The pendulum in literacy education is swinging again in Ohio. This time toward the science of reading approach. Ohio Governor Mike Dewine has been advocating for change and now he’s hoping state mandates and budget incentives will create change in how Ohio’s children learn to read.
A Tale of Two Curricula
Literacy experts across the country have traditionally divided into two camps of instruction: science of reading, which is a systematic approach, rooted in phonetics, and balanced literacy, which does not teach phonics in an explicit, systematic way, but prioritizes students’ comprehension of a text.
The past decade has been dominated by balanced literacy approaches, reasoning that children need to do more than just sound out words. Advocates argue that true literacy comes from deeper thinking and understanding of both context and words.
“We must teach comprehension as a multidimensional experience,” wrote educators Jessica Hahn and Mia Hood in Education Week. “We want children to comprehend what’s happening literally in the text (who did what when), but we also want them to be able to analyze how parts of the text (literary devices, figurative language, structural choices) work together to develop ideas. And we want them to interpret the purpose and significance of the text in relation to their lives and to society.”
Critics of this approach point to dipping test scores and questions about the lack of scientific research concerning the efficacy of balanced literacy.
Aaron Churchill, Ohio research director for the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, writes, “For decades, ineffective methods have plagued classrooms, leaving too many students struggling to read… [balanced reading curricula] are notorious for promoting the harmful practice of three-cueing, a technique that prompts children to guess at words based on pictures or other “cues,” instead of sounding out letters to recognize words (i.e., phonics). Empirical research has clearly demonstrated the vast superiority of phonics over cueing techniques.
Funding, Professional Development, and a Mandate
Governor Dewine believes science of reading is the most effective approach for Ohio’s schools and has encouraged its implementation through funding, professional development, and the impending state mandate.
The state’s two-year, $191 billion budget included science of reading provisions — $86 million for educator professional development, $64 million for curriculum and instructional materials, and $18 million for literacy coaches.
The Ohio Capital Journal reports that ODEW sent a survey in September to all public school and community school superintendents (1,007 in total) about the instructional materials they use and professional development training their educators receive.
Nearly 70% of school districts and community schools said their teachers previously completed science of reading professional development before this current school year, using stipends provided in the most recent state budget.
Starting with the 2024-2025 school year, schools will be required to use state-approved materials that align with the science of reading approach. The law directs the Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) to subsidize the cost for schools and districts required to purchase new materials to comply with the law.
All teaching staff are required to receive professional development in the area of the science of reading and reading interventions. The law also bans the use of the “three-cuing approach” to reading instruction unless it is required by the individualized education program (IEP) of a student with a disability or a waiver is obtained.
Swinging too Far?
Some educators are wary of the pendulum swinging too far in Ohio. Linda Fenner, a founding member of Citizen Advocates for Public Education (CAPEOhio), said she wonders if there is a “global solution or a one-size fits all program” that works best for teaching all students how to read.
“Different kids need different things in order to learn how to read,” she said. “The kids who need the most support really need different things and in different combinations.”
The Reading Recovery Council of North America has filed a lawsuit, hoping to prevent Ohio from mandating literacy instruction. The the trial is set for Oct. 28, 2024, though, so until then, Ohio’s teachers are preparing to shift literacy instruction toward the science of reading approach.