(A) A school district board of education shall review each application received under section 3302.06 of the Revised Code and, within sixty days after receipt of the application, shall approve or disapprove the application. In reviewing applications, the board shall give preference to applications that propose innovations in one or more of the following areas:

(1) Curriculum;

(2) Student assessments, other than the assessments prescribed by sections 3301.0710 and 3301.0712 of the Revised Code;

(3) Class scheduling;

(4) Accountability measures, including innovations that expand the number and variety of measures used in order to collect more complete data about student academic performance. For this purpose, schools may consider use of measures such as end-of-course examinations, portfolios of student work, nationally or internationally normed assessments, the percentage of students enrolling in post-secondary education, or the percentage of students simultaneously obtaining a high school diploma and an associate's degree or certification to work in an industry or career field.

(5) Provision of student services, including services for students who are disabled, identified as gifted under Chapter 3324. of the Revised Code, English learners, at risk of academic failure or dropping out, or at risk of suspension or expulsion;

(6) Provision of health, counseling, or other social services to students;

(7) Preparation of students for transition to higher education or the workforce;

(8) Teacher recruitment, employment, and evaluation;

(9) Compensation for school personnel;

(10) Professional development;

(11) School governance and the roles and responsibilities of principals;

(12) Use of financial or other resources.

(B)

(1) If the board approves an application seeking designation as an innovation school, it shall so designate the school that submitted the application. If the board approves an application seeking designation as an innovation school zone, it shall so designate the participating schools that submitted the application.

(2) If the board disapproves an application, it shall provide a written explanation of the basis for its decision to the school or schools that submitted the application. The school or schools may reapply for designation as an innovation school or innovation school zone at any time.

(C) The board may approve an application that allows an innovation school or a school participating in an innovation school zone to determine the compensation of board employees working in the school, but the total compensation for all such employees shall not exceed the financial resources allocated to the school by the board. The school shall not be required to comply with the salary schedule adopted by the board under section 3311.78, 3317.14, or 3317.141 of the Revised Code. The board may approve an application that allows an innovation school or a school participating in an innovation school zone to remove board employees from the school, but no employee shall be terminated except as provided in section 3311.82, 3319.081, or 3319.16 of the Revised Code.

(D) The board may do either of the following at any time:

(1) Designate a school as an innovation school by creating an innovation plan for that school and offering the school an opportunity to participate in the plan's creation;

(2) Designate as an innovation school zone two or more schools that share common interests based on factors such as geographical proximity or similar educational programs or that serve the same classes of students as they advance to higher grade levels, by creating an innovation plan for those schools and offering the schools an opportunity to participate in the plan's creation.

Amended by 133rd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 166, §101.01, eff. 10/17/2019.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.143, HB 525, §1, eff. 10/1/2012.

Added by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.