BY SANDY THEIS
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS -- Republican Bob Taft said Tuesday that as governor he would appoint a teacher to advise him on education policy, raise the standards for new teachers and create a clearinghouse to identify and promote effective teaching methods.
The Cincinnati native unveiled the ideas at a news conference, where he noted what researchers have long concluded: "Good teachers produce good students."
Legislators have reached the same conclusion. Over the past four years, they enacted laws that are gradually raising teacher standards and improving teachers' resources. Mr. Taft's proposals would accelerate some of those changes and fine-tune others.
A spokesman for Mr. Taft's Democratic rival, Lee Fisher, dismissed the Taft plan as "a nice, symbolic gesture" but said it offers nothing new.
"A good part of this is already in existing legislation or is part of some existing school board regulation or requirement," said Fisher campaign Chairman Alan Melamed. "They've added some minor nuances to try and make it look like something new, when it's not."
Both teachers' unions in Ohio have endorsed Mr. Fisher, and Mr. Melamed said the proposal is an effort to compensate for Mr. Taft's lack of support from teachers.
The Taft plan would encourage kindergarten through third-grade teachers to be reading specialists. Beginning in 2002, all new K-3 teachers will be required to take additional reading-related classes under a law signed in 1996. The Taft plan, however, would offer a one-time monetary award to those who obtain the reading license.
He expects the stipend to be between $750 and $1,000.
Mr. Taft's plan offered no suggestions for ways to deal with bad teachers. He conceded they pose "a major challenge" and said he supports teacher peer-review programs that encourage veteran teachers to evaluate and assist newer ones.
His plan calls for creation of an "Education Best Practices Center" to identify and promote successful teaching techniques. He said it would help supplement similar work by the BEST Coalition, a group of business leaders and educators who identify successful programs.
Also proposed is a study of the effectiveness of smaller classes. The current state budget requires that some schools pay for smaller classes with Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid (DPIA), a special stipend for poor children. Mr. Taft said he would continue the requirement and ask the Legislative Office of Education Oversight and the Ohio Department of Education to evaluate the effectiveness of smaller classes in Ohio and other states.
Smaller classes often dramatically increase a school's costs because they often require the school to hire more teachers and find additional classroom space.
Tom Mooney, president of the Cincinnati Federation of Teachers, said all of Mr. Taft's proposals have merit and mirror concerns all teachers have.
"But I hope he's just not putting together a string of very low-cost to no-cost policy proposals to dodge the issue of funding schools, and I fear that he is," Mr. Mooney said.
He chided Mr. Fisher, whom the union has endorsed. "We're still waiting for Lee's funding proposals, too," he said.
Earlier this year, Mr. Fisher unveiled a proposal to improve teaching that also calls for higher teacher standards and more input from teachers.
Mr. Fisher announced support for a statewide ballot issue that would return the State Board of Education to an all-elected body. Mr. Taft supports the current method, in which 11 members are elected and eight are appointed by the governor.
Candidates offer plans to improve teaching
