The Science of Reading in Action in Ohio Schools
In 2023, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine launched the ReadOhio initiative, a statewide effort to raise literacy achievement. State agencies and partner organizations are collaborating to anchor supports for families, educators, leaders, and community partners in the science of reading.
“Science of reading” means an interdisciplinary body of scientific evidence that:
- Informs how students learn to read and write proficiently from early childhood through adolescence.
- 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 interdisciplinary body of scientific evidence is the research. From this research, educators have to transform it into instructional practices that include the use of quality instructional materials. Learning to read is not a natural process. We use systematic and explicit instructional practices to train the developing reading brain. Structured literacy practices help all readers develop the pathways in the brain necessary for skilled reading. Nancy Hennesy gives us An Overview of Structured Literacy how it supports the “science of instruction.”
February is "I love to Read" Month
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce loves reading so much that employees donated over 500 books for K-6 grade readers to the
Columbus Kids’ Book Bank. The book bank was created by
2nd and 7, an organization founded by former Ohio State Buckeye football players that promotes literacy and positive role models for central Ohio students. Share your love of books in the month of February by donating books to local children’s hospitals, library, or other organizations that accept gently used books.
February is a good time to explore resources available from your local library. Ohio has 251 public library systems with 481 branch locations, for a total of 732 library outlets.
DataOhio includes dashboards with directory information for all public library systems in Ohio.
Webinars
Whether just getting started or already implementing the science of reading, this toolkit provides resources school leaders, teachers and families can use throughout the year.
Tips for Superintendents and district leaders
- Examining instructional materials for literacy?
- Host a parent discussion: How will the focus on the science of reading enhance reading instruction in our district?
- This Snapshot Series from REL Southeast explores how emergent literacy instruction provides the building blocks that will, in later grades, provide children the foundation needed to become good readers.
- Consider using information on How Children Learn to Read from Reading Rockets to support conversations.
- Survey the Understanding Evidence-Based Literacy Practices PreK-3: Family Edition toolkit that is available from the National Center on Improving Literacy.
- Plan for professional development in the science of reading.
- Review the information on the HB33 Professional Development in the Science of Reading and Frequently Asked Questions, including similar trainings that meet the requirement.
- Work with building leaders to identify educators who will be required to complete professional development in the science of reading. Have teachers in grades 2 and 3 begun or completed the dyslexia professional development? Have intervention specialists in grades 4-12 begun or completed the dyslexia professional development?
- Review the course pathway options to determine the appropriate pathway for each educator.
- Contact your educational service center and/or state support team for facilitation support, if needed.
- District curriculum director: Audit and assess core curriculum and instructional materials in place.
- What materials are currently in place for core instruction? What data has been collected on the implementation or effectiveness of the materials in place?
- To what degree do current materials address phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, reading comprehension and writing? Where are the gaps in your current curriculum?
- How are materials and instruction addressing components of reading in an explicit, systematic way? Examine Information from the National Center on Intensive Intervention on What Every Educator Needs to Know About Explicit Instruction and plan for how educators will complete this requirement by June 30, 2025.
- District curriculum director and/or curriculum adoption committee: Plan for quality review and selection process of new materials.
- District curriculum director: Audit and assess reading intervention programs in place.
- How are you addressing early intervention?
- How are students being assessed and matched to interventions? Jack Fletcher provides insight in this video into how to develop structures to support appropriate screening.
- Enhance your literacy knowledge by taking The Simple View of Reading and What is the Science of Reading Courses on Literacy Academy on Demand.
- To learn more about assessment and intervention in Grades K-5, take the following Literacy Academy on Demand Courses:
- To learn more about assessment and intervention in Grades 6-12, take the following Literacy Academy on Demand Courses:
Tips for PrincipalS
- Continue building your background knowledge in the science of reading as an instructional leader
- Plan for operationalizing the science of reading at the building level.
- Leverage shared leadership for advancing literacy initiatives.
- Building leaders: Plan for professional development in the science of reading.
- Review the information on the HB33 Professional Development in the Science of Reading and Frequently Asked Questions, including similar trainings that meet the requirement.
- Work with district leaders to identify educators who will be required to complete professional development in the science of reading. Have teachers in grades 2 and 3 begun or completed the dyslexia professional development? Have intervention specialists in grades 4-12 begun or completed the dyslexia professional development?
- Review the course pathway options developed by the Department and plan for how educators will complete this requirement by June 30, 2025.
- Plan for course completion by educators, including timelines, expectations and coaching to support application to classroom practice.
- Plan for course completion as an administrator, including discussion and follow up with other building leaders.
- Contact your educational service center and/or state support team for facilitation support, if needed.
Tips for Educators
- Host a grade-level discussion on current strengths in literacy instruction and shifts needed in core instruction after completing the dyslexia professional development:
- As you review your screening data, what are the next steps in instruction?
- What changes in instruction or re-teaching need to be considered?
- What structured literacy practices will be most beneficial to a student, based on their screening and diagnostic data?
- Review the Ohio Dyslexia Guidebook, Section 2: Methods for Screening, Intervention-Based Assessment and Progress Monitoring.
- Host a grade-level discussion on current strengths in literacy instruction and shifts needed in intervention after completing the dyslexia professional development:
- How are students matched to appropriate interventions based on data?
- How is intervention provided to students with reading difficulties in addition to tier 1 instruction?
- View the Department’s Reading Improvement and Monitoring Plan video series to see short videos examples of explicit reading interventions for a range of learners.
- Learn more about assessment and intervention in Grades K-5, through the following Literacy Academy on Demand courses:
- Learn more about assessment and intervention in Grades 6-12, through the following Literacy Academy on Demand courses:
- In your multidisciplinary or student-level teams:
- Sign up to receive Literacy and English Language Arts email updates with information and professional learning opportunities.
Tips for Families
- Learn more about dyslexia.
- Partner with your child’s teacher and school.
- Leverage this toolkit from the National Center on Improving Literacy for ways families and schools can work together to support children’s literacy success in and out of school.
- Day By Day Ohio Family Literacy Calendar
- A perpetual calendar that provides early literacy resources for young children and their families. It features daily songs, activities, book recommendations, and videos to support the development of pre-reading skills and prepare children for school.
- Help your child read and write with practical strategies based on evidence.
- Read Together, Grow Together provides tips for every adult who shares the joy of reading with a child. They are based on best practices and can be used with any books that you have.
- Sign up for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library of Ohio.
Read Ohio Implementation Timeline
fall 2024
- Review guidance available for district and school leaders around professional development requirements in the science of reading and high-quality instructional materials in English Language Arts.
- Continue professional development to support students across all content areas.
- Take Ohio’s Introduction to Dyslexia, Grades 4-12 Course in the Learning Management System
- Take Ohio’s Introduction to the Science of Reading Course(s) in the Learning Management System
- Consider working with your ESC or SST to provide facilitation alongside professional development completion to support application of new learning to classroom practice.
- Review and select materials from the approved list of core curriculum and instructional materials, and review and select evidence-based reading intervention programs from the approved list, if needed.
- Continue building knowledge around high-quality processes and for selecting and implementing HQIM through statewide webinars.
- K-3 Reading Diagnostic
- Kindergarten – First 20 days of Instruction
- Grades 1-3 – By September 30th
- RIMPs must be developed within 60 days of receiving Reading Diagnostic results
- Fall Grade 3 English language arts test administration: Oct. 14-Nov. 1, 2024
- Five consecutive school days, including makeups
Winter 2024/2025
- Continue professional learning and job-embedded supports for new core curriculum and instructional materials and reading intervention programs.
- Continue professional development to support students across all content areas.
- Tier 1 Dyslexia Screening
- Kindergarten students: Universal (tier 1) screening must occur between the first day of January of their kindergarten year and prior to the first day of January of the following school year.
- Grades 1-6: Upon parent request or teacher request with parent permission.
spring/summer 2025
- Spring English language arts test administration: March 24-April 25, 2025
- 15 consecutive school days, including makeups
- Summer Grade 3 English language arts test administration: June 23-27, 2025
- Register and attend the 2025 Literacy Academy (June 12, 2025).
- Begin planning for training and implementation of new materials.
- Summer Grade 3 English language arts administration window (June 24-28, 2025)
Please send questions to
ReadOhio@education.ohio.gov
Last Modified: 4/22/2025 12:48:27 PM