It’s mid-March, which means Ohio policymakers are knee-deep in a biennial budget process that will result in plenty of policy changes. For Governor DeWine, it’s the last one—term limits guarantee that the next time a state budget rolls around, Ohio will have a new governor.
One of the hallmarks of the DeWine administration has been a concentrated push to improve early literacy. During the 2023 state budget, DeWine established a statewide initiative grounded in the science of reading, an evidence-based instructional approach that focuses on phonics and knowledge-building. The initiative included requirements and provided funding for schools in areas such as high-quality curriculum, professional development for teachers, and literacy coaches.
Implementation of these efforts got off to a good start in 2024. But there’s still a huge mountain to climb, and not just in reading. Math achievement in Ohio is equally lackluster. Fortunately, Governor DeWine’s 2025 budget proposal picks up where he left off in 2023 and adds numeracy to the mix. Several promising ideas for reading and math were recommended by the governor, including expanding access to advanced coursework, establishing universal screening tools in early grades, and providing additional funding for literacy professional development. But let’s not stop there. Lawmakers could do even more on the math and reading fronts. Let’s examine four ideas.
1. Require DEW to undertake a review of core math curricula and create a list of high-quality instructional materials.
A key feature of Ohio’s early literacy initiative is its emphasis on high-quality curriculum and instructional materials. Starting last year, public schools were required to adopt curricula and materials that appear on a state-approved list of high-quality options. The Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) established this list, which is updated periodically, via an intensive review of reading curricula that’s currently on the market. If implemented faithfully, this policy should ensure that every public school in Ohio is using materials that are aligned with the science of reading.
Given Ohio’s continued struggles in numeracy, lawmakers should establish a similar process for math. Directing DEW to review the core math curricula (grades K–12) that are currently on the market, assess their alignment with state math standards and evidence-based practices, and establish a list of high-quality options should help local leaders make wise curricular decisions moving forward. Unlike with reading, lawmakers should not require districts to adopt materials from this list (at least not yet). For now, they should focus solely on identifying high-quality options on which district leaders can feel confident spending taxpayer dollars.
2. Require state report cards to identify the reading and math curriculum used in each school and whether it’s been designated by DEW as high-quality.
Current law requires Ohio districts and schools to report to the state the core curricula and instructional materials they use in English language arts in grades PK–5. This requirement allows state leaders to ensure that schools are following the rules and using evidence-based materials. As mentioned above, Ohio does not have a state-approved list for math curricula, and DeWine’s budget doesn’t call for one. But it does call on districts to report to the state the core curricula and instructional materials they’re using in math. This is a wise move that should give state leaders a clearer picture of which math materials are being used across the state. But lawmakers can and should do more. Adding a requirement for DEW to identify districts’ chosen curricula on their state report cards and note whether they’ve been designated by the department as high-quality should improve transparency with the public and provide an incentive for districts to use high-quality materials.
3. Establish a minimum passing score for the math subsection of the elementary licensure content exam.
To be licensed in Ohio, teachers are required to pass several exams. For the most part, these tests fall into two equally important categories: pedagogy (how you teach) and content (what you teach). As part of their licensure requirements, middle and high school teachers must pass math-specific content knowledge exams. Doing so signals that they’ve mastered the content they will be expected to deliver to students. But Ohio doesn’t currently require elementary teachers to pass a math-specific test. Instead, they take a composite content knowledge exam that combines math with other subjects.
Because teachers are only required to achieve an overall passing score, high performance in these other subject areas could easily mask math deficiencies. As such, it’s possible that some of Ohio’s elementary educators don’t have a firm grasp on math content. Given the importance of ensuring that young students have a strong numeracy foundation, it’s crucial to ensure teachers’ content mastery. The best way to do that is to establish a minimum passing score for the math subsection of the elementary licensure content exam and require prospective teachers going forward to meet or surpass that score before they can teach math.
4. Require DEW to create and maintain a public, annually-updated dashboard that tracks the state’s early literacy reform efforts.
Ohio has invested significant time, effort, and funding into improving early literacy outcomes. State report cards and national assessments will help leaders track improvement (or lack thereof) from year to year and among student subgroups. But these resources cover a broad range of outcomes, including test results in other subject areas. And they can be difficult for parents and stakeholders to navigate. Establishing a dedicated early literacy dashboard that’s available online and tracks K–3 reading outcomes at the state, district, and school level would make the results of Ohio’s literacy efforts much easier to track. Ensuring the data are disaggregated by student demographics would empower stakeholders to keep a close eye on improvements among traditionally underserved students. Parents and families would have another tool at their disposal to help them make school choice decisions. State and local leaders could use the dashboard to champion districts and schools that are doing excellent work. And state officials wouldn’t need to start from scratch. Colorado offers a stellar model they could work from.
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With his 2025 state budget, Governor DeWine has cemented himself as a champion for early literacy and signaled the importance of numeracy. Now, it’s up to legislators to build on his solid foundation. Here’s hoping they incorporate some of the above ideas into the final version of the budget.
