Ohio is poised to inspire a new generation of civically engaged residents and leaders through educational reform, the implementation of new service programs, and the development of accessible and relevant degree programs.

RECOMMENDATION ONE : The Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Board of Regents should create statewide Service–Learning standards in the K–12 and higher education systems.

Not only do we need to improve Ohio's rate of educational attainment, we need to do a better job of preparing students in primary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions to participate in the life and work of their communities. Through Ohio House Bill 1 (HB 1), the State of Ohio is taking steps toward integrating Service–Learning into the K–12 curriculum. HB 1 mandates the creation of Family Civic Engagement Councils as a way of connecting families and communities in the work of the educating our children. Some districts have responded to the mandates of HB 1 with enthusiasm and profound commitment. Preparing students to participate in the life of their communities requires institutions to help students translate classroom learning to community practice, fully integrating the experience into the curriculum. Service–Learning experiences provide opportunities for students to learn those skills and connections while still in the supportive school setting. Students must understand community contexts and have ample opportunity for reection when engaging in civic activities outside the classroom. Instructors throughout the educational system must be taught the tenets of Service–Learning, the best practices for Service–Learning courses and experiences, and the pedagogical and assessment techniques to measure their effectiveness. Service–Learning represents one of the most important means we have of engaging people across communities, particularly those groups that are sometimes split by generation, race or ethnicity, socio–economic class, or geography.

But Ohio's educational infrastructure is not yet ready to take full advantage of Service–Learning programs and opportunities in public schools and in higher education. The Department of Education should create statewide standards for Service–Learning experiences in the K – 12 system, and they should also oversee teacher training and the implementation of these programs. We additionally urge the Ohio Board of Regents to take an active interest in the assessment of Service–Learning programs in state institutions of higher education to ensure the mutuality and reciprocity that mark quality engagement with community partners.

RECOMMENDATION TWO: The State of Ohio should create programs that foster volunteerism by establishing a cabinet–level position for service initiatives, requiring municipalities to create community service plans, and expanding non–prot organizational
capacity for citizen engagement.

Service can be a mechanism for mobilizing Ohioans to realize our civic potential. As giving decreases because of the recession, and as government and private funding for social and educational programs similarly decline, we have to nd new ways of solving community problems. Many Ohioans already work together through informal means, such as helping out their neighbors or volunteering their time, but we need to draw more people into the life of their communities.

First, the Governor of Ohio should create a cabinet–level position for Service and Volunteering to develop, implement, and oversee initiatives through the state that would use service and a strategy to meet Ohio's needs. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger created the nation's first Secretary for Service and Volunteering in 2008 for the State of California, and Governor David Patterson of New York created a similar position the following year.

Second, the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate should mandate a program for municipalities to create a community–wide service plan that both identies areas in which volunteerism and service could meet their community needs and fosters greater participation from across diverse groups within the area.

Third, the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate should mandate a statewide program that supports service agencies and nonprots throughout the state in the development of their volunteer programs to ensure increased capacity in volunteer management. These programs could both be implemented at minimal cost to the state and its taxpayers.

RECOMMENDATION THREE: Increase the educational attainment of Ohioans through accessible, affordable, and meaningful degree programs and educational experiences that meet the needs of non–traditional and traditional–age students.

This Report clearly shows that Ohioans with greater educational attainment participate at higher levels and that the number of adults over 25 with bachelor's degrees is alarmingly low. Degree attainment must be a strategic priority for state legislators, leaders, and residents concerned about the future civic and economic conditions of the Buckeye state. Certicate and associate–degree programs increase participation levels but not to the extent and value of baccalaureate degrees.

Ohio has exceptional institutions of higher education and the infrastructure to support increasing student populations. However, Ohio's colleges and universities must respond to the demographic decline in the number of traditional–age students and to the increasing demand for innovative baccalaureate degrees for returning non–traditional students. Investing in more online degree offerings would improve access for busy workers and parents and provide high–quality programs to individuals in Ohio's rural counties.

Additionally, Ohio must support civic and political education programs beyond the high school level. When only 59.1% of Ohioans can correctly identify the proper roles of each branch of the American government, it is clear that individuals in Ohio's communities do not have all the information they need to make effective decisions about complex policy and tax issues. Advocating for additional instruction in Civics ensures Ohioans are adequately prepared to navigate bureaucratic systems throughout their communities.

Increasing the degree attainment of Ohioans has an additional benet—economic development. Companies and businesses are looking for communities with a citizenry that has the skill sets and education levels necessary to complete challenging and complicated tasks. Many Ohioans already have the on–the–job skills that high–tech rms demand, but they often lack the education to match those skills or the opportunities to develop new ones. Increasing education levels will attract jobs as well as contribute long–term investments to the state economy.