MANSFIELD, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center (MOESC) has been selected by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to lead Governor Mike DeWine’s regional literacy initiative across the West and Central regions of the state. The project, Building Regional Capacity to Support Ohio’s Literacy Coaching Model, will span more than 40 counties and expand MOESC’s influence on Ohio’s literacy advancement efforts.
MOESC’s leadership is grounded in the Science of Reading and Ohio’s Plan to Raise Literacy Achievement. Carrie Wood, MOESC’s Director of Literacy, will oversee work in the Central Region, while Nick Jacobs joins the team as Coordinator for the West Region. Together, they will guide up to 30 literacy coaches serving thousands of educators and students.
“This is an incredible opportunity for Mid-Ohio to deepen its impact statewide,” said Wood. “We’re honored to help build a coaching model that can be replicated across Ohio schools and make real change in literacy outcomes.”
The award builds on MOESC’s earlier success leading a 23-county initiative launched in July 2023, which deployed more than 20 trained literacy coaches in Northwest Ohio. The expansion recognizes MOESC’s strategic contributions and aligns with a 2024 report by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, which emphasized literacy coaching as a key factor in improving early education statewide. Governor DeWine’s proposed budget allocates $12 million annually to sustain the initiative.
MOESC is actively recruiting qualified educators for coaching roles. Applicants must hold a master’s degree in education with reading or literacy endorsements, have five years of K–12 classroom experience, complete relevant professional development, and have a background in structured literacy instruction. Interested candidates may apply via MOESC’s online portal.
For more information, contact Carrie Wood at wood.carrie@moesc.net.
Mid-Ohio ESC serves more than 20,000 students across 13 school districts in Crawford, Morrow and Richland counties, providing professional development and specialized support services including curriculum, gifted and special education, therapy services, and psychological support.