Taft Signs Math and Science Standards into Law

As one of his last major acts as Ohio Governor and his last public appearance as Governor, Bob Taft signed stricter math and science standards into law for Ohio's elementary schools. The new law requires that the fifth graders of today pass math and lab-based science courses before they're allowed to graduate from high school in 2014. Gov. Taft cited the ever changing world economy and the new requirements in the job market for implementing these academic standards.

The signing ceremony of this education bill coincided with a study released that placed Ohio's schools in the middle of the pack compared with the education systems of the 49 other states. The areas that seemed to really hurt Ohio were preschool and post-high school. Taft's education program seems to at least attempt to solve the post-high school problems with Ohio's students. While offering proper and effective K-12 education, Ohio is severely lacking in its training for students after high school. Hopefully, this new law will give Ohio students a boost and much needed head start in a worldwide competitive job market.

On the preschool end, incoming Gov. Ted Strickland has claimed he wants to make quality preschool education programs available to all of Ohio's preschool-aged children. Strickland, however, has yet to offer any specifics or how such a program would be funded.