Five things to know for Wednesday, Dec. 17

Nearly one-third of educator preparation programs were only partially or not aligned

An audit into educator preparation programs at Ohio’s colleges and universities found that 15 schools either had “Partial Alignment” or were “Not in Alignment.”

On Tuesday, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Mike Duffey announced the results of the audit, which evaluated all 48 institutions statewide with 12-Hour Reading and Literacy Core courses. The remaining 33 programs received a final rating of “In Alignment.”

Former Village of New Concord fiscal officer pleads guilty. Lynn Marlatt, a former Village of New Concord fiscal officer, pleaded guilty Monday to three felonies tied to the theft of more than $450,000 in public funds. During a hearing in Muskingum County Common Pleas Court, Marlatt, who will be sentenced later, pleaded to counts that include tampering with records.

$3.9 million in grants to help reduce violence against women. The Office of Criminal Justice Services has granted $3.9 million in federal tax dollars to reduce violence against women in Ohio. The Violence Against Women Act grants help local governments and non-profits working on behalf of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

PUCO needs applications for its commissioner. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Nominating Council is looking for the next PUCO commissioner. The commissioner would fill a vacancy that begins on April 11, 2026, and ends on April 10, 2031. Applications must be submitted to the Nominating Council by 5 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2026.

Ohio joins other states in lawsuit against Uber. Ohio has joined a lawsuit against Uber USA and Uber Technologies, claiming the company’s Uber One subscription service used “deceptive practices,” Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said. The lawsuit, originally filed by the Federal Trade Commission and pending in a California federal court, argues that the company misled customers with “free trials” that, in part, automatically converted to paid subscriptions and made it hard to cancel.