Last week, I was privileged to lead a press conference at the Statehouse during which the House Republicans highlighted some of the accomplishments of 2011 and also laid out the priorities for 2012. Throughout this session of the General Assembly, strengthening the economy and creating jobs has been at the forefront of our efforts, and I'm proud that Ohio's unemployment rate has now had another drastic drop, down to 8.1 percent. We are not out of the woods yet, but the latest signs are certainly encouraging.

Having a robust economy, where Ohioans can provide for their families, depends on a strong workforce. Workforce development will certainly be one of our main focuses over the coming year, but a strong workforce is also dependent upon a strong education system.

Ohio has had to do more with less in recent years. We started working on legislation to benefit Ohio's schools at the very beginning of 2012. Our efforts included needed changes, such as restoring the five calamity days that our schools need in order to adjust to inclement weather.

We also removed costly, unfunded mandates that, while good ideas, were too expensive to force upon Ohio's school districts during these challenging economic times. During the past three school years, we have seen lower state revenue, with school districts temporarily bolstered by one-time federal money.

People around the state have continuously expressed a desire for reforms to our education system, which is why we are making this one of our top priorities for this year. Throughout 2012 and into 2013, the Ohio House of Representatives will be holding bipartisan hearings at the Statehouse and around the state in search of realistic ways that school funding and student achievement in grades K-12 can be achieved.

Finding a sustainable model that establishes accountability for our students is certainly a worthwhile goal. In order for our students to gain the skills needed to be successful, it is important that we consider any and all ideas, taking the time to decipher them and carefully examine what will work best.

I continually say how fortunate Medina County is to have such excellent schools, and I believe our successes can be echoed throughout the state. By taking the time to hear from others and look closely at how school funding can be improved, we can establish a system that is beneficial and fair for all Ohioans, making our young people more competitive and building a foundation for future economic success.