As the 2020-21 school year continues, local Maryland school systems have been actively revising reopening plans due to changes in the COVID-19 pandemic. Conduit Street has the latest.
The following information covers each jurisdiction and will be updated as local school boards release their plans to reopen schools.
Allegany County Public Schools Board of Education voted on January 25 for the following schedule for students return to hybrid/in-person learning:
There will be an option to “opt out” of the in-person/hybrid learning model and remain in a virtual learning environment.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools voted to begin a hybrid learning program as many students as possible no later than March 1. The school system had been focusing on implementing hybrid learning in elementary schools at the start of the second semester, which begins February 2. In its votes, the Board delayed the implementation by a month and urged Superintendent George Arlotto to bring back smaller groups of students – those with special needs, English Language Learners, and students at the county’s Centers of Applied Technology – as soon as possible.
Baltimore City Public Schools voted on the following schedule for students return to hybrid/in-person learning:
There will be an option to “opt out” of the in-person/hybrid learning model and remain in a virtual learning environment.
Baltimore County Public Schools has not scheduled a return to school buildings, but a recovery plan from January 7 stated that a hybrid model could be introduced in February, if metrics allow. Full-time virtual learning will remain an option.
Calvert County Public Schools has announced that schools will reopen for students in special populations and those in pre-K through Grade 2 on February 8.
There will be an option to “opt out” of the in-person/hybrid learning model and remain in a virtual learning environment.
When schools closed in late November, CCPS students in Pre-K through 3rd grade were back for in-person learning, with plans finalized for other grades to follow shortly. Nearly all staff have also continued to work in buildings since the beginning of the school year. The Caroline County Board of Education voted on the following schedule for students return to hybrid/in-person learning:
There will be an option to “opt out” of the in-person/hybrid learning model and remain in a virtual learning environment.
The Carroll County Public School Board voted to continue its plans to move forward with a return to the hybrid model of instruction effective Thursday, January 7, 2021. The hybrid plan allows for students to return to in-person instruction two days a week in established cohorts. Students will also continue to receive virtual instruction on days when they are not in school or if students choose to remain in an all-virtual format instead of participating in the hybrid cohorts.
Cecil County Public Schools will reopen schools to 25 percent capacity (one day per week) beginning on February 8. Students who participated in face-to-face instruction earlier this year will be assigned to the same weekday grouping as they were at the start of the school year (September 28). Families who wish to remain fully virtual will still have the option to do so. Students who were in the first 5% return group will continue to attend face-to-face four days per week. School of Technology students will follow the same schedule as this fall.
Charles County Public Schools (CCPS) has a five phase reopening plan for the 2020-21 school year. Schools opened this year in Phase 1 – virtual learning for all students and continue to remain virtual. As CCPS moves through its reopening phases, parents of students who are identified to return to school for in-person learning (see reopening plan for who can return during which phase) can opt to send their child back to school for in-person learning or continue virtual learning for the entire school year.
Dorchester County Public Schools will remain in Phase 1 of our Reopening Plan at least until the week of February 1, 2021. This means that all students will be learning online; no students will be in buildings. The Superintendent will release a new press release next Wednesday.
Frederick County Public Schools teachers will return to buildings on Wednesday, January 27, with students returning as part of an in-person hybrid model on Tuesday, February 16, with Wednesday, February 3, and Wednesday February 10, serving as asynchronous learning days. If FCPS does not see positive trends in data by later this month, the implementation of the hybrid model will be delayed again with teachers returning Wednesday, February 10, and students returning Monday, March 1. In this scenario, Wednesday, February 17, and Wednesday, February 24, will be asynchronous learning days.
The Garrett County Board of Education voted on January 12, 2021, to accept the Superintendent’s recommendation to remain in the “red model” in which students are learning virtually. Students will begin transitioning back to in-person learning when the Garrett County metrics are at 5% or less positivity rate and 15 or less per 100,000 for 14 consecutive days.
Harford County Public Schools return to in-person learning plan will continue to guide us moving forward. Students will be assigned one day per week to attend in-person learning. Elementary students will be assigned one day/week beginning March 1, 2021. Secondary students will be assigned one day/week beginning March 15, 2021.
All elementary staff essential to the return of students, as well as secondary Life Skills and Strive teachers and staff, will be required to report to their physical work sites to perform their required duties on February 19, 2021. All secondary staff essential to the return of students will be required to report to their physical work sites to perform their required duties on March 5, 2021.
The Howard County Public School System will begin a phased-in transition to a hybrid instructional model, beginning March 1. By Friday, February 5, parents/guardians must make a decision to send their child to school for 1-2 days per week and receive virtual instruction the remainder of the week, or to have their child remain fully virtual for the remainder of the school year. Certain student groups including, but not limited to, students receiving Special Education services and others requiring additional learning support, will have the opportunity to receive in-school learning on 5 days per week. All parents/guardians have the option to have their child continue virtual learning full time for the remainder of the current school year.
Kent County Public Schools students will remain in remote instruction through January 15, 2021.
Montgomery County Public School voted on January 12 to delay the start of returning small groups of students for in-person instruction from February 1, 2021 to March 15, 2021, on the condition that health metrics are met or health guidance is adjusted as a result of vaccine distribution.
Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) remains completely virtual. If in-person learning is resumed this spring, then small groups of students, such as specific grade levels and special education, are expected to return using the hybrid model. Families of identified groups would still have the option of hybrid learning or distance learning for the remainder of the school year. Reopening plans will be reassessed in mid-February.
The Board of Queen Anne’s County Public Schools (QACPS) agreed during the Jan. 13 work session to delay the opening of schools in the hybrid model and remain in Phase I.
St. Mary’s County Public Schools will follow a phased approach to return for hybrid in-person
instruction.
Somerset County Public Schools (SCPS) has extended its initial school closure for in-person learning until Monday, February 8, 2021 due to local COVID-19 health metrics remaining above the state recommended benchmarks for safe in-person learning. If local health metrics fall below the state recommended benchmarks of 5% positivity rate and new case rate of 15 per 100,000 for 7 consecutive days, SCPS will reopen for in-person learning for all students who have opted to return at the start of the second semester on February 8. If local health metrics remain above these benchmarks, SCPS will reopen for small, priority groups of students for in-person instruction on February 8.
Talbot County Public Schools will continue remote learning for most students (small groups return to buildings) through January 29, and announced learning models for the week of February 1.
Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) is currently taking a pause from our Return to Learn plan. All students transitioned to full distance learning through online classes as of November 16, 2020. WCPS intends to resume in-person classes in Stage 4 on Tuesday, February 16, 2021 dependent on community health metrics.
Wicomico County Public Schools students will return to school in stages, starting the week of February 2 .
Fully virtual learning will continue to be an option this school year for students in all grade levels.
Worcester County Public Schools will move into Stage 3 of the Responsible Return Model with Hybrid instruction–A Week/B Week by February 8. At that time, WCPS will be welcoming the rest of our students who want to return to face-to-face instruction back in an A Week/ B Week model. WCPS will remain in a combination of Stage 2 and 3 with the most vulnerable students remaining face to face daily, and Hybrid A Week/B Week students joining every other week until further notice.
Stay tuned to Conduit Street for updates.
