under this division, the educational service  295
center shall send a written notice of the appointment to the  296
board of elections of each county in which the educational  297
service center has territory.  298
       (C) The funds of each former educational service center  299
shall be paid over in full to the governing board of the new  300
educational service center, and the legal title to all property  301
of the former governing boards shall become vested in the new  302
governing board.  303
       The governing board of an educational service center  304
created under this section shall honor all service agreements  305
and other contracts made by the former governing boards.  306
       Sec. 3311.0510. (A) If all of the client school districts  307
of an educational service center have terminated their primary  308
service agreements with the service center under division (D) of  309
section 3313.843 of the Revised Code, upon the latest effective  310
date of the terminations, the governing board of that service  311
center shall be abolished and such service center shall be  312
dissolved by order of the director of education and workforce.  313
The director's order shall provide for the equitable division  314
and disposition of the assets, property, debts, and obligations  315
of the service center among the school districts that were  316
client school districts of the service center for the service  317
H. B. No. 684  Page 12
As Introduced
center's last fiscal year of operation. The director's order  318
shall provide that the tax duplicate of each of those school  319
districts shall be bound for and assume the district's equitable  320
share of the outstanding indebtedness of the service center. The  321
director's order is final and is not appealable.  322
       Immediately upon the abolishment of the service center  323
governing board pursuant to this section, the director shall  324
appoint a qualified individual to administer the dissolution of  325
the service center and to implement the terms of the director's  326
dissolution order.  327
       Prior to distributing assets to any school district under  328
this section, but after paying in full other debts and  329
obligations of the service center under this section, the  330
director may assess against the remaining assets of the service  331
center the amount of the costs incurred by the department of  332
education and workforce in performing the director's duties  333
under this division, including the fees, if any, owed to the  334
individual appointed to administer the director's dissolution  335
order. Any excess cost incurred by the department under this  336
division shall be divided equitably among the school districts  337
that were client school districts of the service center for the  338
service center's last fiscal year of operation. Each district's  339
share of that excess cost shall be bound against the tax  340
duplicate of that district.  341
       (B) A final audit of the former service center shall be  342
performed in accordance with procedures established by the  343
auditor of state.  344
       (C) The public records of an educational service center  345
that is dissolved under this section shall be transferred in  346
accordance with this division. Public records maintained by the  347
H. B. No. 684  Page 13
As Introduced
service center in connection with services provided by the  348
service center to local school districts of which the territory  349
of the service center is or previously was made up shall be  350
transferred to each of the respective local school districts.  351
Public records maintained by the service center in connection  352
with services provided to client school districts shall be  353
transferred to each of the respective client school districts.  354
All other public records maintained by the service center at the  355
time the service center ceases operations shall be transferred  356
to the Ohio history connection for analysis and disposition by  357
the Ohio history connection in its capacity as archives  358
administrator for the state and its political subdivisions  359
pursuant to division (C) of section 149.30 and section 149.31 of  360
the Revised Code.  361
       (D) As used in this section, "client school district"  362
means a city, exempted village, or local school district that  363
has entered into an agreement under section 3313.843 or 3313.845  364
of the Revised Code to receive any services from an educational  365
service center.  366
       Sec. 3313.01. In local and exempted village school  367
districts an educational service centers, except as provided in  368
section 3311.054 and 3311.056 of the Revised Code, the board of  369
education or governing board of an educational service center  370
shall consist of five members who shall be electors residing in  371
the territory composing the respective districts and shall be  372
elected at large in their respective districts.  373
       Sec. 3313.376. As used in this section, "client school  374
district" means a city, exempted village, or local school  375
district that has entered into an agreement under " has the same  376
meaning as in section 3313.843 or 3313.845 of the Revised Code  377
H. B. No. 684  Page 14
As Introduced
to receive any services from an educational service center.  378
       For the purpose of obtaining quantity discounts in  379
purchasing textbooks; computer equipment, including computer  380
software; school buses; and natural gas, electricity, and other  381
utility services, the governing boards of two or more  382
educational service centers may enter into agreements, including  383
installment purchase and lease-purchase contracts, to jointly  384
purchase such commodities to be utilized by client school  385
districts the clients of the educational service centers.  386
       Sec. 3313.843. (A) Notwithstanding division (D) of section  387
3311.52 of the Revised Code, this section does not apply to any  388
cooperative education school district. As used in this section  389
and sections 3313.844 to 3313.849 of the Revised Code:  390
       (1) "Client" means any of the following that has a service  391
agreement with an educational service center: a city, local, or  392
exempted village school district, a joint vocational school  393
district, a community school established under Chapter 3314. of  394
the Revised Code, a STEM school established under Chapter 3326.  395
of the Revised Code, or a political subdivision.  396
       (2) "Governing body" means the board of education of a  397
school district, the governing authority of a community school,  398
the governing body of a STEM school, or the governing body of a  399
political subdivision.  400
       (3) "Political subdivision" has the same meaning as in  401
section 2744.01 of the Revised Code but does not include a  402
school district, community school, or STEM school.  403
       (4) "Primary service agreement" means a service agreement  404
between a city, local, or exempted village school district and  405
an educational service center entered into under this section  406
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As Introduced
but does not include a supplemental service agreement entered  407
into under section 3313.845 of the Revised Code.  408
       (5) "Service agreement" or "agreement" means an agreement  409
between a client and an educational service center under section  410
3313.843, 3313.844, 3313.845, 3313.846, 3313.847, or former  411
section 3326.45 of the Revised Code for the educational service  412
center to provide services to the client and any subsequent  413
amendment to that agreement.  414
       (B)(1) The board of education of each a city, exempted  415
village, or local school district with an average daily student  416
enrollment of sixteen thousand or less, reported for the  417
district on the most recent report card issued under section  418
3302.03 of the Revised Code, shall may enter into an a primary  419
service agreement with the governing board of an any educational  420
service center, under which the educational service center  421
governing board will provide services to the district.  422
       (2) The board of education of a city, exempted village, or  423
local school district with an average daily student enrollment  424
of more than sixteen thousand may enter into an agreement with  425
the governing board of an educational service center, under  426
which the educational service center governing board will  427
provide services to the district.  428
       (3) (2) A primary service agreement under this section  429
shall be for a renewable period of two consecutive school years,  430
beginning on the first day of July of an odd-numbered year and  431
ending on the last day of June of the next odd-numbered year.  432
       (3) A school district board of education and an  433
educational service center that enter into or renew a primary  434
service agreement shall execute the initial or renewed service  435
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As Introduced
agreement not later than the first day of May of the year in  436
which the service agreement takes effect.  437
       (4) If a school district board does not intend to renew  438
its primary service agreement with an educational service  439
center, it shall notify the educational service center of that  440
fact in writing not later than the first day of January of the  441
year in which the service agreement expires. If the school  442
district board fails to notify the educational service center by  443
that deadline, the service agreement is automatically renewed  444
for an additional period of two consecutive school years.  445
       (C) Services provided under an a primary service agreement  446
entered into under division (B)(1) or (2) of this section shall  447
be specified in the agreement, and may include any of the  448
following: supervisory teachers; in-service and continuing  449
education programs for district personnel; curriculum services;  450
research and development programs; academic instruction for  451
which the governing board employs teachers pursuant to section  452
3319.02 of the Revised Code; assistance in the provision of  453
special accommodations and classes for students with  454
disabilities; or any other services the district board and  455
service center governing board agree can be better provided by  456
the service center and are not provided under an agreement  457
entered into under section 3313.845 of the Revised Code.  458
Services included in the agreement shall be provided to the  459
district in the manner specified in the agreement. The district  460
board of education shall reimburse the educational service  461
center governing board pursuant to division (H) (I) of this  462
section.  463
       (C) Any agreement entered into pursuant to this section  464
(D) Not later than the first day of May of each odd-numbered  465
H. B. No. 684  Page 17
As Introduced
year, an educational service center shall be filed file a copy  466
of each of its primary service agreements entered into under  467
this section that take effect in that year with the department  468
of education and workforce by the first day of July of the  469
school year for which the agreement is in effect.  470
       (D)(1) An agreement for services from an educational  471
service center entered into under this section may be terminated  472
by the school district board of education, at its option, by  473
notifying the governing board of the service center by March 1,  474
2012, or by the first day of January of any odd-numbered year  475
thereafter, that the district board intends to terminate the  476
agreement in that year, and that termination shall be effective  477
on the thirtieth day of June of that year. The failure of a  478
district board to notify an educational service center of its  479
intent to terminate an agreement by March 1, 2012, shall result  480
in renewal of the existing agreement for the following school  481
year. Thereafter, the failure of a district board to notify an  482
educational service center of its intent to terminate an  483
agreement by the first day of January of an odd-numbered year  484
shall result in renewal of the existing agreement for the  485
following two school years.  486
       (2) If the school district that terminates an agreement  487
for services under division (D)(1) of this section is also  488
subject to the requirement of division (B)(1) of this section,  489
the district board shall enter into a new agreement with any  490
educational service center so that the new agreement is  491
effective on the first day of July of that same year.  492
       (3) (E) If all moneys owed by a school district to an  493
educational service center under an a primary service agreement  494
for services terminated under division (D)(1) (B)(4) of this  495
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As Introduced
section have been paid in full by the effective date of the  496
termination, the governing board of the service center shall  497
submit an affidavit to the department certifying that fact not  498
later than fifteen days after the termination's effective date.  499
Notwithstanding anything in the Revised Code to the contrary,  500
until the department receives such an affidavit, it shall not  501
make any payments to any other educational service center with  502
which the district enters into an agreement under this section  503
for services that the educational service center provides to the  504
district.  505
       (E) (F) An educational service center may apply to any  506
state or federal agency for competitive grants. It may also  507
apply to any private entity for additional funds.  508
       (F) Not later than January 1, 2014, each (G) Each  509
educational service center shall post on its web site a list of  510
all of the services that it provides and the corresponding cost  511
for each of those services.  512
       (G)(1)(H)(1) For purposes of calculating any state  513
operating subsidy to be paid to an educational service center  514
for the operation of that service center and any services  515
required under Title XXXIII of the Revised Code to be provided  516
by the service center to a school district, the service center's  517
student count shall be the sum of the total student counts of  518
all the school districts with which the educational service  519
center has entered into an agreement under this section.  520
       (2) When a district enters into a new primary service  521
agreement with a new educational service center, the department  522
shall ensure that the state operating subsidy for services  523
provided to the district is paid to the new educational service  524
center and that the educational service center with which the  525
H. B. No. 684  Page 19
As Introduced
district previously had an agreement is no longer paid a state  526
operating subsidy for providing services to that district.  527
       (H) (I) Pursuant to division (B) of section 3317.023 of  528
the Revised Code, the department annually shall deduct from each  529
school district that enters into an a primary service agreement  530
with an educational service center under this section, and pay  531
to the service center, an amount equal to six dollars and fifty  532
cents times the school district's total student count. The  533
district board of education, or the district superintendent  534
acting on behalf of the district board, may agree to pay an  535
amount in excess of six dollars and fifty cents per student in  536
total student count. If a majority of the boards of education,  537
or superintendents acting on behalf of the boards, of the  538
districts that entered into an agreement under this section  539
approve an amount in excess of six dollars and fifty cents per  540
student in total student count, each district shall pay the  541
excess amount to the service center.  542
       (I)(1) (J)(1) An educational service center may enter into  543
a contract to purchase supplies, materials, equipment, and  544
services, which may include those specified in division (B)(C)  545
of this section or Chapter 3312. of the Revised Code, or the  546
delivery of such services, on behalf of a school district,  547
community school, STEM school, or political subdivision that has  548
entered into an agreement with the service center under this  549
section or section 3313.844, 3313.845, or 3313.846, or 3313.847  550
of the Revised Code.  551
       (2) Purchases made by a school district, community school,  552
STEM school, or political subdivision that has entered into an  553
agreement with the service center as described in this division  554
are exempt from competitive bidding required by law for the  555
H. B. No. 684  Page 20
As Introduced
purchase of supplies, materials, equipment, or services. No  556
political subdivision shall make any purchase under this  557
division when the political subdivision has received bids for  558
such purchase, unless the same terms, conditions, and  559
specifications at a lower price can be made for such purchase  560
under this division.  561
       (J) (K) Any school district, community school, or STEM  562
school that has entered into an agreement with an educational  563
service center under this section or section 3313.844 or ,  564
3313.845, or 3313.847 of the Revised Code shall be in compliance  565
with federal law and exempt from competitive bidding  566
requirements for personnel-based services pursuant to the  567
authority granted to the Ohio department of education and  568
workforce under federal law, provided the service center has met  569
the following conditions:  570
       (1) It is in compliance with division (F) (G) of this  571
section.  572
       (2) It has been designated "high performing" under rule of  573
the department.  574
       (3) It has been found to be substantially in compliance  575
with audit rules and guidelines in its most recent audit by the  576
auditor of state.  577
       (K)(L) For purposes of this section, a school district's  578
"total student count" means the average daily student enrollment  579
reported on the most recent report card issued for the district  580
pursuant to section 3302.03 of the Revised Code.  581
       (M) Notwithstanding division (D) of section 3311.52 of the  582
Revised Code, this section does not apply to any cooperative  583
education school district.  584
H. B. No. 684  Page 21
As Introduced
       Sec. 3313.845. (A) The board of education of a city,  585
exempted village, local, or joint vocational school district and  586
the governing board of an educational service center may enter  587
into an agreement under which the educational service center  588
will provide services to the school district. Services provided  589
under the agreement and the amount to be paid for such services  590
shall be mutually agreed to by the district board of education  591
and the service center governing board, and shall be specified  592
in the agreement. Payment for services specified in the  593
agreement shall be made pursuant to the terms of that agreement.  594
If specified in the agreement as the manner of payment, the  595
department of education and workforce shall pay the service  596
center the amount due to it under the agreement and shall deduct  597
that amount from the payments made to the city, exempted  598
village, local, or joint vocational school district under  599
Chapter 3317. of the Revised Code. Any agreement entered into  600
pursuant to this section shall be valid only if a copy is filed  601
with the department.  602
       (B) The authority granted under this section to the boards  603
board of education of a city, exempted village, and or local  604
school districts is in addition to the authority granted to such  605
boards district that has a primary service agreement with an  606
educational service center under section 3313.843 of the Revised  607
Code may enter into a supplemental service agreement with the  608
governing board of another educational service center under  609
which the educational service center will provide services to  610
the school district. Services provided under the supplemental  611
service agreement and the amount to be paid for such services  612
shall be mutually agreed to by the district board of education  613
and the service center governing board and shall be specified in  614
the agreement. Payment for services specified in the agreement  615
H. B. No. 684  Page 22
As Introduced
shall be made pursuant to the terms of that agreement. If  616
specified in the agreement as the manner of payment, the  617
department of education and workforce shall pay the service  618
center the amount due to it under the agreement and shall deduct  619
that amount from the payments made to the city, exempted  620
village, or local school district under Chapter 3317. of the  621
Revised Code. Any agreement entered into pursuant to this  622
division is valid only if a copy is filed with the department.  623
       Sec. 3313.846. The governing board of an educational  624
service center may enter into a contract service agreement with  625
any a political subdivision as defined in section 2744.01 of the  626
Revised Code, not including school districts, community schools,  627
or STEM schools contracting for services under section 3313.843,  628
3313.844, 3313.845, or 3326.45 of the Revised Code, under which  629
the educational service center will provide services to the  630
political subdivision. Services provided under the contract  631
service agreement and the amount to be paid for such services  632
shall be mutually agreed to by the parties and shall be  633
specified in the contractagreement. The political subdivision  634
shall directly pay an educational service center for services  635
specified in the contract agreement. The board of the  636
educational service center shall file a copy of each contract  637
service agreement entered into under this section with the  638
department of education and workforce by the first day the  639
contract agreement is in effect.  640
       Sec. 3326.45 3313.847. (A) The governing body of a  641
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics school may  642
contract enter into a service agreement with the governing board  643
of an educational service center or contract with the board of  644
education of a joint vocational school district for the  645
provision of services to the STEM school or to any student  646
H. B. No. 684  Page 23
As Introduced
enrolled in the school. Services provided under the service  647
agreement or contract and the amount to be paid for those  648
services shall be mutually agreed to by the parties to the  649
service agreement or contract, and shall be specified in the  650
service agreement or contract.  651
       (B) A contract service agreement entered into under this  652
section may require an educational service center to provide any  653
one or a combination of the following services to a STEM school:  654
       (1) Supervisory teachers;  655
       (2) In-service and continuing education programs for  656
personnel of the STEM school;  657
       (3) Curriculum services as provided to the client school  658
districts of the service center;  659
       (4) Research and development programs;  660
       (5) Academic instruction for which the service center  661
governing board employs teachers;  662
       (6) Assistance in the provision of special accommodations  663
and classes for students with disabilities.  664
       Services described in division (B) of this section shall  665
be provided to the STEM school in the same manner they are  666
provided to client school districts other clients of the service  667
center, unless otherwise specified in the contract service  668
agreement. The contract service agreement shall specify whether  669
the service center will receive a per-pupil payment from the  670
department of education and workforce for the provision of these  671
services and, if so, the amount of the per-pupil payment.  672
       (C) For each service agreement or contract entered into  673
under this section, the department shall deduct the amount owed  674
H. B. No. 684  Page 24
As Introduced
by the STEM school from the state funds due to the STEM school  675
under this chapter and shall pay that amount to the educational  676
service center or joint vocational school district that is party  677
to the service agreement or contract.  678
       (D) No service agreement or contract entered into under  679
this section shall be valid unless a copy is filed with the  680
department by the first day of the school year for which the  681
service agreement or contract is in effect.  682
       (E) As used in this section, "client school district"  683
means a city, exempted village, or local school district that  684
has entered into an agreement under section 3313.843 or 3313.845  685
of the Revised Code to receive any services from an educational  686
service center.  687
       Sec. 3313.848. (A) As used in this section:  688
       (1) "Client" means a city, local, or exempted village  689
school district, community school established under Chapter  690
3314. of the Revised Code, STEM school established under Chapter  691
3326. of the Revised Code, or political subdivision.  692
       (2) "Governing body" means the board of education of a  693
school district, governing authority of a community school,  694
governing body of a STEM school, or governing body of a  695
political subdivision.  696
       (3) "Political subdivision" has the same meaning as used  697
in section 3313.846 of the Revised Code.  698
       (4) "Service agreement" means an agreement that a client  699
has entered into with an educational service center under  700
section 3313.843, 3313.844, 3313.845, 3313.846, or 3326.45 of  701
the Revised Code and any subsequent amendment to that agreement.  702
H. B. No. 684  Page 25
As Introduced
       (B) If at the end of a fiscal year for which a service  703
agreement is in effect any of the funds paid directly by a  704
client to the educational service center under the agreement are  705
unexpended and unobligated, a client's governing body may elect  706
to have the service center retain the unexpended and unobligated  707
funds for the purpose of applying them toward any payment the  708
client will owe to the service center under a service agreement  709
for the next fiscal year. The treasurer or fiscal officer of the  710
client shall indicate on the client's end-of-year financial  711
report that unexpended funds have been retained by the service  712
center and the amount of those funds.  713
       (C) (B) A client shall expend its funds retained under  714
division (B) (A) of this section only for services specifically  715
set forth under a service agreement. The treasurer of the  716
educational service center shall keep a record of the client's  717
expenditure and the service or services for which the  718
expenditure was made. On at least an annual basis, or upon the  719
request of the client's governing body or its treasurer or  720
fiscal officer, the treasurer of the service center shall notify  721
the client's treasurer or fiscal officer of the expenditures  722
recorded under this division. The client's treasurer or fiscal  723
officer shall include that information in the financial report  724
made by the treasurer or fiscal officer at the next meeting of  725
the client's governing body that occurs following receipt of the  726
information.  727
       Sec. 3313.849. The governing bodies of two or more city,  728
exempted village, local, or joint vocational school districts,  729
community schools established under Chapter 3314. of the Revised  730
Code, or STEM schools established under Chapter 3326. of the  731
Revised Code, may mutually agree to share supervisory,  732
curriculum, teaching, special education, professional  733
H. B. No. 684  Page 26
As Introduced
development, or any other services offered by an educational  734
service center and may pool their funding to pay the cost of  735
receiving those services. Each of the governing bodies of the  736
districts or schools participating in shared services pursuant  737
to this section shall specify in its service agreement with the  738
service center under section 3313.843, 3313.844, 3313.845, or  739
3326.453313.847 of the Revised Code which services that the  740
participants have agreed to share, any other districts or  741
schools participating in the shared services, and the amount of  742
funds that the governing body will contribute toward the total  743
cost of the shared services. Each governing body's funding  744
contribution shall be paid to the service center in accordance  745
with section 3313.843, 3313.844, 3313.845, or 3326.453313.847 of  746
the Revised Code, as applicable.  747
       The authority granted under this section is in addition to  748
the authority granted to school district boards of education  749
under section 3313.841 of the Revised Code.  750
       Sec. 3317.11. (A) As used in this section:  751
       (1) For fiscal years 2026 and 2027, "base amount" is equal  752
to $356,250.  753
       (2) For fiscal years 2026 and 2027, "funding base" means  754
an amount calculated by the department of education and  755
workforce that is equal to the amount an educational service  756
center would have received under Section 265.360 of H.B. 166 of  757
the 133rd general assembly for fiscal year 2020 using the  758
student counts of the school districts with which the service  759
center has service agreements for the fiscal year for which  760
payments under this section are being made.  761
       (3) For fiscal years 2026 and 2027, "general phase-in  762
H. B. No. 684  Page 27
As Introduced
percentage" for an educational service center means the "general  763
phase-in percentage" for school districts as defined in section  764
3317.02 of the Revised Code.  765
       (4) For fiscal years 2026 and 2027, "student count" means  766
the count calculated under division (G)(1) (H)(1) of section  767
3313.843 of the Revised Code.  768
       (B)(1) For fiscal years 2026 and 2027, the department of  769
education and workforce shall pay the governing board of each  770
educational service center an amount equal to the following:  771
       The educational service center's funding base + [(the  772
amount calculated for the educational service center for that  773
fiscal year under division (C) of this section - the educational  774
service center's funding base) X the educational service  775
center's general phase-in percentage for that fiscal year]  776
       (2) For fiscal year 2028 and each fiscal year thereafter,  777
the department shall pay the governing board of each educational  778
service center an amount calculated in a manner determined by  779
the general assembly.  780
       (C) For fiscal years 2026 and 2027, the department shall  781
calculate an amount for each educational service center as  782
follows:  783
       (1) If the educational service center has a student count  784
of 5,000 students or less, the base amount.  785
       (2) If the educational service center has a student count  786
greater than 5,000 students but less than or equal to 35,000  787
students, the following sum:  788
   The base amount + [(the educational service center's student  789
  count - 5,000) X $24.72]  790
H. B. No. 684  Page 28
As Introduced
       (3) If the educational service center has a student count  791
greater than 35,000 students, the following sum:  792
 The base amount + (30,000 X $24.72) + [(the educational service  793
  center's student count - 35,000) X $30.90]  794
       Sec. 3319.80. (A) The governing board of any educational  795
service center may engage the services of a dyslexia specialist  796
to provide training for teachers of grades kindergarten to four  797
on the indicators of dyslexia and the types of instruction that  798
children with dyslexia need to learn, read, write, and spell. If  799
a service center provides this training, it shall make the  800
training available to local school districts within the service  801
center's territory and to other school districts, community  802
schools, and STEM schools that have contracted for the training  803
from the service center under section 3313.843, 3313.844,  804
3313.845, or 3326.45 3313.847 of the Revised Code.  805
       If a governing board of any educational service center  806
does not provide the training, a group of local school districts  807
within the service center's territory may engage the services of  808
a dyslexia specialist to provide training for teachers  809
independently.  810
       A school district or school may require the training  811
authorized under this section for its teachers as part of the  812
district's or school's regular in-service training programs.  813
       (B) As used in this section:  814
       (1) "Dyslexia" means a specific learning disorder that is  815
neurological in origin and that is characterized by unexpected  816
difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition and by  817
poor spelling and decoding abilities not consistent with the  818
person's intelligence, motivation, and sensory capabilities,  819
H. B. No. 684  Page 29
As Introduced
which difficulties typically result from a deficit in the  820
phonological component of language.  821
       (2) "Dyslexia specialist" means a person who is trained  822
and certified in a multisensory structured language program that  823
meets the level II specialist criteria set by the international  824
dyslexia association's knowledge and practice standards or  825
standards from any other nationally recognized organization that  826
specializes in issues surrounding dyslexia, or any subsequently  827
adopted standards.  828
       Sec. 3513.255. This section is subject to section 3513.256  829
of the Revised Code. The name of each candidate for election as  830
a member of a governing board of an educational service center  831
shall appear on the nonpartisan ballot in the school district  832
the candidate seeks to represent on the governing board. Each  833
nominating petition shall be signed by fifty qualified electors  834
who reside in one of the following, as applicable:  835
       (A) The school districts over which the educational  836
service center governing board has jurisdiction, in the case of  837
any candidate running for a position on any educational service  838
center governing board other than a governing board established  839
in accordance with section 3311.054 of the Revised Code;  840
       (B) The subdistrict in which the candidate is running, in  841
the case of a position on a governing board of an educational  842
service center established in accordance with section 3311.054  843
of the Revised Codethe school district.  844
       Each nominating petition shall be filed with the board of  845
elections of the county in which the central administrative  846
offices of the educational service center governing board are  847
most populous portion of the school district is located not  848
H. B. No. 684  Page 30
As Introduced
later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day before the day of the  849
general election, provided that no such petition shall be  850
accepted for filing if it appears to contain signatures  851
aggregating in number more than three times the minimum number  852
of signatures required by this section. A board of elections  853
shall not accept for filing a nominating petition of a person if  854
that person, for the same election, has already filed a  855
declaration of candidacy, a declaration of intent to be a write-  856
in candidate, or a nominating petition, or has become a  857
candidate through party nomination at a primary election or by  858
the filling of a vacancy under section 3513.30 or 3513.31 of the  859
Revised Code for any other position as a member of a governing  860
board of an educational service center or position as a member  861
of a city, local, or exempted village board of education, or for  862
a municipal or township office. When a petition of a candidate  863
has been accepted for filing by a board of elections, the  864
petition shall not be deemed invalid if, upon verification of  865
signatures contained in the petition, the board of elections  866
finds the number of signatures accepted exceeds three times the  867
minimum signatures required. A board of elections may  868
discontinue verifying petitions when the number of verified  869
signatures equals the minimum required number of qualified  870
signatures.  871
       Sec. 3513.256. (A) Notwithstanding any provision of the  872
Revised Code to the contrary, for the purpose of nominating  873
candidates for a position as a member of the board of education  874
of a city, local, or exempted village school district or a  875
position as a member of a governing board of an educational  876
service center, the board may adopt, by resolution upon a three-  877
fifths majority vote of its total membership, procedures for a  878
nonpartisan primary election. Such procedures shall specify the  879
H. B. No. 684  Page 31
As Introduced
following:  880
       (1) That the primary election for nominating candidates  881
for a position as a member of that board shall be held on the  882
same day as the primary election for nominating all other  883
candidates for public office in that year;  884
       (2) That nominating petitions shall be filed with the  885
board of elections not later than four p.m. of the ninetieth day  886
before the day of the primary election;  887
       (3) That the primary election shall take place only if the  888
number of candidates for nomination for a position on that  889
board, as verified by the board of elections, is at least one  890
more than two times the number of available positions on that  891
board at the general election;  892
       (4) That the number of candidates advancing from the  893
primary election to the general election shall equal two times  894
the number of available positions on that board at the general  895
election.  896
       The board shall notify the board of elections upon  897
adoption of a resolution under this division. No such resolution  898
shall apply for a particular election unless the resolution is  899
adopted at least one hundred twenty days prior to the deadline  900
specified in the resolution to become a candidate for nomination  901
at that election. Subject to division (B) of this section, the  902
resolution shall apply to all subsequent nominations for a  903
position as a member of that board.  904
       (B) Not earlier than five years after the adoption of a  905
resolution under division (A) of this section, the board of  906
education of a city, local, or exempted village school district  907
or the governing board of an educational service center may  908
H. B. No. 684  Page 32
As Introduced
rescind that resolution by subsequent resolution upon a three-  909
fifths majority vote of its total membership.  910
        The board shall notify the board of elections of any  911
resolution adopted under this division. No such resolution shall  912
apply to a particular election unless the resolution is adopted  913
at least one hundred twenty days prior to the deadline to become  914
a candidate for nomination at that election under the nomination  915
procedures the resolution is rescinding. Subject to division (D)  916
of this section, the requirements of Chapter 3513. of the  917
Revised Code shall apply to all subsequent nominations for a  918
position as a member of that board.  919
        (C) Any candidate nominated pursuant to a resolution  920
adopted under division (A) of this section shall appear on the  921
nonpartisan ballot at the general election as prescribed in  922
sections 3505.04, and 3513.254, and 3513.255 of the Revised  923
Code.  924
        (D) Nothing in this section prohibits or shall be  925
construed to prohibit the board of education of a city, local,  926
or exempted village school district or the governing board of an  927
educational service center that has rescinded a resolution under  928
division (B) of this section from subsequently adopting the same  929
or different procedures for a nonpartisan primary election by  930
adopting a resolution under division (A) of this section.  931
        Section 2. That existing sections 755.16, 3311.05,  932
3311.053, 3311.0510, 3313.01, 3313.376, 3313.843, 3313.845,  933
3313.846, 3313.848, 3313.849, 3317.11, 3319.80, 3326.45,  934
3513.255, and 3513.256 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.  935
        Section 3. That sections 3311.054, 3311.056, 3311.057, and  936
3311.059 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.  937
H. B. No. 684  Page 33
As Introduced
       Section 4. (A) As used in this section, "client" and  938
"service agreement" have the same meanings as in section  939
3313.843 of the Revised Code.  940
       (B) The requirements of this act apply only to a service  941
agreement between an educational service center and a client  942
that is entered into or renewed on or after the effective date  943
of this section.  944