Gov. Mike DeWine announced Thursday that all 1.7 million students in Ohio can return to school this Fall as long as schools abide by state regulations. Teachers and other school staff will be required to wear face coverings when classes resume this fall but shields could be used in some cases. Students will not be required to wear masks according to the Governor although he strongly recommended students in grades three through 12 wear them unless there is a medical or developmental reason they cannot.
DeWine also suggested other guidelines including monitoring for symptoms, a strategy with local health departments, proper social distancing, frequent hand washing and thorough sanitation of desks and other surfaces. DeWine also suggested schools consider modifying lunch schedules or having students eat in classrooms to limit contact with others. DeWine said he hopes to announce next week how much funding the state will provide to help schools implement guidelines. Some districts are planning to continue online learning, some intend to have students return to the classroom, while others are looking at a hybrid approach like scheduling students on alternate days.