Changes have occurred in the leadership of both House and Senate Education Committees. Last week Speaker Larry Householder announced Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport) as the new Chair for the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee and Rep. Susan Manchester (R- Waynesfield) as Vice Chair. In the Senate, State Senator Andrew Brenner (R-Powell) has been elevated to Vice Chair of their Education Committee.
Jones was a classroom teacher for more than 20 years. The Ohio House of Representatives website posted his comments about the Chairmanship, “I am very grateful to Speaker Householder for trusting me to lead this committee. The purpose of school is to educate students. Those students are our future. I spent 23 years in the classroom and I know the key to future success is to be well-educated. In this new position, I am going strive to ensure all young Ohioans receive a top-tier education.”
The new Vice Chair shared her news on Facebook, “I am proud to announce that I have been named Vice Chair of the Primary and Secondary Education Committee!” Manchester wrote.
Manchester added, “I am honored to serve the educators and students of Ohio!”
Senator Brenner learned about his appointment over the weekend. The announcement was official Monday.
“I am very much looking forward to serving as the Vice Chair of the Senate Education Committee. It’s an honor and privilege,” Brenner told The Ohio Star. “I look forward to working with the other members of the committee on education policy on everything from school funding to the academic distress commissions to the report cards.”
Brenner has also been appointed as Chair of the Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education.
The Senate also announced the creation of a Report Card Study Committee that includes Education Chair Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) and Senators Lou “Bill” Blessing (R-Colerain Township) and Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo).
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Beth Lear is a reporter at The Ohio Star. Follow Beth on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
