Ohio Governor Mike DeWine visited Walsh University on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, to gain insight into the institution's involvement in the Science of Reading initiative. This statewide effort aims to enhance literacy among Ohio’s children. Walsh University is one of the first institutions in Ohio to align its teacher preparation programs with this initiative, having begun training its faculty as early as January 2019.

During his visit, Governor DeWine met with administrators, faculty, and students to examine how Walsh is preparing future educators with evidence-based literacy instruction techniques. He participated in an interactive session with teacher candidates who are applying these methods in local elementary schools and observing positive outcomes. Walsh University President Tim Collins accompanied the governor through various stations at the Marlene and Joe Toot Global Learning Center.

A significant success story highlighted during the visit was Perry Local’s Watson Elementary School, a partner school of Walsh University that has seen notable improvements in third-grade literacy rates since adopting the Science of Reading method.

Dr. Gary Jacobs, Chair of the Division of Education; Dr. Jeff Warnke, Director of Graduate Studies; and Dr. Lindsey Roush, Professor of Education discussed Walsh’s integration of the Science of Reading into its curriculum by 2020. Since then, faculty members like Dr. Roush have served on state panels to guide others on best practices for implementing this program.

“We are proud that Walsh University is serving as a leader at the state and national levels on this important effort to use the latest literacy science and techniques to improve literacy rates,” said Dr. Gary Jacobs. “Walsh will continue to assist in any capacity to make sure the rollout of this initiative statewide is well-supported and that our teachers are ready to implement as schools adopt the Science of Reading.”

Since 2020, Walsh University has graduated 186 undergraduate and 114 graduate education students equipped with Science of Reading knowledge. Another 218 students are currently enrolled in Walsh’s education programs. This commitment has earned Walsh multiple grants from the Ohio Deans Compact and recognition at both state and national levels.

To support Ohio’s ongoing literacy initiative further, Walsh University plans to expand its reach through its Partners Program which offers tuition discounts to partnering school districts. The program aims to ensure that teachers across Ohio have access to effective reading instruction methods for all students.

For more information on the Partners Program, contact Vice President for Enrollment Management Rebecca Coneglio at rconeglio@walsh.edu.

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