Here's why the U.S. education head wants to export the Columbus workforce model

U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said the collaboration between education and business in central Ohio in preparation for the Intel semiconductor fabrication plants and the region's growing economy could be a model for the rest of the country.

"I've visited over 40 states. … There's a culture here of intentional collaboration and a shared goal — I can feel it. And when you have that as a culture, the strategy part moves along," Cardona said Thursday during a visit to Columbus that included a roundtable conference with local education and business leaders at Columbus State Community College.

Cardona also spent time touring Columbus City Schools' Avondale Elementary in Franklinton, where he heard from military families about the challenges they face and learned about Columbus' early literacy initiatives, including the "science of reading," which emphasizes phonetic reading skills.

At Columbus State, Cardona visited two engineering labs and met with local education and workforce leaders about the talent pipeline needed for high-tech industries such as semiconductors, electric vehicle batteries, biotech and other advanced manufacturing fields in central Ohio.

Columbus State President David Harrison said powerful relationships help drive success in collaboration between education and business in creating a robust workforce for central Ohio.

"The seamlessness with which we work with K-12, with higher ed, with our employers, and with the public — is really something that I think is a superpower in central Ohio," Harrison said.

Cardona said he wanted to "scale" what was happening in Columbus to the rest of the country as it moves toward building a pipeline for an advanced manufacturing workforce.

"They're doing it exceptionally well here," Cardona said.

Education Secretary Miguel Cardona learns about Columbus early education initiatives

During his visit to Avondale Elementary, Cardona, who was appointed by President Biden in 2021 to head the U.S. Department of Education, toured pre-K through first grade classes and saw early literacy initiatives the teachers were using.

Joy Seagraves, a teacher in one of the first grade classes at Avondale, was working with students who were struggling with individual sounds. She explained to Cardona the fundamentals she was working on to teach the children.

"They're like third graders," Cardona remarked of the first graders' reading skills as he watched students working on phonetic and reading skills.

Columbus City Schools has been implementing the science of reading approach to teaching since 2020 and is aiming to fully implement it by the 2024-25 school year.

Earlier this week, the Ohio House introduced its two-year budget proposal, which would mandate public schools switch to the science of reading. The proposed spending plan includes funding for a switch by 2024, which is in line with what Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has previously proposed, The Dispatch reported.

'Not all reading curriculums are created equal': Gov. Mike DeWine launches statewide audit

Cardona praised Columbus City Schools teachers for their dedication to teaching children to read. He said educating children to read is essential to preparing students to enter a skilled workforce later in life.

"We know what works for children, and if children are not reading by third grade, we have a bigger problem," Cardona said of phonetic-based reading education. "I saw fantastic literacy instruction here (in Columbus) because there's a strong focus on reading."

Columbus City Schools Interim Superintendent Angela Chapman said that Cardona connected with the "love of learning" at Avondale among teachers and students. After asking members of each class he visited what they liked about school, he left them with chocolate coins.

"We almost had to pull him out of the classrooms," Chapman said.

Chapman also discussed early childhood education with Cardona, with the hope that the federal government can expand funding for prekindergarten education. The district currently has around 2,000 pre-K students, and Chapman said the district would like to expand the program

"We certainly would love to be able to provide more learning experiences for students," Chapman said.

@Colebehr_report

Cbehrens@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Education Secretary Miguel Cardona visits Columbus teachers, students