Ohio's education landscape is being boosted with Governor Mike DeWine's latest initiative. Alongside the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Director Stephen D. Dackin, DeWine has announced the inaugural group of Ohio schools to be recognized through the Governor’s Science of Reading Recognition Program. This initiative honors 47 schools that have made significant strides in integrating the Science of Reading into their curriculums, bolstering professional development for teachers, and raising literacy achievements among students.
"Reading is the key to learning. Reading is the key to life," DeWine stated in a recent press release shared by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's office. The governor is championing this cognitive approach to learning as the best way for children to learn how to read, which in turn prepares them to thrive "in the classroom, in the workforce, and in life." The recognition program surfaced as a part of his 2025 State of the State Address on Wednesday, where he also applauded Austintown Elementary School for their improvements in reading proficiency.
Director Dackin praised the efforts and results seen in the early adopters of the Science of Reading. "In many of our schools that were early adopters of the Science of Reading, we’re already seeing tremendous results. More students are reading at grade level, and literacy achievement is improving," Dackin explained on Ohio Governor Mike DeWine's official website. Acknowledgment for advances in literacy came with a nod to the importance of alignment with the Science of Reading and the long-term benefits it will yield for the students.
Governor DeWine gave Austintown Elementary School as a key example. After implementing the program, the school saw a substantial increase in the number of kindergarteners on track with reading. The school also reported a nearly 84% third-grade reading proficiency rate, marking an increase of 12 percentage points from its pre-pandemic levels. DeWine recognized the work of Austintown's school leaders, including Superintendent Timothy Kelty and Principal Catherine Dorbish, for their focus on literacy that "is making a real difference for their students."
The Governor’s Science of Reading Recognition Program plans to continue this tradition, honoring a new group of schools each year. This push towards enhancing literacy through empirical research on the reading process demonstrates Ohio's commitment to building the foundations of lifelong learning and achievement. The Science of Reading employs decades of brain research and literacy development studies to inform the strategies employed in teaching students how to read, which are now being embraced across the state's educational institutions.
