DeWine delivers 2025 State of the State Address, gives shout out to Austintown schools
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine delivered his 2025 State of the State Address in front of the Ohio General Assembly Wednesday afternoon.
Governor DeWine began his address by saying the state of the State of Ohio is "strong" with the main focuses of Wednesday's address being Ohio's workforce, as well as education.
The governor noted record job numbers and future jobs coming to Ohio listing several developments coming to the state with one being in Ashtabula County where PlastPro is investing nearly $53 million to nearly double its staff creating 145 new jobs.
DeWine says he has asked newly-appointed Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel to create Ohio's "workforce playbook" in order to fill these new jobs being created by these developments.
"Ohio's workforce playbook is really the logical extension of our economic success. Our Lieutenant Governor is ready to help clear the barriers holding Ohioans back and he's ready to recruit everyone we can onto our Ohio workforce team," DeWine said.
DeWine added that he has asked Tressel to focus on identifying the job, skillset, education and talent needs in every region of Ohio.
"In doing this, the Lieutenant Governor will bring people together. He will work closely with our four-year universities and colleges, our career and technical schools, our state agencies, as well as local business and leaders and develop a regional strategy that meets the specific needs of each region of the state," DeWine said.
DeWine then talked about opportunities for Ohioans in need such as those with disabilities, those who have been incarcerated both as juveniles and as adults, retired seniors and those with mental health challenges in the workforce.
DeWine mentioned programs and initiatives like Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities (OOD), specialized job training for inmates and Ohio's Great Minds Program and certified peer supporters to help these groups find their way into the workforce.
On the topic of education, DeWine first talked about his ongoing efforts to teach Ohio's children to read noting that 70% of Ohio households with a child under the age of five is getting a free book in the mail every month courtesy of Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
"As Fran and I have traveled around the state and talked to young families, so many of them tell us that receiving these books each month has changed their bedtime routine. They're reading more to their children and they're telling us their children are asking them to read to them more," DeWine said.
DeWine noted several schools that will be honored under the "Science of Reading Recognition Program" for teaching the Science of Reading leading to improved student performance and report cards, specifically naming Austintown Elementary School right here in the Mahoning Valley.
"[Austintown's] focus on literacy achievement is making a real difference for their kids. In two years, they more than doubled the number of kindergarten students who are on track with reading, and the district's third grade reading proficiency rate is now at nearly 84%, which is 12 percentage points higher than their pre-pandemic levels," DeWine said.
DeWine also mentioned efforts to give vision and dental care for students who need them.
On the issue of vision care, DeWine once again connecting the issue to the Mahoning Valley bringing up a student named Jackson James at Jefferson Elementary School in Warren who needed and received eye surgery courtesy of Mahoning Valley-based organization Sight For All United and performed better because of that.
"After getting eye surgery, Jackson now thrives in reading and was recently recognized in school not just for reaching his reading goal, but surpassing that reading goal," DeWine said.
Still on the topic of education, DeWine discussed his recent efforts to implement policies banning cell phones in schools noting positive results including improved student performance and more students socializing with one another.
"Student engagement and attendance have both greatly improved, grades are better, socialization is improvement becoming more positive, the number of students being disciplined was cut nearly in half almost instantly and even communication between students and teachers has improved because they have more opportunities to simply interact with each other," DeWine said.
DeWine also voiced support for giving all Ohio school districts the opportunity to bring driver's training programs into Ohio's schools and having schools teach the subject of history earlier on.
