Columbus, OH -- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jim Tressel, and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) Director Stephen D. Dackin on March 26th, announced Ohio's 2025 Business-Education Leader Awards for Excellent Business Advisory Councils.

All Ohio school districts and educational service centers have a Business Advisory Council – a group of local school, business, and community leaders who work together to ensure that students’ educational opportunities align with local and state workforce needs. The Business Advisory Councils being honored as part of this year’s awards exemplify excellence in developing professional skills for the future, fostering partnerships, and coordinating experiences that collectively prepare students for success.

“Ohio’s Business Advisory Councils play a vital role in ensuring Ohio’s students are equipped with the skills and experiences they need to succeed in today’s workforce and reach their full potential,” said Governor DeWine. “By connecting educators and business leaders, these councils create pathways that bridge classroom learning with real-world career opportunities. We are proud to recognize councils that are leading the way in this important work, setting an example for others across the state, and positioning students for meaningful careers.”

“Whether it’s agriculture, STEM fields, manufacturing, technology, and beyond, different parts of our state are great at different things and have unique workforce needs,” said Lt. Governor Tressel. “A top-notch Business Advisory Council is a critical tool in Ohio’s Workforce Playbook. By getting local business leaders talking with school leaders, we can focus on developing students in the skillsets that make their area of the state special. This will lead to special results as we continue to develop our workforce across Ohio.”

“Partnerships are the foundation for a strong learning experience, and the link between classrooms and careers has never been more important,” said Director Dackin. “Business Advisory Councils are essential in helping students link classroom learning with workforce development.”   

Ohio’s Business Advisory Councils work in partnership with schools on business and workforce needs, as well as educational programming that responds to those needs. To highlight the work of these councils, DEW collaborates with the Ohio Business Roundtable,?Ohio Chamber of Commerce,?Ohio Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business,?Ohio Farm Bureau,?Ohio Manufacturers’ Association,?Ohio Excels,?Ohio Restaurant Association, Ohio Council of Retail Merchants, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, and the Ohio Contractors Association on Ohio's Business-Education Leader Awards for Excellent Business Advisory Councils. 

Business Advisory Council Excellence Awards
Four-Star and Three-Star Honorees:

Ohio's 2025 Four-Star Business Advisory Councils: 

• Building Bridges to Careers*
• Cincinnati Public Schools*
• Educational Service Center of Central Ohio
• Goshen Local Schools
• Montgomery County Educational Service Center*
• Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center
• Noble County Business Advisory Council
• North Point Educational Service Center
• Southwest Regional Business Advisory Council

Ohio’s 2025 Three-Star Business Advisory Councils: 

• Ashtabula County Technical and Career Campus
• Athens-Meigs Educational Service Center
• Barberton City Schools
• Columbiana County Educational Service Center
• Eastern Ohio Educational Service Center
• Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve
• Fairfield County Educational Service Center
• Greenville City Schools
• Hancock County Educational Service Center
• Madison-Champaign County Educational Service Center
• Marion Area Workforce Collaborative
• Mentor City Schools
• Mercer County Educational Service Center
• Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center
• New Lexington City Schools
• Northeast Ohio Educational Service Center
• Paulding County Educational Service Center
• Piqua City Schools
• Preble County Educational Service Center
• Southern Ohio Educational Service Center
• Springfield City Schools
• Tri-County Educational Service Center
• Van Wert Area Business Advisory Council
• Vanguard Sentinel Career and Technology Center

* = Also received the Award of Excellence in Coordinating Career Development Experiences, Building Partnerships, and Developing Professional Skills for the Future. Recipients are recognized for achieving exemplary implementation of quality practices.

Additional details about the Business Advisory Council award levels:

• Four-star councils implement all quality practices throughout the year to create a culture of career-focused opportunities in alignment with in-demand occupations and provide supporting data.
• Three-star councils implement many quality practices throughout the year to create a culture of career-focused opportunities for all students.

To learn more about the work of Business Advisory Councils, visit DEW’s?Business Advisory Councils webpage.