Governor DeWine gave his final State of the State address this afternoon. In a speech that recounted his accomplishments as Governor of Ohio, DeWine focused on the work he hoped to continue through the end of his term in January 2027. Governor DeWine highlighted the economy/job-growth, taxes, clean water, and success in current education priorities. Specifically, Governor DeWine cited the 85% of top high school graduates staying in Ohio to attend college because of the Governor’s Merit Scholarship.
The success of the Science of Reading was highlighted as well with the Governor outlining an additional four directives “to ensure that our kids are taught to read the right way.”:
1. The Governor is directing ODEW to create regional Science of Reading Instructional Implementation Teams.” These teams will be sent to some of the lowest performing schools, perform needs assessments, and work with educators to ensure the Science of Reading is followed with fidelity.
2. These teams will also be sent to any Ohio school that wants to be assured they are effectively implementing the Science of Reading.
3. In addition to the 97 ReadOhio coaches currently working across the state, the Governor has directed ODEW to add 50 more coaches in the fall.
4. Finally, the Governor has also directed ODEW and Ohio’s ESCs to offer free ReadOhio coach training.
If interested in watching Governor DeWine’s full State of the State, [click here].
House Education
SB19 – Regarding Public Schools-Academic Intervention had its third hearing. Opponent testimony from the Ohio Federation of Teachers and Opponent and Interested Party testimony from two other witnesses was heard. During the question and answer portion of the testimonies, Representative Bird asked a current math teacher if she thought that if this bill was passed as written today would make her a better teacher or increase math scores, she responded with a resounding, “No.”
To read the testimonies from today, you can [click here].