TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Should students in Ohio go to school year-round? One candidate for governor suggests it could be a way to address educational challenges in the state.
Republican Vivek Ramaswamy floated the suggestion in a now-deleted video posted to social media.
His Democratic opponent, former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton, posted his original video, which racked up millions of views online.
“Alright Republicans, if we want to get serious about winning in 2026, here’s how we do it,” the video starts.
Ramaswamy then pitches multiple ideas to bring down costs.
“I’m a dad. Make parenting more affordable by making school year-round and going until 4 instead of 3 so you don’t have to pay for childcare,” he said.
There was initially pushback from some Republicans claiming the video was AI-generated. The video was real, though the Ramaswamy campaign told the Columbus Dispatch it wasn’t a policy rollout but just a casual back-and-forth on TikTok.
Year-round school calendars typically shorten the summer break and increase the length of other breaks during the year.
In a follow-up video, Ramaswamy criticized Acton for COVID-era school closures and said leaders need to get creative to address educational inequality.
“We want an education system that lifts every child up. We’re going to think creatively on how we deliver it. That’s the answer. If Democrats want to distort my position, let them. My opponent, Amy Acton, has absolutely zero vision for how to help education in Ohio,” Ramaswamy said.
Acton’s campaign website calls for scaling back Ohio’s private school voucher system, fully funding public schools and investing in math and literacy programs.
Acton and Ramaswamy are poised to face each other in the 2026 general election for governor.
Former congressman Tim Ryan announced last week that he won’t seek the Democratic party’s nomination for governor, clearing the path for Acton to run unopposed in the primary. The state’s Republican Party has already endorsed Ramaswamy.
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