| Improving Ohio's school facilities |
| Wednesday, August 2, 2006 4:18:44 PM - Middletown Ohio |
Improving Ohio's school facilities
As members of the legislature, our goal is to continue improving our state, our economy and the opportunities for our children. Recently, my colleagues and I have continued our efforts to improve Ohio's economy through job creation and tax reform while ensuring that our state government operates efficiently. While these efforts have proven to be effective recently with more than 36,000 jobs created in the Buckeye state during the last year, our work is not yet done. In order to brighten our state's future even more we must also focus on the education of our children as they are the future leaders of our state and our communities.
Over the course of the 126th General Assembly, members of both the Ohio House and Senate have focused on traditional education, alternative education and higher education to name a few. But another area of importance is the educational facilities our young boys and girls depend on each year as they learn and grow our school buildings and classrooms.
In 1997 the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) was established to provide funding, technical assistance and management assistance to school districts in order to create state-of-the-art learning environments for Ohio's school children. Within the OSFC, the legislature - in 2000 - implemented Rebuilding Ohio's Schools. We are continuing the commitment to this program today - concentrating our resources on improving the learning environments for our children.
This program is committed to addressing the facility needs of every Ohio school district. The OSFC has spent more than $4.2 billion toward this goal with 420 new or renovated buildings opened around the state. In fact, more than $2 million is spent each and every day across our state in an effort to improve school facilities around Ohio. In our district, we see the results of this as we have new buildings we can be proud of in Adams, Brown and Clermont Counties that will serve future generations.
Programs such as the Ohio School Facilities Commission are crucial to the future and development of our school children. In order to prepare our children for the technologically advanced world that faces them in the 21st century, we must provide them with the tools necessary to succeed. A state cannot create a thriving economy without great minds to lead it forward. My colleagues and I remain committed to improving and advancing education across Ohio for the benefit of future generations through the continued development and operation of Ohio school facilities. In the months to come we will continue our efforts toward ensuring academic excellence in our state so that our students may enter college as prepared as any student in the country.
Don't forget to make plans to enjoy the Manchester Kinfolk's Landing Days this coming weekend! The festivities kick off with a Queens Pageant on Thursday, August 3rd and continue throughout the weekend. Saturday will be a big day starting at 8:30 a.m. with the 5K Run/Walk and ending with The Van-Dells concert and Fireworks. Top off your weekend with the best ice cream around from the St. Mary's Ice Cream Festival in Arnheim on Sunday, August 6th. I hope to see you at both of these events as we continue to support our local communities.
- If you would like to contact me about this issue or any other state matter, I can be reached by calling (614) 644-6034, e-mail at district88@ohr.state.oh.us or write to me, State Representative Danny Bubp at 77 S. High St., 11th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215. |
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