Ohio schools embrace Science of Reading lessons, while others struggle to catch up

In classrooms at East Woods Intermediate School in Hudson, Ohio, sets of new workbooks based on the science of reading are positioned at the forefront, awaiting the commencement of teacher utilization upon students’ return to school next month.

As with around one-third of Ohio’s 600 districts, the Hudson schools in proximity to Cleveland had not integrated science of reading materials until Governor Mike DeWine and the state legislature issued a directive last summer for districts to adopt the curriculum by the school year 2024-25.

Following the legislation’s enactment, a state survey conducted in the fall of 2023 revealed that approximately one-third of districts had already implemented science of reading practices, another third were partially incorporating them, and the remaining third adhered to techniques that were now deemed illegal under state law.

Anticipating an inevitable shift in reading instruction methodology even before the law was passed, officials in the Hudson district commenced their search for new materials last spring, affording them more time compared to districts still adhering to outdated methodologies.

“It’s going to happen,” remarked Doreen Osmun, Hudson Assistant Superintendent. “So let’s dig in. Let’s roll up our sleeves. Let’s have our teachers, the experts in the classroom, make sure that they are looking at this thoroughly.”

The exact number of non-compliant districts that will emulate Hudson’s lead and meet DeWine’s initial objective of abandoning previous strategies like balanced literacy and whole language in favor of the science of reading remains uncertain.

Despite DeWine’s sense of urgency, the transition to the science of reading in Ohio has proven challenging and time-consuming, necessitating schools to replace outdated materials and provide retraining to teachers accustomed to alternative instructional approaches.