Governor and First Lady DeWine Honor Austintown and Perry Elementary Schools as Science of Reading Champions
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine visited Austintown Elementary School near Youngstown and Perry Elementary School in Zanesville today, continuing their tour across Ohio to celebrate schools that have earned the Governor’s Science of Reading Champions Award.
“Schools like the ones we’re celebrating today are seeing more engagement and better reading comprehension since they started using the Science of Reading,” said Governor DeWine. “Many students are learning about history, science, and other subjects at the same time they’re learning to read. It helps make students excited to learn. These schools are setting their kids up for success throughout school and throughout life.”
 Governor and First Lady DeWine presented students at Austintown Elementary School with a Science of Reading Champions banner.
At Austintown Elementary School, Governor DeWine, First Lady DeWine, and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) Director Stephen D. Dackin joined district administrators, school leaders, and teachers for a roundtable discussion about how they use the Science of Reading to shape their literacy instruction.
Austintown’s prioritization of literacy achievement and intervention is making a difference for their students. From the 2021-22 school year to the 2023-24 school year, they more than doubled the number of kindergarten students who are on-track with reading. Today, their third grade reading proficiency rate is at nearly 84% – about 12% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
During his 2025 State of the State Address last month, Governor DeWine highlighted Austintown Elementary as a premier example of a school that is experiencing success utilizing the Science of Reading.
After the roundtable, the Governor and First Lady visited classes of kindergarten and first grade students to observe literacy instruction in action, before presenting the school with a congratulatory Science of Reading Champions banner.
 The Governor and First Lady visited classes of kindergarten and first grade students at Austintown Elementary to observe literacy instruction in action.
The Science of Reading Champions tour continued at Perry Elementary School in East Muskingum Local School District, where the Governor and First Lady again met with school and district leaders to discuss their school’s work to improve literacy achievement.
 Governor Mike DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine took part in a roundtable discussion with reading teachers and district leaders at Perry Elementary School on Thursday.
Perry Elementary has been using curriculum aligned with the Science of Reading for several years. Today, 100% of their teachers and administrators have completed professional development training in the Science of Reading, and all students’ parents and guardians review literacy progress data as part of their parent-teacher conference.
As a result, student literacy outcomes have improved at least one grade level between the 2022-23 school year and the 2023-24 school year.
After the discussion, the Governor and First Lady DeWine observed literacy instruction in a class of first grade students. Once again, the Governor concluded his visit by presenting students and school leaders with a Science of Reading Champions banner.
 The Governor and First Lady concluded their visit by presenting Perry Elementary students with a Science of Reading Champions banner.
The Governor’s Science of Reading Champions Award honors schools that are excelling with their implementation of the Science of Reading, embracing professional development for teachers, and raising literacy achievement among their students.
Austintown and Perry elementaries were among the inaugural group of schools to be honored though the program.
 Students at Perry Elementary School presented Governor and First Lady DeWine with "thank yous" for visiting and their prioritization of reading.
The Governor and First Lady have also visited schools in West Carrollton, Columbus, and Wheelersburg as part of their Science of Reading Champions tour.
The Governor’s Science of Reading Champions program will honor a new group of schools each year.
About the Science of Reading:
Based on decades of brain research and literacy development, the Science of Reading informs the most effective strategies for teaching students how to read. Governor DeWine has long supported the implementation of Science of Reading practices in all Ohio educational settings, including early childhood education, K-12 education, and higher education.
Every day, more schools are becoming fully aligned with the Science of Reading and the results are noticeable. This past year’s School Report Cards showed significant improvement in English Language Arts proficiency among elementary students, climbing by 2.2 percentage points among Ohio third graders, 5.2 percentage points among fourth graders, and 3.1 percentage points among fifth graders.
Science of Reading FAQs – Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
Additional Media Contact:
Ohio Department of Education and Workforce
Lacey Snoke, Chief Communications Officer
614-995-1855
[email protected]
-30-
|
