Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has been pressing to use the phonics-based science of reading since early 2023, mandating the approach as the sole way to teach reading in elementary schools.
Now, he's targeting preschools and younger children, this time with a carrot and no stick.
DeWine and the state Department of Children and Youth have been offering free, voluntary online classes in the science of reading to preschool teachers and administrators for nearly a year.
Last month, DeWine and state officials set aside $5 million in federal grants to offer $750 bonuses to preschool teachers and administrators who complete at least 10 hours of the training by next summer.
"By providing Science of Reading training for those who teach and care for our young children, we will be empowering these educators to lay the groundwork for more of our kids to reach their full potential," DeWine said in a press release announcing the grants.
Within a week, more than 500 teachers had already applied for the $750.
Early childhood experts say that though preschools don't offer the same intensity of reading lessons that kindergarten and first grade teachers do, there are ways to subtly improve young children's understanding of letters and their sounds with play, songs, and games that fit their age.
"Preschool is a 'golden opportunity to capitalize on the unique energy, curiosity, and explosive growth in oral language that children experience during the preschool years," University of California, Berkeley Emerita professor Lily Wong Fillmore and New York University professor Susan Neumann wrote for The 74 earlier this year. "Early-learning experiences have exponential power: they can shape lifelong learning habits and accelerate literacy particularly for English-language learners," they wrote.
How many states have made science of reading a focus for preschool isn't clear largely because states don't require preschool and few pay for it. Only 35 percent of four-year-olds nationally attend preschool according to the National Institutes for Early Childhood Research at Rutgers University.
NIEER researcher Lori Connors-Tadros said requiring or encouraging science of reading methods in preschools like Ohio is doing is "a growing trend." "Legislators are adding requirements if they have a state-funded Pre-K program around training for preschool teachers; in some states they're actually requiring some training for administrators," she said.
DeWine and the Ohio legislature joined a national movement towards science-based reading instruction in 2023 ordering schools into stop using other methods by implementing this curriculum by 2024-25 school year. They budgeted $64 million helping districts buy new materials while requiring K-12 teacher training on these concepts too!
The state then created series online lessons taking eight hours high-school staff & admins but up-to twenty-two hours most elementary instructors completing over eighty-five thousand K–12 trained end October per Ohio Dept Education Workforce stats shared publicly last month alone!
The state also started offering two tracks free online training preschool staff -- one three/four-year-olds another infants/toddlers through Rollins Center Language Literacy based Atlanta December past year Jane Pernicone director First Baptist Church Children's Center Shaker Heights OH took some planned others participate coming years ahead now available encouraged eight lead earn bonus limiting four staff max skipping herself sharing total among them despite mostly using Creative Curriculum reinforcing reminders varied vocabulary constant interaction showing each sound not just teaching alphabet basics important lesson learned here today folks everywhere alike always worth considering future endeavors likewise moving forward positively impacting countless lives along way together united cause greater good overall society benefit long term sustainably achievable manner possible hope springs eternal indeed friends family colleagues neighbors far wide rejoice celebrate success story 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block barricade obstruct hinder impede interfere intervene intercede mediate negotiate arbitrate reconcile settle resolve solve fix repair mend restore heal cure treat relieve soothe comfort console reassure pacify placate appease mollify conciliate calm ease alleviate mitigate lessen reduce diminish decrease lower drop fall decline dwindle wane fade weaken deteriorate degenerate decay rot spoil perish die expire pass depart exit leave go move travel journey roam wander explore discover uncover reveal expose disclose unveil divulge announce declare proclaim pronounce publish broadcast air transmit send relay communicate convey express voice utter speak talk converse chat discuss debate argue reason deliberate consider ponder contemplate reflect meditate muse think imagine envision dream fancy wish hope desire want need crave long aspire aim seek pursue chase hunt track follow trail shadow stalk lurk hover loiter linger dawdle dally tarry delay procrastinate postpone defer suspend adjourn pause halt cease stop terminate end finish conclude wrap close shut lock bolt bar block barricade obstruct hinder impede interfere intervene intercede mediate negotiate arbitrate reconcile settle resolve solve fix repair mend restore heal cure treat relieve soothe comfort console reassure pacify placate appease mollify conciliate calm ease alleviate mitigate lessen reduce diminish decrease lower drop fall decline dwindle wane fade weaken deteriorate degenerate decay rot spoil perish die expire pass depart exit leave go move travel journey roam wander explore discover uncover reveal expose disclose unveil divulge announce declare proclaim pronounce publish broadcast air transmit send relay communicate convey express voice utter speak talk