COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio students will be heading back to the classroom with a new ReadOhio initiative to encourage improved literacy skills.
"Reading is the key that unlocks the door to so many other things and many opportunities in life." said Gov. Mike DeWine.
On Thursday, DeWine announced a new state-approved curriculum, The Science of Reading, for K-12 schools. It refers to research that has been conducted for decades by scientists and literacy experts that shows there is an actual science behind learning to read and that certain skills need to be taught, including phonics.
"The science of reading works for kindergarten kids, it works for 5th graders, it works for an adult," DeWine said.
It's an interdisciplinary body of scientific evidence that:
- Informs how students learn to read and write proficiently
- Explains why some students have difficulty with reading and writing
- Indicates that all students benefit from explicit and systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, comprehension and writing to become effective readers
- Does not rely on any model of teaching students to read based on meaning, structure and syntax, and visual cues, including a three-cueing approach.
The science-based teaching includes five key skills including phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.
According to the Ohio Department of Education, only 60% of Ohio's 3rd graders are proficient readers.
Dr. Chris Woolard, interim superintendent of public instruction said, "We know through data that students who are not proficient readers are much less likely to hit any number of key markers of success whether that's graduation or any other measures of college and career readiness, so that third grade proficiency is really key into making sure that students are prepared for what comes next in their educational experience."
DeWine said implementing the Science of Reading will help improve literacy skills for all ages.
"Our goal is for every Ohioan to live up to their God-given potential and to be able to read is essential to be able to do that in the world we live in today," he said.
Ohio’s budget dedicates $6 million in federal funding to literacy coaches in FY 2024.
State general fund support for literacy across the Fiscal Years 2024-2025 biennium totals $174.1 million, including:
- $64 million for high-quality instructional materials,
$6 million in FY 2024 and $12 million in FY 2025 for literacy coaches,
$86 million ($43 million per year) for literacy professional development,
$1.3 million in FY 2024 and $1.8 million in FY 2025 for regional literacy professional development teams
$1.5 million per year to support Department of Education and Workforce literacy-related operations.