Another part of Gov. John Kasich's budget has been shot from the sky.

That means Ohio teachers apparently won’t have to worry about Kasich’s push to require them to complete business "externships" as part of their license renewals and continuing professional development.

Republican leaders of the state House and Senate expressed opposition Wednesday to the plan, which Kasich proposed as part of his two-year operating budget as a way to strengthen ties between educators and businesses.

Kasich's fellow Republicans who control the legislature already are talking about revamping key parts of the governor's proposed budget, including his tax plan and school-funding and drug-addiction proposals.

Kasich has encouraged high schools to do more to get students ready for college or give them the skills needed to transition into an in-demand career. He also has proposed placing three business owners on every school board as non-voting members.

Both proposals were recommended in December by Kasich's Executive Workforce Board, which was tasked with addressing complaints that employers can't find people with the right skills.

But Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, said, “Teachers have enough that they have to go through without putting more on them. I don’t think we need to be putting more obstacles in teachers’ paths.”

The Ohio Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union, has called the proposal a needless hoop to jump through, proposed by people who are not part of the teaching profession. The union argues that understanding the job skills that employers are seeking does not require teachers to perform an externship.

The OEA also questioned whether the proposal would even be workable, requiring businesses to absorb thousands of teachers who need to shadow their workers.

Senate President Larry Obhof, R-Medina, said he doesn’t see the direct connection that the proposal is trying to make.

“I understand what the governor is trying to get at — that we want the people educating our children to understand the need for workforce development specifically, and to help shape the skill sets our children are going to need,” he said. “But I don’t know a specific internship at a business or working at a local chamber (of commerce) really accomplishes that.”

Sen. Edna Brown, D-Toledo, also questioned the value of having teachers shadow a business owner.

"What makes the Kasich administration think that teachers stand to benefit from shadowing businesses — but businesses don’t stand to benefit from shadowing teachers?” she said.

Obhof said a better option might be an expansion of the Community Connectors program, which provides matching grants designed to connect students with businesspeople in an effort to help inspire youths and show them what opportunities are available.

The House is expected to amend and pass the budget bill in mid-April, sending it to the Senate; final legislative passage is required by the end of June.

jsiegel@dispatch.com

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