Ohio education chief outlines literacy, acceleration, workforce and wellness priorities

Director Steve Dakin of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce told the Senate Education Committee that the agency is focusing on four priorities — literacy, learning acceleration, workforce readiness and student wellness — and described work underway to implement those goals.

“The 2025–26 school year marks the first year of fully implementing the science of reading,” Dakin said, adding that the department is reviewing curriculum and instructional materials and will publish updated lists of approved materials in the spring.

Dakin told senators the department has trained more than 71,000 teachers and administrators in the science-of-reading approach and expanded its Read Ohio literacy coaches: “From fiscal year ’24 to fiscal year ’25, the number of Read Ohio coaches nearly tripled,” he said. He also described the department’s use of federal ESSER funding for high-dosage tutoring and math supports and said digital math curriculum Zearn is now available to a broad set of Ohio schools.

Why it matters: The agency’s work affects instruction across Ohio’s K–12 system and shapes how districts use state and federal dollars to respond to literacy and recovery needs. The department framed the effort as both pedagogical (training and approved materials) and operational (aligning staff and performance systems to priorities).

Details and context

Dakin described multiple strands of activity the department has pursued since the reorganization into the Department of Education and Workforce. On literacy, he said the department is ensuring that district materials and interventions meet evidence-based criteria. He also noted the department’s Read Ohio coaching expansion and the number of educators trained.

On learning acceleration, Dakin said the department has directed ESSER dollars toward high-dosage tutoring and math support and cited a Zearn rollout covering about 560,000 students in grades K–8 and roughly 25,000 educators across approximately 1,585 schools.

On workforce readiness, Dakin said Ohio awarded $300,000,000 in construction and equipment grants for career-technical education; the department expects about 16,500 additional students will gain access to career-technical programs as a result. He said participation in College Credit Plus rose, with roughly 87,000 students in the 2023–24 school year, about a 10% increase year over year.

On student wellness, Dakin said there are currently 135 school-based health centers in Ohio and that the department has published a school-based health center toolkit for districts seeking to develop on-site services. He also referenced implementation work on recommendations from the Ohio School-Based Safety Working Group and the Ohio Attendance Task Force.

Operational notes

Dakin said the department is aligning staff evaluations and goals to the agency priorities through the state’s e‑performance system and undergoing an annual performance audit to identify efficiencies. “I stand firm in my obligation to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars,” he said, noting a reduction in both part-time and full-time staff since his appointment.

Committee follow-up and next steps

Dakin told the committee he will return to discuss the agency budget in a future hearing and invited continued collaboration with the General Assembly, educators and parents.

Ending

Committee members asked several technical follow-ups during and after Dakin’s remarks; staff said the department will provide additional data requested by senators. Dakin closed by reiterating the department’s priorities and the intention to continue implementation work ahead of the next budget cycle.