Ohio Rules Regarding Teacher Conduct

If you are an educator in Ohio, you are most likely familiar with laws in place for Ohio teacher conduct. The Licensure Code of Professional Conduct was written to address what should be upheld by professional educators, as well as to provide a written description of disciplinary actions against teachers in Ohio if it is not followed. The process is similar to what happens to students when facing suspensions or expulsions, but not exactly the same.

Understanding Discipline

The most common disciplinary actions for violating the nine principles include suspension of a teaching license for up to 5 years, and in extreme cases, revocation of a license can occur. If you do not know what to do if your teaching license is at risk in Ohio, an education law attorney might be the solution to your problems.

Allegation Process

• If an Ohio Educator is reported for unprofessional conduct, it is brought to the Ohio Department of Education to determine if the State Board has authority over the case.
• If an investigation is warranted, the moral severity of the case will be examined.
• If the allegations are found to have no proven evidence, the case will be sealed two years after the investigation takes place.
• If the allegations are found to have been proven, the educator is then entitled to due process rights before any disciplinary action is taken.

Due Process (6-month process)

• An Ohio Educator has the right to an impartial hearing in front of a hearing officer who will examine the facts of the investigation.
• The hearing officer then reports back their findings to the State Board of Education.
• The hearing officer also recommends to the State Board how they should discipline the educator if any action is needed.

Penalties are determined on a case-by-case basis, with the State Board potentially determining a penalty outside the range of disciplinary guidelines. If there is a minor violation that occurs by the educator, the local district is required to follow due process, progressive discipline, and just cause requirements.

Contact Us

If you are an Ohio teacher facing discipline and want proven legal help to advocate for you, submit a request on our “Contact Us” page. If your intake is approved, we will contact you to set up a consult with our education law attorney, Brien Miller, director of education law.