(A) Notwithstanding division (D) of section3311.52of the Revised Code, this section does not apply to any cooperative education school district.
(B)(1) The board of education of each city, exempted village, or local school district with an average daily student enrollment of sixteen thousand or less, reported for the district on the most recent report card issued under section3302.03of the Revised Code, shall enter into an agreement with the governing board of an educational service center, under which the educational service center governing board will provide services to the district.
(2) The board of education of a city, exempted village, or local school district with an average daily student enrollment of more than sixteen thousand may enter into an agreement with the governing board of an educational service center, under which the educational service center governing board will provide services to the district.
(3) Services provided under an agreement entered into under division (B)(1) or (2) of this section shall be specified in the agreement, and may include any of the following: supervisory teachers; in-service and continuing education programs for district personnel; curriculum services; research and development programs; academic instruction for which the governing board employs teachers pursuant to section3319.02of the Revised Code; assistance in the provision of special accommodations and classes for students with disabilities; or any other services the district board and service center governing board agree can be better provided by the service center and are not provided under an agreement entered into under section3313.845of the Revised Code. Services included in the agreement shall be provided to the district in the manner specified in the agreement. The district board of education shall reimburse the educational service center governing board pursuant to division (H) of this section.
(C) Any agreement entered into pursuant to this section shall be filed with the department of education and workforce by the first day of July of the school year for which the agreement is in effect.
(D)(1) An agreement for services from an educational service center entered into under this section may be terminated by the school district board of education, at its option, by notifying the governing board of the service center by March 1, 2012, or by the first day of January of any odd-numbered year thereafter, that the district board intends to terminate the agreement in that year, and that termination shall be effective on the thirtieth day of June of that year. The failure of a district board to notify an educational service center of its intent to terminate an agreement by March 1, 2012, shall result in renewal of the existing agreement for the following school year. Thereafter, the failure of a district board to notify an educational service center of its intent to terminate an agreement by the first day of January of an odd-numbered year shall result in renewal of the existing agreement for the following two school years.
(2) If the school district that terminates an agreement for services under division (D)(1) of this section is also subject to the requirement of division (B)(1) of this section, the district board shall enter into a new agreement with any educational service center so that the new agreement is effective on the first day of July of that same year.
(3) If all moneys owed by a school district to an educational service center under an agreement for services terminated under division (D)(1) of this section have been paid in full by the effective date of the termination, the governing board of the service center shall submit an affidavit to the department certifying that fact not later than fifteen days after the termination's effective date. Notwithstanding anything in the Revised Code to the contrary, until the department receives such an affidavit, it shall not make any payments to any other educational service center with which the district enters into an agreement under this section for services that the educational service center provides to the district.
(E) An educational service center may apply to any state or federal agency for competitive grants. It may also apply to any private entity for additional funds.
(F) Not later than January 1, 2014, each educational service center shall post on its web site a list of all of the services that it provides and the corresponding cost for each of those services.
(G)(1) For purposes of calculating any state operating subsidy to be paid to an educational service center for the operation of that service center and any services required under Title XXXIII of the Revised Code to be provided by the service center to a school district, the service center's student count shall be the sum of the total student counts of all the school districts with which the educational service center has entered into an agreement under this section.
(2) When a district enters into a new agreement with a new educational service center, the department shall ensure that the state operating subsidy for services provided to the district is paid to the new educational service center and that the educational service center with which the district previously had an agreement is no longer paid a state operating subsidy for providing services to that district.
(H) Pursuant to division (B) of section3317.023of the Revised Code, the department annually shall deduct from each school district that enters into an agreement with an educational service center under this section, and pay to the service center, an amount equal to six dollars and fifty cents times the school district's total student count. The district board of education, or the district superintendent acting on behalf of the district board, may agree to pay an amount in excess of six dollars and fifty cents per student in total student count. If a majority of the boards of education, or superintendents acting on behalf of the boards, of the districts that entered into an agreement under this section approve an amount in excess of six dollars and fifty cents per student in total student count, each district shall pay the excess amount to the service center.
(I)(1) An educational service center may enter into a contract to purchase supplies, materials, equipment, and services, which may include those specified in division (B) of this section or Chapter 3312. of the Revised Code, or the delivery of such services, on behalf of a school district or political subdivision that has entered into an agreement with the service center under this section or section3313.844,3313.845, or3313.846of the Revised Code.
(2) Purchases made by a school district or political subdivision that has entered into an agreement with the service center as described in this division are exempt from competitive bidding required by law for the purchase of supplies, materials, equipment, or services. No political subdivision shall make any purchase under this division when the political subdivision has received bids for such purchase, unless the same terms, conditions, and specifications at a lower price can be made for such purchase under this division.
(J) Any school district, community school, or STEM school that has entered into an agreement with an educational service center under this section or section3313.844or3313.845of the Revised Code shall be in compliance with federal law and exempt from competitive bidding requirements for personnel-based services pursuant to the authority granted to the Ohio department of education and workforce under federal law, provided the service center has met the following conditions:
(1) It is in compliance with division (F) of this section.
(2) It has been designated "high performing" under rule of the department.
(3) It has been found to be substantially in compliance with audit rules and guidelines in its most recent audit by the auditor of state.
(K) For purposes of this section, a school district's "total student count" means the average daily student enrollment reported on the most recent report card issued for the district pursuant to section3302.03of the Revised Code.
Last updated July 31, 2023 at 4:42 PM