Ohio Governor DeWine outlines education priorities and successes during State of the State address

3/10/2026

Literacy, attendance among topics highlighted 

Education was a central theme to Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s final State of the State Address on Tuesday. Governor DeWine highlighted programs that have made a positive difference for students and families, and outlined key efforts ahead to ensure all Ohio students can reach their full potential.

Watch the full address here. 

Ohio continues to focus on efforts to improve literacy through instruction and materials aligned to the Science of Reading. During the address, Governor DeWine outlined a plan to create instructional implementation teams, expand the ReadOhio coaching program, and offer ReadOhio coaching and credentialing at no cost for current literacy coaches. These efforts will ensure more Ohio schools will be able to use instructional materials appropriately and unlock the full power of the Science of Reading.

Claymont Primary School in Tuscarawas County was highlighted as a Science of Reading success story — when this school year started, only 14% of their kindergarten students were on track with reading skills for their age. Then, their teachers began working with a ReadOhio coach. When students were assessed again in the winter, 50% of kindergarten students were on track with reading skills. Governor DeWine recognized Claymont Primary principal Kelly Cook, ReadOhio coach Christy Hopson, educator Amber Roberts, and their school community for this improvement.

Governor DeWine underscored the need for students to be present at school to engage in instruction as part of the learning experience. Improving student attendance and reducing chronic absenteeism through early intervention remain critical for Ohio schools. On April 15, Ohio will launch a statewide attendance dashboard. This will be a new way to help schools, districts, and communities stay informed with attendance data and take steps to improve. Addressing the importance of school attendance through a community-based approach is how East Cleveland City Schools reduced chronic absenteeism by 10%. Governor DeWine recognized East Cleveland City Schools Superintendent Dr. Henry Pettiegrew II and City of East Cleveland Mayor Sandra Morgan for their leadership in addressing the causes and barriers to attendance and finding solutions to ensure students can get to school.

Being at school means more chances to connect with important resources that help students learn, grow, and achieve. In his speech, Governor DeWine highlighted the Governor’s Healthy Ohio Team Tressel Fitness Challenge, an exciting ongoing student health and fitness initiative. More than 390,000 students throughout the state are setting their own wellness goals through the Team Tressel Fitness Challenge.

With ever evolving and expanding job opportunities, it’s essential for schools to make more connections between the classroom and workforce experiences. The demand for career-technical education continues to grow. Through historic investments in facilities and programs, Ohio has created 10,000 new seats for career-technical education students. Governor DeWine highlighted the continuing work to ensure students are ready for every next step in their learning and career journeys.