The state watchdog has found that Ohio's leading education official was on the payroll of a Texas-based standardized testing firm when he lobbied state lawmakers last year on a bill that benefited the company.
In a report released Thursday, Inspector General Randall Meyer urged the Ohio Board of Education to consider disciplinary action against Superintendent Stan Heffner.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio Schools Superintendent Stan Heffner acted improperly when he testified last year in favor of legislation that benefited a private education company that he planned to work for, according to an Ohio inspector general's report released today.
Heffner, who was hired by the state school board with the support of Gov. John Kasich, already had entered into an employment agreement with Educational Testing Service, headquartered in Princeton, N.J., when he testified before an Ohio Senate committee in May 2011 in favor of legislation that increased Ohio's use of tests provided by ETS.
"By providing testimony to the legislature as the state's principal employee for leadership in education, in support of a bill that could and ultimately did benefit a corporation with which he entered into an agreement of employment, Heffner failed to meet the standards of proper governmental conduct," Inspector General Randy Meyer's report said.
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The report was submitted to the Ohio Board of Education, which hires the state superintendent. The panel has 60 days to respond to the investigation and decide whether administrative action should be taken against Heffner.
No comment as yet from The Kasich Administration.
