Ohio’s schools face an unprecedented challenge with COVID-19. In-person schooling benefits children’s learning and social development, but many children are missing school because of quarantine when they have been in close contact with another child with COVID-19.
The Ohio Schools COVID-19 Evaluation (OSCE) explored the question: If a child in a supervised setting was in close contact (defined as within six feet for 15 minutes by the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention) to another child with COVID-19 and both children were wearing masks properly, did the close contact child need to stay at home to quarantine? The OSCE also explored school policies and context, as well as teachers’ and parents’ reports of activities and risk perception.
Nine school districts throughout the state broadly participated in the evaluation, and seven participated in COVID-19 testing. The districts were selected through recommendations of the Office of the Governor, the Ohio Department of Medicaid, and The Ohio State University.