Gov. Mike DeWine touted improved language arts scores, phone-free schools, and expanded access to childcare during his 2025 State of the State address, delivered Wednesday, March 12.
DeWine expressed his wish that each Ohioan could live their version of the American dream and pledged to keep working to help Ohio families.
The Republican governor recapped recent accomplishments and goals for the coming year during his State of the State Wednesday before a joint session of the Ohio General Assembly.
“Since taking office, my administration has worked each day to help ensure that every Ohioan has the tools to live up to their full potential,” DeWine said. “For the truth is, we cannot achieve our full potential as a state unless each Ohioan first achieves theirs.”
Ohio has added more than 81,000 private sector jobs. State officials continue targeted initiatives to attract economic development projects, with an estimated 15,000 additional jobs pledged through projects that are currently in development.
DeWine announced that Lt. Governor Jim Tressel will lead an initiative to implement Ohio’s Workforce Playbook. State officials will assess the needs and concerns of Ohio’s various regions. The Playbook will outline ways to retain existing talent, recruit new talent to Ohio, and rally the current workforce to improve productivity.
The state is also seeing improved educational outcomes in terms of test scores and phone-free schools. After a new law required school districts to implement policies related to cell phone use in schools, many districts banned cell phones.
Those that did report better student engagement, attendance, grades, socialization, and communication. As a result, Governor DeWine announced a proposal to ban cell phone use in all Ohio schools.
“Addiction to screen time and the non-stop barrage of notifications rob our children of precious time to learn from their teachers during the school day,” said DeWine.
Ohio’s Science of Reading initiative in all K-12 schools is delivering encouraging results. This year’s School Report Cards showed improvement in English Language Arts proficiency among elementary students, climbing by 2.2% among Ohio third graders, 5.2% among fourth graders, and 3.1% among fifth graders.
DeWine announced the creation of the new Governor’s Science of Reading Recognition Program to celebrate schools that are achieving results. More than 40 schools have been selected for this recognition in the program’s inaugural year.
Other educational initiatives include:
· Embed social studies content directly into materials used to teach reading and writing skills.
- Require instruction on Ohio history in every grade, starting in kindergarten.
- Emphasize the development of essential practical life skills such as time management, problem-solving, teamwork, critical thinking, and adaptability.
- Integrate career planning into existing high school graduation plans to help students define their career goals and identify the education or training needed to achieve them.
- Put driver’s education back into Ohio’s high schools.
- Launch new program to promote physical fitness led by Lt. Governor Tressel.
Ohio continues to expand financial support for childcare to help working families. Ten months after the launch of Ohio’s Childcare Choice Voucher Program, which assists working families earning up to 200% of the federal poverty level, Ohio supports 5,100 more families and 7,700 more children.
DeWine’s proposed child tax credit would also provide families up to $1,000 per child annually through age 6. Families could use the money to pay for childcare, healthcare, and other costs associated with raising children.
Governor DeWine praised the success of school-based health clinics across the state and announced details of two new school-based programs proposed in the state budget to provide vision, dental, and healthcare. The OhioSEE vision program will ensure that all Ohio kindergarten through third grade students get vision screenings or follow-up care, including glasses, if needed.
The Children’s Dental Services Program will start as a pilot program in nine Ohio counties that lack non-profit dental facilities to provide care to low-income families. The program will partner with dental professionals in the community and school districts to provide dental services in the schools.
In the realm of higher education, the Ohio Governor’s Merit Scholarship is boosting enrollment at in-state colleges. The scholarship awards $5,000 to graduating seniors in the top 5% of their class who attend an Ohio college or university.
Only about 60% of students meeting scholarship parameters stayed in Ohio for college. Last year, 76% of students eligible for the scholarship accepted it and attend Ohio colleges and universities. This year, the acceptance rate grew even further to 87%.
In addition, DeWine’s budget proposes guaranteeing admission to the main campus of every state college or university for all Ohio high school students in the top 5 percent of their class.
Governor DeWine’s proposed budget will also make Ohio the first state in the nation to tie a significant portion of funding for colleges and universities to student outcomes, including how many students got a job after graduation.
