Ohio Governor Mike DeWine visited New London Schools this week as part of his ongoing OhioSEE tour, spotlighting classroom innovation and student success across the state. The visit doubled as a celebration of the district’s gains under the Science of Reading initiative, a statewide push to ground literacy instruction in evidence-based practices. Against the backdrop of rising expectations for student achievement and mounting pressure on schools to deliver measurable results,DeWine’s stop in New London offered a case study in how policy,pedagogy,and local commitment are intersecting in Ohio’s classrooms.
DeWine visit to New London Schools underscores state push for evidence based literacy
Inside the bustling New London Elementary library, Governor Mike DeWine’s visit became a real-time case study in how Ohio is betting big on evidence-based literacy instruction. Surrounded by decodable texts, sound walls and small-group reading circles, DeWine watched teachers guide students through structured phonics lessons aligned with the Science of Reading. His conversations with educators focused on how state-backed professional development, coaching support and aligned curriculum have shifted classrooms away from guesswork and toward practices rooted in cognitive science. For New London, the governor’s presence served as validation that years of careful work-diagnostic assessments, targeted interventions and data-informed instruction-are beginning to pay off for children who previously struggled to read confidently.
The visit also highlighted how local innovation is being supported by a broader state framework that links funding, training and accountability. District leaders detailed how they are leveraging Ohio’s literacy initiatives to close gaps earlier and sustain gains through the upper grades, emphasizing a few core strategies:
- Structured phonics lessons delivered daily in every primary classroom
- Ongoing teacher training in Science of Reading-aligned methods
- Regular progress monitoring to adjust instruction swiftly
- Family engagement through workshops and take-home reading resources
| Focus Area | Local Impact |
|---|---|
| Early Literacy | More K-3 students reading on grade level |
| Teacher Support | Staff trained in Science of Reading tools |
| Data Use | Faster identification of struggling readers |
| State Partnership | Grants tied to evidence-based materials |
Inside the OhioSEE Tour how New London became a model for Science of Reading success
What Gov. Mike DeWine saw on his OhioSEE Tour stop in New London wasn’t a scripted presentation, but classrooms humming with routines that have become second nature. In one first-grade room, students moved briskly from phonemic warm-ups to decoding practice, then to reading connected text that matched their skill level. Across the hallway, teachers used color-coded data walls and speedy-running records to adjust instruction in real time. District leaders say that shift came from a decision to align everything – curriculum, intervention, and professional development – with evidence-based literacy practice, and to stick with it long enough to see results.
Visitors on the tour followed a clear throughline: every adult in the building could explain why each routine existed and how it supported reading growth. New London staff pointed to several pillars behind their gains:
- Coherent curriculum that emphasizes phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
- Ongoing coaching to help veteran and new teachers implement the Science of Reading with fidelity.
- Data-driven teamwork where grade-level teams meet regularly to review student progress.
- Early, intensive intervention for students who show even mild signs of falling behind.
| Focus Area | New London Practice |
|---|---|
| Instruction | Daily, explicit phonics and language routines |
| Support | Literacy coaches in every elementary grade band |
| Assessment | Frequent short checks to guide small groups |
| Family Engagement | Take-home decodable books and parent nights |
Classroom changes that made the difference teachers materials and daily routines
Inside New London’s primary classrooms, the most visible shift has been in what teachers put into students’ hands and how they use every minute of the day. Leveled readers gave way to decodable texts aligned with phonics lessons, anchor charts were rewritten to spotlight sound-spelling patterns, and “cute” literacy centers were replaced with high-yield practice stations. Teachers streamlined their planning around a shared scope and sequence, using quick checks for understanding to regroup students on the fly. Small-group time became laser-focused: instead of rotating through loosely related activities, students now cycle through targeted decoding work, vocabulary building, and short, supported reading bursts that match their current skill level.
Those adjustments were mirrored in tightly choreographed daily routines that Governor DeWine observed during his visit. Morning warm-ups now begin with oral language drills and phonemic awareness work, followed by explicit phonics, then controlled reading and writing practice that reinforces the same patterns. Transitions are scripted to protect instructional minutes, and teachers rely on simple tools to keep momentum:
- Color-coded folders for quick grouping
- Sound walls replacing conventional word walls
- Fluency timers built into tablets and smartboards
- Data binders so students track their own growth
| Time | Focus | Key Tool |
|---|---|---|
| 8:15-8:30 | Phonemic Warm-Up | Choral response cards |
| 8:30-9:00 | Explicit Phonics | Decodable text sets |
| 9:00-9:20 | Small-Group Reading | Teacher-led mini-lessons |
What other Ohio districts can learn from New London concrete steps to replicate results
Across the state, districts watching New London’s momentum have a roadmap hiding in plain sight: start small, measure relentlessly and keep teachers at the center of every decision. That begins with investing in high-quality, aligned instructional materials and carving out protected time for teachers to master them. Leaders in similar rural and small-town systems can prioritize three levers: building a shared vision for the Science of Reading, reworking schedules to embed daily skills practice and using student data not as a hammer, but as a flashlight.When these levers move together, reading scores don’t just climb – educator confidence does, too.
- Adopt a vetted, phonics-forward curriculum and stick with it.
- Schedule regular data meetings that are short,focused and action-oriented.
- Coach teachers in-class, not just in workshops.
- Engage families with simple, at-home literacy routines.
- Protect time for intervention blocks tied to specific skill gaps.
| Step | Who Leads | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Audit current reading practices | Curriculum team | Month 1 |
| Select Science of Reading materials | District leadership | Months 2-3 |
| Train and coach teachers | Literacy coaches | Months 3-6 |
| Launch data cycles | Building principals | Ongoing |
To Wrap It Up
As Ohio continues to invest in literacy initiatives and evidence-based instructional methods, New London’s success story offers a glimpse of what’s possible when policy, practice, and community support converge. DeWine’s visit may have lasted only a few hours, but the lessons highlighted by students and educators alike will likely reverberate far longer-both in this small school district and in classrooms across the state.
