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OSBA Today
OSBA Today is the official podcast network of the Ohio School Boards Association, bringing together conversations on the issues, ideas and stories impacting public education across Ohio.
From legal and legislative updates to leadership discussions and district success stories, OSBA Today features school board members, superintendents, treasurers, education leaders and subject-matter experts from around the state.
The network includes five original shows:
- Leading the Way — Conversations on leadership, governance and the challenges facing Ohio school districts.
- Report to the Office — OSBA President Mary Cleveland sits down with education leaders and guests from around Ohio.
- Learning the Legislature — Updates and discussions on education policy and activity at the Statehouse.
- Legal Ledger Sidebars — Quick conversations focused on school law, policy and legal trends affecting districts.
- OSBA Forum — Extended discussions and special conversations featuring education experts and thought leaders.
Whether you are a board member, administrator, educator or community member, OSBA Today keeps you connected to the conversations happening in Ohio public education.
Episodes
119 episodes
Your district has a strategic plan. Now what?
A strategic plan shouldn't be something a school board approves and then rarely discusses again.In this episode of Leading the Way, OSBA’s Kristi Robbins and Teri Morgan talk with Scott Gerfen about making strategic planning an ongoing p...
Career-tech education isn’t what you think
What does career-technical education look like today?OSBA President Mary Cleveland talks with Great Oaks Career Campuses President and CEO Harry Snyder about the changing role of career-tech education in Ohio. They discuss growing studen...
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From school board to Statehouse: A legislator’s advice for board members
Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio knows school advocacy from both sides.Before representing Ohio’s 4th House District, she spent eight years on the Gahanna-Jefferson City Schools Board of Education. She joins OSBA’s Malania Birney to talk a...
How bipartisanship helped reshape Ohio school funding
Five years after Ohio began implementing the Fair School Funding Plan, former Ohio House Speaker Bob Cupp, a Republican, and former state Rep. John Patterson, a Democrat, reunite to discuss how they worked across party lines to tackle one of Oh...
To gavel or not to gavel: The board president and public comment
Public comment gives parents and community members an opportunity to speak directly to their elected school board. But what happens when comments become contentious, or the audience becomes disruptive?OSBA attorneys Sara Clark and Jennie...
What is an ESC? The Partner Behind Ohio’s Public Schools
What is an educational service center, and what does it do for Ohio’s public schools?OSBA President Mary Cleveland sits down with Hamilton County Educational Service Center board member Bill Ferguson to unpack the role ESCs play in suppo...
From local concern to state law
Amber Ballard saw a problem affecting students with disabilities and decided not to accept that nothing could be done.The Norwood City Schools board member worked with district leaders and OSBA’s legislative team to develop a proposal th...
Employee Background Checks: What Ohio School Districts Need to Know
Hiring decisions begin with student safety. In this episode, OSBA attorneys Dustin Koslen and Jennifer Hardin explain Ohio's employee background check requirements, absolute bar offenses, rehabilitation provisions and what school districts shou...
Wearing Two Hats: Board Service and School Support Organizations
Many school board members are also active in booster clubs, PTOs, alumni associations and other organizations that support their schools. But when does volunteer service begin to overlap with board responsibilities?In this episode of
The Legislature's Summer Send-Off
What happens when a bill about school psychologists suddenly becomes the vehicle for some of the most debated education proposals at the Statehouse?That's just one example of the fast-moving legislative action that unfolded before the Oh...
Understanding School Levies and Community Engagement
What role do school levies play in supporting public education?In this episode of Report to the Office, host Mary Cleveland welcomes community advocate Tracey Artis for a conversation about school funding, community involvement and the i...
Ten Commandments in Schools: Why Courts Are Reaching Opposite Conclusions
Can a state require every public school classroom to display the Ten Commandments?Federal courts are currently answering that question in different ways, and the disagreement could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court.In this e...
Conflict Management in School Leadership
Conflict is unavoidable in school leadership, but how leaders respond to it can shape the culture and effectiveness of an entire district.In this episode of the OSBA Forum, host Mark Bobo talks with Sara Clark and Kristi Robbins about th...
Where Do Your School Taxes Really Go?
Property taxes, levies, millage and school funding can be confusing, but they affect every community.In this episode of Report to the Office, OSBA President Mary Cleveland talks with Princeton City Schools Treasurer Christine Poetter ab...
Should School Board Members Post on Social Media?
Social media gives school board members a direct way to connect with their communities, but it can also create legal, governance and communication challenges if it’s not handled carefully.In this episode of Leading the Way, OSBA...
AI in schools: What actually matters before the July 1 deadline
AI is moving fast, and Ohio schools now have a July 1 deadline to have a policy in place.So what should districts actually be doing right now?In this Legal Ledger Sidebar, OSBA policy consultant Gamy Narvaez breaks down the step...
When Students Lead, Innovation Follows: AI and Literacy at Ridgewood Local Schools
What if students weren’t just learners — but problem-solvers?At Ridgewood Local Schools, a group of senior honors students identified a growing literacy challenge and decided to do something about it. The result: an AI-powered platform t...
Collaborative Leadership in Schools: Aligning District Teams for Student Success
Strong schools are built on aligned leadership.In this episode of Leading the Way, host Scott Gerfen is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Lolli and Mike Trego from the Ohio Leader...
Starting Strong as a New Board Member
In this episode of OSBA’s Leading the Way podcast, host Scott Gerfen sits down with OSBA board consultants Kristi Robbins and Teri Morgan — both former school board members — to break down what new members need to know as they step into public ...
OSBA Capital Conference Recap: Student Achievement Fair and Trade Show Highlights
n this special on-site episode of OSBA’s Leading the Way Podcast, host Scott Gerfen takes you inside the 2025 OSBA Capital Conference & Trade Show, exploring two of the event’s biggest highlights:• The Student Achievement Fair, where studen...
Supporting Military Families: How Ohio’s Purple Star Schools Lead the Nation
November is Military Family Appreciation Month, and in this episode of OSBA’s Leading the Way podcast, host Scott Gerfen sits down with Pete LuPiba, Ohio’s Purple Star school liaison, to explore how schools across the Buckeye State are supporti...
From Siri to the Classroom: Making AI Work for Students and Teachers
Artificial intelligence is already shaping how students learn, search and create. But how can schools use AI responsibly — and effectively?In this episode of Leading the Way, host Scott Gerfen sits down with Kathryn Cerminara, senior manager of...
How School Board Members Can Drive Change Through Advocacy
Advocacy is one of the most powerful ways school board members can make a difference — not just in their districts, but across the state and nation.In this episode of Leading the Way, host Scott Gerfen talks with Jocelyn Spencer Rhynard of Dayt...
Ohio Property Tax Reforms: What’s at Stake for Schools, Students and Homeowners
In this episode of Leading the Way, host Scott Gerfen examines the Ohio General Assembly’s push to change the state’s property tax system — and the consequences it could have for schools, students and communities.Guests Dr. Howard Fleeter of th...
