The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) this week released an updated list of curricular and instructional material for reading aligned to new mandates for instruction established in the biennial budget, HB33 (Edwards).

Gov. Mike DeWine proposed and lawmakers enacted requirements for reading instruction to include approaches aligned to what’s referred to as the science of reading, generally a systematic effort to cover elements including phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. The budget included funding to help schools buy these materials and for teachers to be trained in the approved methods.

DEW released an initial list of approved materials about a month ago but continued to review additional submissions in anticipation of releasing an updated list this month. (See The Hannah Report, 2/5/24.) According to DEW, a review process is ongoing for vendors who wanted to appeal the department’s decisions.

The list is at https://tinyurl.com/bdcny2bb.

The legislation also specifically bars the use of “three-cueing” instructional approaches, absent a waiver from the department. This prohibition prompted a lawsuit from the Reading Recovery Council of North America. Judge Karen Phipps of Franklin County Common Pleas Court has scheduled a hearing on the council’s request for a preliminary injunction for 9:30 a.m. Monday, April 22 before Magistrate Jennifer Hunt. (See The Hannah Report, 10/18/23, 1/31/24.)