Columbus City Schools to Open 2020-2021 School Year Completely Virtual for All Students in PreK-12

Columbus City Schools Superintendent/CEO Dr. Talisa Dixon announced on Tuesday that the District will begin the 2020-2021 school year in a completely virtual learning environment for all students in grades pre-K through 12.

CCS will remain all virtual through at least the first quarter of the traditional school year and through at least the first intersession of the year-round school calendar.

For schools on the traditional calendar, the first day of virtual classes is Tuesday, Sept. 8, and the first quarter ends on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
For the District’s only year-round school, Woodcrest Elementary, virtual classes begin on Wednesday, July 29. Students return from the first intersession on Monday, Oct. 26.

Dr. Dixon and the Reopening Task Force presented initial recommendations to the Columbus Board of Education on June 30 for opening the school year with a blended learning model for PreK-8 students and an all virtual model for high school students.

However, public health conditions have dramatically worsened in Franklin County, especially within the communities that Columbus City Schools serves, since the initial plan announcement. Ohio’s Public Health Advisory System currently rates Franklin County at Level 3, Red, indicating very high exposure and spread of COVID-19. The number of confirmed cases is rapidly increasing, and the level of risk is high even with strict health and safety protocols in place for our schools.

With the mission to protect the health and safety of students, families, staff, and the community at the forefront of all decisions, CCS will continue to monitor public health conditions within its boundaries before determining when it is safe and practical to begin in-person learning experiences.

The District will continue to engage with families and staff and seek feedback throughout the first quarter of the year to make any necessary adjustments to learning environments.

What this means for…

…pre-K students:

All Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K or early childhood education) students will receive virtual instruction to start the school year.
When CCS transitions to in-person learning environments, pre-K students will attend in a blended model with both in-person and virtual instruction.

…Kindergarten through 8th-grade students:

All Kindergarten through eighth-grade students will receive virtual instruction to start the school year.
- Families can choose between two types of virtual instruction: Remote learning using CCS curriculum or the CCS Digital Academy using self-paced Edgenuity curriculum. See the comparison box below.
When CCS transitions to in-person learning environments, K-8 students who are in the remote learning option (NOT Digital Academy) will attend in a blended model with both in-person and virtual instruction. Digital Academy students would remain all virtual.

K-8 Virtual Learning Options

…high school students (grades 9-12):

All high school students (or students in grades 9-12) will receive virtual instruction to start the school year.
- Families can choose between two types of virtual instruction: Remote learning using CCS curriculum or the CCS Digital Academy using self-paced Apex Learning curriculum. See the comparison box below.
When CCS transitions to in-person learning environments, high school students will either continue with virtual instruction or attend in a blended model pending the District’s decision on how best to safely reopen at that time. Digital Academy students would remain all virtual.

High School Virtual Learning Options

…breakfast and lunch for students:

CCS will continue its grab-and-go meal sites for all students. The current sites will continue through the end of summer break.
The District will determine a grab-and-go meal plan for the start of the school year.

…technology for students:

Every CCS student who needs a computer will have access to their own device by the start of the school year.
At its meeting Monday evening, Columbus City Council approved funding that will provide 20,000 new Chromebook computers for CCS students. We expect to have these devices in time for the start of the school year.
CCS will also provide hotspot internet access devices to any family who needs one.

…families who want to learn more: