CPS first district in Ohio to implement staff vaccine mandate, 87% vaccination rate

More than 400 Cincinnati Public Schools employees became vaccinated since the board unanimously approved a mandatory vaccination policy for staff in mid-September, officials said.

The district is at a 99.99% compliance rate with the policy, with only one employee refusing to comply. District officials told The Enquirer that the lone individual will be put on unpaid leave and the termination process will begin.

"I want to thank our incredible staff for prioritizing safety and helping keep our classrooms open in person," interim superintendent Tianay Amat said during a Monday evening board meeting.

The district was the first in the state to require its staff to be vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, and the first Ohio school system to implement such a policy. There are about 6,500 full- and part-time employees serving 36,000 students in the district, according to its website. It is the third-largest school district in Ohio. 

More: What workers, students face as COVID-19 vaccine mandates take hold around Cincinnati

The policy was initially set to begin on Oct. 1, but was postponed one week due to technical challenges, officials said. Since the mandate took effect on Oct. 8, officials said 408 employees were newly vaccinated. Districtwide, 87% of employees are now vaccinated.

CPS employees who did not receive the vaccine will be subject to weekly COVID-19 testing, per the policy. Officials said about 12% of staff members opted for weekly testing rather than getting the vaccine.

Other employers in the region have stayed quiet regarding the impact of their own vaccine requirements, including some Cincinnati-area hospitals that required tens of thousands of employees and volunteers to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 1.

CPS has also discussed a potential vaccine mandate for eligible district students, though board members have said they are not close to being ready to vote on such a resolution.

If the student vaccine mandate does go to a vote and passes, the district could be the first large school system east of the Mississippi River to require all eligible students to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Eligible students include individuals 16 years old and older.

CPS does not have any data on the number of students currently vaccinated against COVID-19, officials said. The district, like schools in all 50 states, does require other vaccines for students such as measles, mumps, pertussis, chickenpox and other inoculations.

More on CPS: Here's Cincinnati Public Schools' $75K plan to find a new superintendent

The drafted policy strongly resembles the employee mandate and would include the option to submit to weekly COVID-19 testing instead of getting vaccinated.

Currently, one vaccine is available for children as young as age 12 but under emergency use authorization. A federal advisory panel is scheduled to meet Oct. 26 and consider the request by Pfizer-BioNTech to grant emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine to be given to children as young as five.