The following article was originally published in the Ohio Capital Journal and published on News5Cleveland.com under a content-sharing agreement.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine laid out his vision to give Ohioans “the tools to live up to their full potential” and “the opportunity to live their version of the American dream” Wednesday in his State of the State address.
Before a joint meeting of the General Assembly, the governor described the state of the state as “strong” and urged lawmakers to back many of the proposals laid out in his budget proposal.
His speech comes at a moment of uncertainty as the state navigates the impact of on-again-off-again tariffs and sharp cuts to federal agencies. The stock market, on a tear since late last year, has now given back all those gains and then some. Amid a surge in avian flu centered on Western Ohio, the U.S. Department of Agriculture accidentally fired employees working on the response and then had to scramble to rehire them.
A substantial share of the state’s budget relies on revenue from the federal government. Medicaid is the biggest and most obvious example, but other programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Head Start and Pell Grants depend on money from federal sources.
But the governor’s speech and his budget didn’t reflect that uncertainty. After attracting new businesses to the state, he argued it’s time to focus on filling those jobs.
DeWine’s two-year spending plan includes a novel $1,000 child tax credit, and access to vision care for young people as part of his effort to improve literacy. The budget proposal maintains funding for child care and a higher education merit scholarship program. In a new step, DeWine also proposes tying “a significant portion” of university funding to job placement.
Workforce
The governor bragged about the state’s run of economic development successes, attracting major employers to the state. At the same time, he argued, their job isn’t done yet.
“We’ve created all these incredible economic opportunities and new jobs in Ohio,” DeWine said. “But now our mission as a state is to act with great urgency and intense focus on filling these jobs.”
DeWine made a case for expanding the scope of state workforce efforts — including outreach to people with special needs, ex-offenders, seniors and those in addiction recovery. He’s tasking new Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel to lead workforce efforts.
Democrats in the room were particularly enthusiastic after DeWine emphasized workforce re-entry programs. He said 18,000 people are released each year from incarceration, “and it’s in all of our interests to get them into the workforce.” DeWine explained the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections is providing job training tailored for in-demand industries.
“Our trained ex-offenders want to work,” DeWine said. “I say to the employers in Ohio — give them a chance.”
The governor also argued there’s an important intersection between workforce and child care. If parents can’t afford to care for their kids, after all, they’re going to have a tough time making it to work.
To that end, he pushed lawmakers to maintain publicly funded child care vouchers for families earning up to 200% of the federal poverty limit.
“Our voucher program, really an education and workforce program, is making a significant positive impact on young children and working families throughout the state of Ohio,” DeWine argued.
He made a similar argument for his child tax credit proposal, giving parents $1,000 for every child under the age of 7. While Democrats welcome a state version of the popular federal program, some in the governor’s party have expressed skepticism for his plan to pay for the credit with big increases in tobacco taxes.
Youth interventions
One of DeWine’s biggest efforts in recent years has been to push schools around the state to embrace a phonics-based teaching approach for reading. To advance the “science of reading,” DeWine proposed carrots and sticks.
“When students are falling behind,” DeWine said, “our budget requires districts with low rates of proficient readers to focus more of their dollars on teaching children how to read.”
For schools showing success, DeWine announced a science of reading recognition program.
The governor noted educational challenges aren’t limited to curriculum. Although every student gets screened for vision, only about one-fourth of those who need vision care actually get it.
“That leaves tens of thousands of Ohio children behind in school not being able to see as well as they should,” DeWine argued. “This is wrong.”
His proposed OhioSEE program would give school-aged kids comprehensive eye exams and “if it turns out they do need glasses, they will get glasses.”
The governor estimated the program would help 33,000 Ohio kids get glasses.
DeWine urged lawmakers to expand access to dental care, too. He’s proposing a nine-county pilot program covering preventive care and treatment in places where low-cost dental care is hard to find.
The governor also took a victory lap for a move last summer to restrict cellphones in schools. He argued teachers, principals, and parents have told him without phones, “the school transformed before their very eyes.”
“Kids were focused in the classroom,” DeWine reported hearing. “The sound of laughter and banter echo throughout the lunchroom. These kids are actually talking to each other, instead of having their heads down, buried in their phones.”
Following the speech, the Statehouse rotunda was packed with members of the child advocacy group Groundwork Ohio. They held signs praising the governor’s tax credit and child care plans and led chants to fund Ohio kids.
Higher Ed
At the end of 2023, Ohio launched a merit scholarship program to keep high-performing high school students in the state. The program gives the top 5% of students a $5,000 a year scholarship for all four years if they attend a college or university in Ohio. In the first year, the program attracted about three-quarters of those eligible.
“Of the students eligible for the scholarship in this year’s senior class, an astounding 87% of them have accepted it and are remaining in Ohio to go to college,” DeWine told the joint GA session.
In addition to funding scholarships for high-achievers, DeWine proposed guaranteed admission for the top 5% of high school seniors. That would apply to the main campus of every public institution in Ohio, and DeWine stated independent colleges have expressed interest in matching that pledge.
The governor is also proposing new accountability measures for university funding. He explained schools currently get money based on how many students complete coursework and earn degrees.
“Our budget takes this to the next logical level by partially funding our state colleges and universities based on actual student outcomes,” DeWine said, “including how many students get a job after graduation.”
The governor said that would make Ohio the first in the nation to tie significant funding to employment.
