State of Ohio
Department of Education
Ohio Departments Building, Room 810,
65 South Front Street
Columbus 43215-4183

John M. Goff
Superintendent of Public Instruction

December 5, 1997

Jordan Riak
Executive Director
PTAVE
P.O. Box 1033
Alamo, CA 94507-7033

Dear Mr. Riak:

Thank you for your recent correspondence requesting information on the precautions Ohio takes to ensure the safety and well-being of our students.

The hiring practices and policies in Ohio are determined at the local level. The Ohio Revised Code states a criminal records check must be conducted on every job applicant who has come under final consideration for employment in a public or chartered nonpublic school. There is a long list of offenses that can bar a person from employment in a school district (see enclosure).

In September 1994, corporal punishment was abolished in all Ohio public school districts unless a specific set of procedures were followed. Those procedures include the appointment of a local discipline task force and consideration of that discipline task force's recommendations.

For your information, I have also enclosed two documents that deal with Ohio's efforts to ensure our schools are safe and free of violence. The first is Ohio's 7th Annual Progress Report on the Eight National Education Goals. Goal seven pertains specifically to this issue. The second document is the 1993 Ohio Youth Risk Behavior Survey. An updated version of this document should be available early in 1998.

Best of luck with your efforts to curb violence in education.

Sincerely,
[Signature]
John M. Goff
Superintendent of Public Instruction