2026 State Board of Education District Teacher of the Year Cohort Announced
The State Board of Education is excited to announce the 2026 State Board of Education District Teacher of the Year cohort! From this cohort of regional honorees, four will be selected as finalists for the 2026 Ohio Teacher of the Year honor later this month. Learn more about the Ohio Teacher of the Year program and these outstanding educators on the 2026 State Board Teachers of the Year webpage.
Legislation Removes RESA Requirement from Resident Educator Program
With the passage of House Bill 96, the Resident Educator Summative Assessment (RESA) has been eliminated from the Ohio Resident Educator (RE) Program. Resident educators in their first and second year of teaching must still be registered in the RE Program and complete all the requirements of the RE Program and the requirements developed by the employing local district. Program coordinators must register resident educators and enter completion criteria in the Connected Ohio Records for Educators (CORE) online system for resident educators to advance their resident educator license to a professional license.
Educators who have successfully completed all Resident Educator Program completion criteria except RESA are eligible to advance their resident educator license to a professional license. Note that educators who hold an Alternative Resident Educator license must also complete all other requirements of the Alternative Resident Educator Licensure Pathway before advancing their license.
Spotlight on Licensure: Pupil-Activity Permits
Need information about obtaining or renewing coaching permits? We have a webpage for that! The Pupil-Activity (Coaching) Permits | State Board of Education webpage lists all required training certifications as well as application instructions. Note that certificates of completion for required trainings are to be submitted to the school or district, not with the online application. The only exception is the student mental health training, which must be verified by the State Board of Education. Applicants must submit their certificate of completion for a student mental health training course approved by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services with their online application, whether they are renewing, aligning, or changing the validity period of their pupil-activity permit (schools and districts may also request a copy of the certificate of completion for this training before approving the application for the permit). Anyone who has previously held an Ohio pupil-activity permit must complete the student mental health training (and all other required trainings) even if their previous permit is expired.
Rapback Enrollment of Drivers and Non-Licensed Personnel
Schools and Districts are reminded that, in addition to licensed educators, the following employees must be enrolled in the Rapback system: (1) school bus and van drivers and (2) individuals in non-licensed positions with student contact that are required to enroll in Rapback as a school employee or contractor. The Rapback Service, which is hosted by the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification, allows the State Board to provide notifications to employers about criminal arrests and convictions of the enrollees. For an individual to be entered into the Rapback system, they need to complete the following steps: (1) create an OHID Account; (2) set up a CORE profile and request an educator state ID; (3) submit a new background check, if needed; and (4) associate to an employer. The employer will then need to approve the association before a new enrollment will be attempted. The State Board’s CORE system allows authorized users to review enrollees and run reports to keep their district and school in compliance with the new rules. More details on the enrollment process are available on our website.
Register for Virtual Resident Educator Program Coordinator Meetups
New program coordinators are often faced with responsibilities and requirements they are not sure how to complete, and it can be difficult to keep up with program changes. Join the Resident Educator Program team for monthly meetups to learn more about the role of the Program Coordinator (PC) and how to manage the workflow. This is also a great opportunity to interact with other PCs and learn from each other. While the focus is on new PCs, all PCs are invited to attend. The first meeting will be August 19, 2025, from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Meetups are held on the third Tuesday of month (with one exception). There are no meetups scheduled in September or February due to the Regional PC Network meetings and no meetups scheduled for May, June, and July due to school and district summer break. Please contact REProgram@sboe.ohio.gov with any questions.
New Resident Educator Mentor Training Events Available Now
All new mentors must successfully complete the Mentor Academy training to become certified state mentors. Training events, scheduled by local Educational Service Centers (ESCs), are listed in STARS. Registration and fees are required and vary by location. Training is provided both in-person and virtually. Read the registration details in STARS for locations and dates and be sure to follow the directions for the virtual training registration. Virtual training includes two required components: synchronous and asynchronous. Dates for virtual synchronous sessions are listed in the registration information. Contact the ESC directly if you have questions. All mentor training must be completed by December 1.
Open Registration for Fall Resident Educator Program Coordinator Virtual Regional Network Meetings
Registration is now open for Resident Educator Program Coordinator Regional Network Meetings scheduled for two dates in September. The State Board of Education is hosting two (virtual) regional meetings to bring program coordinators together to engage with colleagues, share insights and strategies for program implementation, and hear from the agency's Resident Educator Program staff. Participants can choose to attend one of the following meeting dates:
- September 16, 9:00-11:30 a.m.
- September 25, 1:00-3:30 p.m.
Two dates were scheduled to allow for smaller numbers of participants per meeting. The same content will be shared at both meetings. Register here by September 11. Once registered you will receive a meeting access email about one week prior to the event date. Send questions to REProgram@sboe.ohio.gov.
Computer Science Teacher Licensure Waiver
Recent legislation made permanent the provision allowing an educator who holds a valid educator license in any grades K-12 to teach a computer science course if, prior to teaching the course, the educator completes a professional development program approved by the district superintendent or school principal that provides content knowledge specific to the course the individual will teach. Please see the Department of Education and Workforce’s Resources for Computer Science webpage or email computerscience@education.ohio.gov for more information.
