As Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine begins his final year in office, he appears to have his sights firmly on matters that will affect our youngest residents.

Among the programs he hopes to see expand is OhioSEE, according to a report by WSAZ-TV in Huntington, W.Va. So far, Ohio Student Eye Exam has been run as a pilot program in 15 counties: Allen, Butler, Clark, Clermont, Cuyahoga, Erie, Franklin, Guernsey, Huron, Jackson, Lorain, Mahoning, Marion, Montgomery and Ross. It provides vision screening, comprehensive eye exams, prescription glasses (if needed) and further referrals.

The program held its official launch Wednesday at Cleveland’s Campus International School.

“Every student in the state, who is in grade school is required to have a screening process … does that child need to have an eye exam? But the sad thing is about two-thirds of the kids who are red (flagged) that they need that … never get that,” DeWine said. “We’ve got pilot programs in 15 different counties … and we’re really focusing on taking that directly to children.”

The program will make a huge difference in the lives of students.

“What we are doing with OhioSEE is life-changing for these students, and this is just the beginning,” DeWine said during Wednesday’s announcement. “I look forward to seeing this program grow as it addresses the barriers preventing young students from receiving the critical eye care they need. I encourage superintendents in the pilot counties to take a serious look at this program and contact us to get enrolled.”

DeWine, in his interview with WSAZ, also talked about resources the state might have to support schools for children with developmental disabilities, some of which are facing challenges after failed tax levies.

“We’re working on it,” he added.

And he is also asking the Board of Pharmacy to get tougher on Kratom, which the state Department of Health reports was a contributing cause in more than 200 unintentional overdose deaths in the state between 2019 and 2024.

“We have families in the state of Ohio that have lost their child,” DeWine said.

There are plenty of other matters that must receive the governor’s attention in this last year of his term. But as he has done since the beginning, DeWine demonstrates an understanding that we have to do better for our kids, if we are to have any hope for Ohio’s future.