UPDATED: MD County by County School Reopening Plans

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.

Last updated: February 5, 11:45 a.m.

Allegany

Allegany County Public Schools Board of Education voted on January 25 for the following schedule for students return to hybrid/in-person learning:

  • February 8: Career Center skill area students and students without connectivity return to buildings.
  • March 1: Students in grades Pre-K, kindergarten, and Grade 1 as well as students  failing or failing to engage in virtual learning, and identified students with special needs return to buildings.
  • March 8: Students in Grades 2-5, 6, 9, and 12 return to buildings.
  • March 15: Students in Grades 7, 8, 10, 11 will return to buildings.

There will be an option to “opt out” of the in-person/hybrid learning model and remain in a virtual learning environment.

Anne Arundel

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

Baltimore City Public Schools voted on the following schedule for students return to hybrid/in-person learning:

  • February 16: Kindergarten through Grade 2 return
  • March 1: Grades 3-5 and 9-12
  • Students in Grades 6-8, 10, and 11 will remain virtual.

There will be an option to “opt out” of the in-person/hybrid learning model and remain in a virtual learning environment.

Baltimore County (UPDATED)

Baltimore County Public Schools announced, on February 1, a timeline for students to return to school in a hybrid learning model.

  • March 1: Preschool-Grade 2, Grade 2/3 Special Education Classes
  • March 15: Grades 3-12 in Individualized Education Programs, Career and Technical Education Programs
  • March 22: Grades 6 and 9
  • April 6: Grades 3-5, 7-8, and 10-12

There will be an option to “opt out” of the in-person/hybrid learning model and remain in a virtual learning environment.

Calvert

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.

  • February 8:
    • Those who attended face-to-face programs at the Career and Technology Academy;
    • Eligible elementary school students with IEPs and secondary school students on an alternate standards framework, including those at Calvert Country School, who attended school for in-person instruction in December 2020; and
    • English Language Learners who attended school for in-person instruction in December 2020.
  • When hybrid instruction for students in pre-K through Grade 2 resumes on February 8, students in Cohort A will attend, while students in Cohort B will learn remotely. Cohort B students will return to school on February 16, and Cohort A will participate in virtual instruction that week.

There will be an option to “opt out” of the in-person/hybrid learning model and remain in a virtual learning environment.

Caroline

When schools closed in late November, CCPS students in Pre-K through Grade 3 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:

  • February 1:
    • Pre-K – Grade 3 will return Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; no change to current start and end times
    • Grades 6 – 9: AA schedule students begin Feb. 1; BB schedule students begin Feb. 4
  • February 8:
    • Grades 4 and 5: AA schedule students begin Feb. 8; BB schedule students begin Feb. 11
  • February 16: 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grades and all CCTC students. AA schedule students begin Feb. 16; BB schedule students begin Feb. 18.

There will be an option to “opt out” of the in-person/hybrid learning model and remain in a virtual learning environment.

Carroll

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

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

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 (UPDATED)

Dorchester County Public Schools will have the follow groups return to in-person learning on February 8:

  • Grade 12
  • Special Education Students
  • Students with Connectivity Issues
  • Struggling Learners
  • Children of DCPS

All other students will continue online learning, tentatively returning during the week of February 15.

Frederick

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.

Garrett (UPDATED)

The Garrett County Board of Education voted on February 2, to accept the Superintendent’s pal to return to in-person learning.

  • February 22: Employees return to buildings
  • March 1: Pre-K – Grade 1 return Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday
  • March 15: Grades 2-12 return Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Friday
  • Wednesdays are asynchronous

Harford (UPDATED)

Harford County Public Schools return to in-person learning plan will continue. Beginning March 1, 2021, elementary students will have the opportunity to return to the school buildings 2 days per week. We are planning to increase that number to 4 days per week as early as April if conditions allow.

Howard (UPDATED)

The Howard County Public School System will begin a phased-in transition to a hybrid instructional model, beginning March 1.  The Board of Education on January 26, 2021 approved the following phased-in model for student in-person return:

  • Week of March 1: Students identified for the 5-days-per-week program
  • Week of March 15: Students in grades prekindergarten, Kindergarten, 1 and 2
  • Week of March 29: Students in grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, and students attending programs at the HCPSS ARL
  • Week of April 12: Students in grades 7, 8, 10 and 11

Kent (UPDATED)

Kent County Public Schools students are headed back to the classroom Feb. 1 as Kent switches to a hybrid instruction model. Superintendent Couch listed guidelines that are in place to ensure public safety: wearing masks, social distancing to the greatest extent possible, reinforcing hygiene standards, proper cleaning and disinfecting of areas and contact tracing and collaboration with the local health department. While there are multiple hybrid instruction models employed by the school system, they generally break students up into cohorts. On days that one group is receiving in-person instruction, the other students are distance learning. Then the cohorts switch. At the high school, students in cohort A will be in class on Mondays and Tuesday, while cohort B will be at the school on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Fridays are virtual for everyone.

Montgomery

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

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.

Queen Anne’s

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

St. Mary’s County Public Schools will follow a phased approach to return for hybrid in-person instruction.

  • Phase 1, which includes students in special programs (i.e., SAIL and COMPASS), will return on Monday, February 8,
    2021.
  • Phase 2, which includes students in Head Start, Pre-K, K, and Grades 1, 6, 9, and 12, will return on Tuesday,
    February 16, 2021. All Head Start and Pre-K classes will follow an AM/PM schedule for social distancing purposes.
  • Phase 3, which includes students in all remaining grades, will return on Monday, March 1, 2021. Students in special programs and Head Start or PreK will return with a regular schedule for in-person instruction, Monday-Thursday. All other students will follow a hybrid (A-Day/B-Day) schedule when they return.

Somerset (UPDATED)

Somerset County Public Schools (SCPS) will reopen February 8 for all students pre-K3 through grade 12. SCPS will run five days a week for full days.

Talbot (UPDATED)

Talbot County Public Schools resume the hybrid model on February 1. A-Day Students will attend school in person on Monday/Tuesday.   B-Day students will attend in person on Thursday/Friday.  Wednesday will remain asynchronous.

Washington (UPDATED)

Washington County Public Schools (WCPS) is currently taking a pause from their 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. In Stage 4 of the WCPS Return to Learn Plan, all students who would like to attend school in person may return to their buildings. The following students are eligible to attend in-person classes five school days a week:

  • Pre-kindergarten
  • Kindergarten
  • 1st grade
  • Stage 2 students
  • Stage 3 students

Wicomico

Wicomico County Public Schools students will return to school in stages, starting the week of February 2.

  • February 2: Hybrid in-person instruction resumes for students who were in schools last fall in small groups or in grades Prekindergarten to Grade 2. Teachers and other school staff members serving these students will be back in school buildings as of January 25.
  • February 8: Hybrid in-person instruction begins for Grades 3-8. Teachers and other school staff members serving these students will be back in school buildings as of February 1.
  • February 16: Hybrid in-person instruction begins for Grades 9-12. Teachers and other school staff members serving these students will be back in school buildings as of February 8.

Fully virtual learning will continue to be an option this school year for students in all grade levels.

Worcester

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.