Educator Essentials October 2025 Newsletter (10/8/25)

Educator Essentials NEWS YOU CAN USE October 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of Educator Essentials, brought to you by the State Board of Education team. This monthly newsletter will keep you in the know with important updates about Educator Licensure, Professional Conduct, Educator Evaluations, Resident Educator Program, Teacher of the Year, and more.

Educator Licensure Process Licensure candidates applying for their first license, or after a gap in licensure, should complete any background check requirements before or at the same time they submit their licensure application since getting the full background check results, including rapsheets or other BCI documentation stemming from failed or rejected results, can take up to 60 days or more. This and more information regarding the licensure application process is available on the Educator Licensure Process webpage.

October 31 Deadline for Rapback Enrollment Re-Affirmation for Bus/Van Drivers and Non-Licensed Personnel By October 31, the Rapback Authorized Representative for your school/district must re-confirm any “Pending” bus/van drivers and non-licensed personnel who are enrolled in Rapback and will be working during the 2025-2026 school year. After November 1, any drivers and non-licensed personnel who have not been re-confirmed by their school/district and are still “Pending” will be unenrolled from the Rapback system. For more detailed information on the timeline and detail for the re-affirmation process, and Rapback process for drivers and non-licensed personnel, please visit the Rapback webpage.

Resident Educator Program Coordinator Meetups Join the Resident Educator Program team for monthly virtual meetups to learn more about the role of the Program Coordinator. The next meetup is scheduled for October 21. Registration is required. More information is available on the For Program Coordinators webpage or contact REProgram@sboe.ohio.gov with any questions.

Rules for Public Comment Proposed changes to Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3302-89-02 and 3302-89-03 regarding the territory transfer processes are available for public comment. Changes include replacing the “25 Questions Form” with the opportunity for each school district and petitioners to submit position statements, directing the State Board of Education to submit the most recent report cards and five year-forecasts as evidence for proceedings, and specifying the evidence the Board will review if no hearing is requested. Please review the draft of the proposed changes to these rules on the Public Comments webpage and submit comments no later than October 31.

Spotlight on Professional Conduct: Classroom Management and Etiquette Educators must maintain a professional relationship with all students at all times and provide appropriate supervision of those students. Principle 2 of the Licensure Code of Professional Conduct prohibits educators from committing an act of cruelty to children, such as physical or emotional abuse, from disparaging students, from using inappropriate language at any school-related activity, and from contributing to or failing to intervene in the harassment or bullying of a student. Review Licensure Code Principle 2 and #ABConduct Tip Sheet #8 for more information.

Deadlines and Dates Please be aware of these approaching deadlines and important dates. 10/10 | Deadline for LEA Set Up in OhioES 10/13 | Columbus Day Holiday 10/14 | State Board of Education meeting 10/21 | Resident Educator Program Coordinator Meetup 10/31 | Deadline for Rapback Re-Affirmation for Drivers and Non-Licensed Personnel