Ohio Digital Learning Landscape
| State virtual school? | NO |
| Multi-district fully online schools? | YES |
| Online learning requirement for graduation? | NO |
| State approval process for online providers? | NO |
| State approval process for online courses? | NO |
Ohio has multi- and single-district fully online schools referred to as eschools. Eschools are part of the broader group of charter schools referred to in Ohio as community schools. There is district and consortia activity, but no state virtual school.
Ohio had 15 eschools that enrolled 33,700 fully online students in SY 2021-22. The largest statewide eschool, Ohio Virtual Academy, served 16,557 students during the 2021-22 SY. Although eschools made up only 4.75% of all community schools in Ohio during the 2020-21 SY they accounted for approximately 30% of student enrollments in community schools (Annual Report on Ohio Community Schools). Students enrolled in an eschool are provided with a computer and online access. Eschools enrollments are capped and are adjusted annually.
Learn21 is an educational nonprofit consortium that supports educational technology and digital learning environments through innovative technology including edWise, a suite of software applications that allow district teachers and administrators to consolidate various student data into a single dashboard. Learn21 also provides professional development and ed tech consulting.
ilearnOhio is a nonprofit organization that provides a searchable repository of online educational content for educators as well as a learning management system for all Ohio schools use at no cost. All content resources are subject to an application and review process. iLearnOhio also has a marketplace that offers nearly 1,000 fee-based online courses from a variety of content developers including Advanced Placement and credit recovery courses, content modules, and tutorials.
Districts may adopt a blended learning approach but must complete an Ohio Department of Education (ODOE) Blended Learning Declaration form. Each district operating a school or a classroom in a blended learning environment must adopt policies and procedures per Ohio Administrative Code 3301-35-03. Schools are released from time-based requirements by changing hours of instruction to a competency-based approach.
District and other programs include:
Toledo Public Schools Virtual Academy offers full-time options for K-12 students. Full-time students receive a chromebook and Internet connectivity if needed.
Cincinnati Public School District’s Virtual High School houses two online programs: the Cincinnati Digital Academy, a K-12 online school offering a college-preparatory curriculum, and the Cincinnati Online Success Academy.
Cleveland City Schools’ Virtual School of Cleveland serves students in grades K-12.
Middletown City Schools’ Middie Virtual Program (MVP) is a hybrid model for Middletown students in grades 7-12.
The Ohio Valley Education Service Center’s Blue Sky Virtual Academy provides online options for students in partner districts in southeast Ohio.
Northwest Ohio Virtual Academy (NOVA) offers online courses to students in grades K-12.
The Jefferson County Educational Services Center’s Virtual Learning Academy serves eight schools districts but also enrolls K-12 students outside the region and outside Ohio.
For details of online learning funding in this state see the DLC's report A Review of Online Learning Funding.
State Policies
No major legislation impacting online and/or blended learning was passed January through August 2022.
Ohio HB 110 (2021) permits school districts to operate an online school and establishes district requirements and standards for that model. A district online learning school must be approved by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Districts that operate an online learning school must:
Provide all online students with a computer at no cost, with filtering software to keep students from accessing Internet materials that are obscene or harmful to juveniles.
Provide all online students access to the Internet at no cost.
Provide a comprehensive orientation for students and their parents or guardians.
Use a learning management system to track each student's time participating in online learning activities.
The act also defines standards required to operate on online schools.
Permits students at any grade level to “earn credits or advance grade levels upon demonstrating mastery of knowledge or skills through competency-based learning models.”
Establishes a maximum 1:125 teacher-to-student ratio for an online classroom.
Forbids credits or grade level advancement to be based on seat-time in a classroom.
Requires online schools to have an annual calendar of not less than 910 hours.
The act also requires schools using a blended learning model to operate with an annual calendar of at least 910 hours.