Ohio Literacy Coaching Study

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) is partnering with the Ohio Education Research Center to conduct a study on the ReadOhio Literacy Coaching initiative. In 2023, the Ohio General Assembly passed HB 33, which included funding for the provision of literacy coaches to support schools and districts with the lowest rates of reading proficiency. This study will explore three research questions related to the implementation of the ReadOhio literacy coaching program: 1) How does ReadOhio literacy coaching transfer to instructional practices across schools of different types? 2) What are common elements of successful ReadOhio literacy coaching pairings? 3) What are common barriers to implementation in literacy coaching pairings, and what are effective strategies for overcoming these barriers?

This mixed-methods study will include document review and key informant interviews, a statewide survey of literacy coaches and specialists associated with the program, and qualitative data collection with select coaches and schools to gather rich data on the implementation of the literacy coaching program. Data will be analyzed to identify common themes that seek to answer the three research questions and will be reported to ODEW in the spring of 2026.