Literacy Resources
The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and Workforce aims to increase student achievement through improving language and literacy outcomes for all students. Ohio's Evidence-based Clearinghouse includes strategies and programs to support evidence-based teaching and learning.
More Resources
The resources below provide helpful context to consider as you explore literacy strategies and interventions to implement in your district or school. You can also contact your State Support Team for support understanding the current context of literacy education and in selecting and implementing evidence-based strategies.
State Plans and Standards
These resources provide an overview of Ohio's statewide literacy plans and standards.
Approved List of Core Curriculum and Instructional Materials
Under ORC 3313.6028(B), the Department is responsible for establishing a list of English language arts core curriculum and instructional materials aligned with the science of reading and effective literacy instruction strategies.
Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement
Literacy skills lay the foundation upon which every individual’s education rests. When a learner receives the necessary tools to develop strong language and literacy skills, he or she becomes able to achieve personal autonomy and pursue aspirations. Ohio is committed to supporting an education system that prioritizes the language and literacy development of all learners in keeping with its overarching strategic plan for education, Each Child, Our Future. That plan promotes the importance of early learning and expanding access to quality early learning experiences. Further, it calls for Ohio and its schools to develop literacy skills in all age groups, grades and subjects.
Ohio’s Learning Standards for English Language Arts
Ohio educators, many of whom engage daily with Ohio students, drove the process to make improvements to Ohio’s Learning Standards for English Language Arts as part of a periodic review. In many cases, the changes reflect instruction already taking place in Ohio’s classrooms. The clarifications in the revised standards will guide districts in modifying, not replacing their existing local curriculum, instructional plans and materials. In addition to the information available now, we will be providing additional resources to help educators learn about, and begin using, the revised standards.
Learning to read is a major milestone in a young child’s life and fundamental for long-term success. However, for some children, the process of learning to read is extremely difficult and becomes a barrier to their academic and socialemotional development. A large and converging body of research now shows that early identification of children who may experience reading difficulties is possible and focused intervention and remediation efforts are effective for reducing negative long-term impacts.
Practice Supports
These practice guides and organizations provide additional resources and insights into the science of reading.
IES Practice Guide: Improving Reading Comprehension K – 3
Students who read with understanding at an early age gain access to a broader range of texts, knowledge, and educational opportunities, making early reading comprehension instruction particularly critical. This guide recommends five specific steps that teachers, reading coaches, and principals can take to successfully improve reading comprehension for young readers.
IES Practice Guide: Foundational Skills to Support Reading K – 3
This practice guide provides four recommendations for teaching foundational reading skills to students in kindergarten through 3rd grade. Each recommendation includes implementation steps and solutions for common obstacles. The recommendations also summarize and rate supporting evidence. This guide is geared towards teachers, administrators, and other educators who want to improve their students’ foundational reading skills, and is a companion to the practice guide, Improving Reading Comprehension in Kindergarten Through 3rd Grade.
IES Practice Guide: Providing Reading Interventions in Grades 4 – 9
This practice guide provides four evidence-based recommendations that teachers can use to deliver reading interventions to meet the needs of their students.
The time a child spends in school is precious and should ensure all aspects of a child’s well-being are addressed, including the physical, social, emotional and intellectual aspects. As part of a focus on increasing student learning, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce & Workforce believes in providing support for building leaders and teachers to locally review, select and implement high-quality instructional materials. The Office of Learning and Instructional Strategies is committed to leading this work.
The mission of The Reading League is to advance the awareness, understanding, and use of evidence-aligned reading instruction.
Research Centers
These centers present contemporary research and tools to support reading and literacy instruction.
Florida Center for Reading Research
The Florida Center for Reading Research is a multidisciplinary research center at Florida State University that was established in 2002 by the Governor's office and Legislature. Currently, FCRR is home to ten tenured and tenure-track faculty members holding joint appointments with the College of Arts & Sciences, College of Education, and College of Social Work. In addition, FCRR has affiliate faculty in the College of Social Work, School of Teacher Education, and School of Communication Sciences and Disorders.
National Center for Improving Literacy
The National Center on Improving Literacy (NCIL), operated by Boston University’s Wheelock College of Education and Human Development with funding from the United States Department of Education, is a partnership among literacy experts, university researchers, and technical assistance providers from the University of Oregon, Florida State University, and RMC Research Corporation.
National Center on Intensive Intervention
Progress monitoring, a key component of a multi-tiered system of support (MTSS), occurs throughout the data-based individualization (DBI) process to assess responsiveness to the validated intervention platform, as well as adaptations to the intervention.
The Center for Reading Science at Mount St Joseph
The purpose of the Center for Reading Science is to support educators in implementing the science of reading in their classrooms and communities. Our center aims to provide trusted information and resources to help educators bridge the research-to-practice gap and provide evidence-based practices in preschool through higher education.
The Center for Dyslexia is one of MTSU's research centers. The center actively conducts research and supports the translation of research to practice. It is a model for interdisciplinary research dedicated to unraveling the puzzle of dyslexia and reading struggles that impact far too many individuals across Tennessee and our nation. The Center translates research to practice through the organization and delivery of professional services to students with dyslexia, to psychologists and teachers who identify and instruct them, and to schools that must orchestrate a broad range of factors that will enable these students to achieve their potential.
Supported by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs and located at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, the IRIS Center develops and disseminates free, engaging online resources about evidence-based instructional and behavioral practices to support the education of all students, particularly struggling learners and those with disabilities. These resources, designed to bridge the research-to-practice gap, are intended for use in college teacher preparation programs, in professional development (PD) activities for practicing professionals, and by independent learners. The array of IRIS resources includes modules, case studies, information briefs, course/PD activities, a high-leverage practices alignment tool, and an online glossary of disability-related terms as well as supporting products to enhance their use in coursework and PD activities.