CEDARVILLE, Ohio — The good news for Ohio's schools is that more and more students are returning to in-person learning as the COVID-19 numbers decrease and the number of staff members vaccinated increases.
However, Gov. Mike DeWine is focusing on what to do for those students whose learning has been negatively impacted by the pandemic.
During his briefing on Tuesday, DeWine said he is calling on districts across the state to start working on plans to help get their students caught up academically.
"We need to be bold in our ideas," expained DeWine. "Some schools could decide that extended learning meets their needs. That means days could be added to the beginning or end of a school year. A school may decide that school days should be longer or that summer classes will help their students."
DeWine also pointed to tutoring, summer program enrichment, or remote options as other possibilities.
The governor is calling on all districts to have their plans ready for their communities and the Ohio General Assembly by April 1.
"This pandemic has affected children differently," DeWine said. "Each child is, in fact, different. Regardless of the individual plan, we have to move and we have to move quickly. Our kids get one chance to grow up, so we cannot delay."
DeWine says as the conversation is beginning in the state's school districts, it will also be happening at the Ohio General Assembly. To help pay for this initiative, Congress passed a bill in December to provide $2 billion dollars in additional dollars for Ohio's schools.
"The new federal funding is a tool to help schools get back on track," explained DeWine. "We will work to assist schools to use this funding to execute their plans."
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