In many Ohio school districts, gym classes and visits to the guidance counselor could soon be a thing of the past.

This week, the Ohio State Board of Education lifted a long-standing rule setting guidelines for support staff, gym teachers and art teachers. Schools in Ohio used to have to provide have at least five student support personnel from eight categories for every 1,000 students.

Those categories are art, music and physical-education teachers, counselors, librarians, nurses, social workers and visiting teachers.

“It gives districts an opportunity to re-evaluate what is wanting to be offered, what can be offered. Fiscally sound districts like ourselves at this point it gives us the flexibility to maintain staff and to continue with course offerings,” Canfield Superintendent Alex Geordan said.

The classes and support staff all work in subjects that are not part of state mandated testing programs.

“I think they are all important in developing the whole child and they are all important in that aspect of the curriculum, but I do like the aspect of giving local control to the school if they would have to do that. I don’t see a lot of schools cutting those services at this time unless they are in a financial crisis,” Jackson-Milton Superintendent Kirk Baker said.

(Read more at wkbn.com).