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SB 443

Enact the Take the Dough, We Gotta Know Act

136th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Nickie Antonio and 4 co-sponsors

SB 443 expands auditing, reporting, and transparency for chartered nonpublic schools in Ohio’s scholarship programs, linking funding to standardized accountability and data sharing

Referred to committee
#education #primaryandsecondaryeducation
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Bill Summary · SB 443

Overview

SB 443, introduced in the 136th Ohio General Assembly, proposes the Take the Dough, We Gotta Know Act. It aims to reform and expand disclosures, accountability, assessment administration, and disciplinary-record requirements for chartered nonpublic schools participating in Ohio’s Educational Choice scholarship programs (including general education scholarships and pilot project programs). The bill simultaneously adds new audit, reporting, and transparency features intended to increase oversight of state funds and student outcomes.

Main purpose and intent

  • Strengthen transparency and accountability for public money directed to qualifying chartered nonpublic schools participating in state scholarship programs.
  • Standardize and expand the assessment framework, reporting, and data-sharing between schools, the Department of Education and Workforce (DEW), and the public.
  • Establish a formal framework for disciplinary records and school accountability comparable to public schools.

Key provisions and changes

  • Definitions and audits

    • Expands the definition of “public money” and requires the Auditor of State to audit funds deposited for each qualifying school annually.
    • Creates a broad set of definitions to tie funding, assessments, and accountability together.

  • Assessments, administration, and opt-outs (revisions to 3301.0711, 3301.0710, 3301.0712, 3313.618, 3313.619)

    • Requires the Department to furnish, grade, and score state assessments for public districts, with specific provisions for practice tests and data verification codes.
    • Strengthens rules on the ethical use of assessments and administration procedures.
    • Maintains or expands testing timelines, including special rules for English learners, students with disabilities, and high school diploma options.
    • Allows chartered nonpublic schools to opt out certain students from specific elementary assessments and to substitute alternative assessments where available, under department-approved conditions.
    • Introduces paper-format testing options for third grade in certain years and clarifies administration for classical schools.

  • Charter school reporting and data

    • Mandates reporting by chartered nonpublic schools on scholarship expenditures, student demographics, attendance, and financials; reports are to be posted publicly.
    • Requires schools to publish certain data on their websites and to report to DEW on district and school characteristics, including capacity and scholarship student counts.
    • Establishes a system to compare scholarship student performance with similar students in resident districts, publicly posting results by various demographic and eligibility categories.

  • Diploma and credential options (3313.618, 3313.619)

    • Expands high school diploma pathways for chartered nonpublic students, including competency-based options, industry credentials, apprenticeship opportunities, and multiple diploma seals.
    • Allows chartered nonpublic schools to grant diplomas upon approved assessments, subject to national norms and validity standards.

  • Disciplinary records (3313.6612)

    • Requires both districts and chartered nonpublic schools to maintain a disciplinary record for each student subject to disciplinary action.

  • Private schools and compliance (3313.976)

    • Sets registration requirements for private schools seeking to receive scholarship payments, including minimum standards, non-discrimination, and annual assessment administration and reporting.

Who would be affected

  • Charter nonpublic schools that participate in state scholarship programs (educational choice, autism, Jon Peterson special needs, pilot project).
  • Students enrolled in those charter schools, including English learners and students with disabilities.
  • Parents of scholarship students (through disclosure and reporting requirements).
  • The Department of Education and Workforce and the Auditor of State (for reporting, auditing, and data transparency).
  • Districts hosting or sharing accountability data for scholarship students.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Annual auditing of school funds by the Auditor of State.
  • Annual reporting cycles for school data, assessments, and attendance to DEW, with public posting requirements.
  • Timelines for test score reporting and the potential retirement or redaction of certain test items (field tests) beginning with the 2025-2026 spring assessments.
  • Public release of growth measures and comparison data by February or September deadlines, as specified.
  • Transition provisions for diploma options, testing formats, and opt-out processes.

Overall, SB 443 adds robust reporting, accountability, and assessment flexibility aimed at increasing transparency and performance measurement for chartered nonpublic schools receiving state scholarship funds.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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