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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
108 episodes
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...
Why every school must speak media
In this episode of Leading the Way, host Scott Gerfen sits down with John Ondo, OSBA’s media consultant, and Josh Gallagan, digital design instructor at Delaware Area Career Center. Together, they explore why media is the language of today — an...
Driving leadership: Rethinking transportation management
In this episode, OSBA Senior Transportation Consultant Doug Palmer joins us to explore why selecting the most senior bus driver isn’t always the best move when hiring a transportation manager. Palmer shares insights on what school districts sho...
Your voice matters: How HB 335 could hurt Ohio’s students
In this episode of the Leading the Way podcast, host Scott Gerfen discusses the profound implications of House Bill 335 on Ohio's students. The bill could strip up to $2 billion in funding from public schools, affecting teacher employment, ...
Combating misinformation in public schools
n this episode, OSBA's Scott Gerfen interviews Tom Fladung, managing partner of Hennes Communications and a national expert in crisis communication. They discuss the challenges that school leaders face with the spread of misinformation and ...
Insider insights: School funding, property taxes and more
In this episode of OSBA's Leading the Way, host Scott Gerfen welcomes Will Schwartz of Pappas and Associates — a trusted education policy expert — to discuss Ohio's next two-year state budget. With lawmakers back at the Statehouse and t...
Mastering superintendent and treasurer evaluations
Join OSBA's Scott Gerfen on the Leading the Way podcast as he tackles the vital process of evaluating superintendents and treasurers with OSBA board and management services consultants Kristi Robbins and
Billions on the line: What the House-passed budget means for students
In this episode, OSBA's Scott Gerfen and OSBA Director of Legislative Services Jennifer Hogue discuss Ohio's $61 billion budget, which has passed the House and now heads to the Senate. The conversation covers significant changes to dist...
Building trust: Strengthening the superintendent-school board relationship
A strong partnership between a school board and superintendent is key to a district’s success — but how do leaders build and maintain that trust? In this episode of Leading the Way, OSBA’s Scott Gerfen is joined by Dr....
Ohio's School Transportation Challenges
In this episode of OSBA’s Leading the Way Podcast, host Scott Gerfen sits down with Doug Palmer, OSBA’s Senior Transportation Consultant, to discuss the latest in school transportation policy and funding.
Ohio's school-funding future: The next two-year budget
In this episode of Leading the Way, we sit down with OSBA Legislative ConsultantMalania Birney to break down Gov.Mike DeWine’s final two-year budget and what it means for K-12 education. School board members an...
