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Midwest education changes range from third‑grade retention to contentious higher‑ed bill in Ohio
Summary
CSG Midwest’s Laura Tamaka highlighted new K‑12 rules on third‑grade retention, computer‑science requirements and teacher‑pay increases across several states, and flagged a contested Ohio higher education bill limiting DEI and tenure bargaining.
Laura Tamaka summarized a series of education measures across the Midwest, saying states tackled standards, funding and safety this year while also debating higher education policy.
In K‑12, Tamaka pointed to Indiana’s law requiring retention of third graders who fail the state reading test and Indiana’s new computer‑science graduation requirement beginning with the class of 2029. She noted several states took actions on teacher pay: "Iowa raised the minimum teacher pay to $50,000 starting next year," Tamaka said, and Missouri set a $40,000 minimum (with higher pay for teachers holding master’s degrees and future CPI‑linked adjustments capped at 3 percent).
Tamaka also described an increase in classroom device‑governance actions and school safety measures: Indiana requires districts to adopt device‑use policies, Ohio and Minnesota require district policies on student possession of cell phones, and some states authorized trained staff or off‑duty law enforcement to carry firearms in certain school settings.
On higher education, Tamaka highlighted a controversial bill in Ohio that would ban mandatory diversity, equity and inclusion training, limit unions' ability to negotiate tenure provisions and allow universities to dismiss tenured professors for broad reasons, including declining enrollment. "Their bill will ban mandatory DEI training. It will prevent unions from negotiating on tenure. It will also allow universities to fire tenured professors for a broad list of reasons including declining enrollment," she said, and noted supporters intend to reintroduce it if necessary.
Why it matters: Changes to teacher pay, retention policies and safety rules affect classroom staffing and student outcomes; higher‑education rules could alter faculty governance, tenure protection and campus policies if enacted.
Tamaka advised attendees to consult posted slides for more state‑level details and implementation notes.
