COLUMBUS, Ohio - A bipartisan Ohio House bill would allow local school districts and charter schools to pay student teachers and offer them health care benefits.

The bill is an attempt to stem the teacher shortage.

Student teachers in Ohio work full time in schools without compensation, said state Rep. Sean Brennan, a Parma Democrat, who is sponsoring House Bill 205 with a handful of Republican lawmakers. During their student teaching, they also pay college tuition and cover their cost-of-living expenses.

“It’s a longstanding, unfortunate tradition,” said Brennan, a retired teacher. “It’s very frustrating. It was frustrating for me when I was going through student teaching.”

The lack of pay is a barrier to many aspiring educators, particularly those from low-income backgrounds and un

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