Full Ohio map shows which schools are going back in-person, online

A preliminary Ohio Department of Education map shows how the state’s 600-plus public school districts plan to start the school year in the coming weeks — many fully in-person five days a week, some on a hybrid model, and a smaller number near big cities fully online.

The ODE map says the information is as of last Thursday, and districts continue to adjust back-to-school plans from day to day.

In many rural areas of Ohio, all school districts are listed on the map as going back to classes in-person. On the western border of the state, more than three dozen school districts in seven straight counties — Williams, Defiance, Paulding, Van Wert, Mercer, Drake and Preble — show all districts going back in-person, with the exception of three districts listed as “not readily available.”

The same is true for nearly all of Wyandot, Crawford and Richland counties in north central Ohio, as well as Belmont, Monroe and Noble counties in eastern Ohio, among other areas on the ODE map.

Meanwhile, in the two most highly populated counties in the state (Franklin and Cuyahoga), most school districts plan to start the year online — including the big city school districts of Columbus and Cleveland.

The ODE map shows Dublin schools as the only one in Franklin County going with a hybrid schedule, while Brecksville would be one of only a few in Cuyahoga County going back five days in-person.

Some areas are more committed to a hybrid schedule, where students spend a few days per week physically in class and a few days learning at home. Stretching from southwest to south central Ohio, all the districts in Clinton, Fayette, Pickaway and Hocking counties are listed by ODE as starting on the hybrid model.

Montgomery County has long been described as a microcosm of the state, and the ODE map shows Montgomery County with more of a mix of approaches than most counties.

The map shows Dayton, Jefferson, Trotwood, Northmont and Huber Heights as starting online (Centerville made their online start official after the map was finished). Mad River, Oakwood, Valley View and New Lebanon are shown with hybrid starts, and Brookville, Vandalia-Butler, Northridge, West Carrollton and Miamisburg are shown with in-person starts.

Kettering is listed as information “not readily available.” Their school board is waiting until after a public comment session Thursday to make its decision.

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