To enact section 3312.14 of the Revised Code to create the Office of Regional Services and Accountability in the Department of Education.

Section 1. That section 3312.14 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 3312.14. The office of regional services and accountability is hereby created within the department of education. The office shall do the following:

(A) Conduct a thorough review of the structure and performance of the educational regional service system;

(B) Outline a clear mission for the educational regional service system and establish operational and performance standards for the system;

(C) Identify core services to be provided through the educational regional service system, which may include high-quality educational opportunities, special education, professional development, and assistance in the acquisition of materials, technology, and transportation;

(D) Clearly define the roles and responsibilities of each of the regional service providers that comprise the educational regional service system and monitor those providers to ensure they perform the duties associated with their designated roles and responsibilities;

(E) Encourage flexibility and entrepreneurship by regional service providers within their designated roles and responsibilities;

(F) Establish a process for continuous review of the educational regional service system to ensure the system's alignment with the educational priorities and policies of the state board of education and to make necessary revisions to the system;

(G) Collaborate with the chancellor of the Ohio board of regents and other state agencies whose missions impact primary and secondary public education to coordinate regional outreach efforts and to eliminate redundancies;

(H) Encourage school districts and public and chartered nonpublic schools to achieve cost savings by managing their resources effectively and, to the extent permitted by collective bargaining agreements entered into under Chapter 4117. of the Revised Code, collaborating for the joint provision of services;

(I) Make legislative recommendations to improve the operation of the educational regional service system, to ensure the system's provision of the core services identified under division (C) of this section, to align the system's funding with the actual cost of various services, and to provide incentives for school districts, public and chartered nonpublic schools, and regional service providers to collaborate on the provision of services.