School systems across the DC region are grappling with how to handle the new school year during the coronavirus pandemic. Here are his plans.
School systems across the DC region are grappling with how to handle the new school year during the coronavirus pandemic.
Many are calling for caution, start dates are being delayed and several regional regional school systems are including some form of virtual learning in the plans.
Below are plans for school systems by state and county in the WTOP listening area.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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DC
DC Public Schools
DC has yet to announce a plan. The school year will begin on August 31. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser expects city officials to discuss plans to reopen Thursday.
Maryland
Per state guidelines, each school system has until August 14 to post its plans. Teachers and parents in Maryland are asking the state Department of Education to unite school districts behind a plan that would start the school year online, except in extreme cases.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Anne Arundel County Public Schools is still working on a reopening plan for students. Virtual, in-person, and hybrid learning systems are being considered.
Baltimore City Public Schools
Families will have two options: a fully virtual school year or a hybrid model. In the hybrid model, students are divided into two groups.
Each student will attend school in person for two days a week and participate in distance education on other days. One day a week would be devoted to additional cleaning and support in school buildings. The social distancing will be in force and there are no plans to completely reopen the schools.
Additionally, students will be able to switch between fully virtual academy and hybrid learning at specific times of the year, such as each trimester or semester.
Baltimore County Public Schools
The Baltimore County Public Schools is still working on a reopening plan for students. Virtual, in-person, and hybrid learning systems are being considered.
Calvert County Public Schools
Calvert County has plans for hybrid learning and fully virtual learning. The hybrid program divides students into groups A and B, and those groups return to school two days a week on alternate days: Monday and Thursday or Tuesday and Friday.
Classes on the other three days will be virtual. The first day of school is September 1st.
Carroll County Public Schools
The county board of education has yet to vote on a final reopening plan for the new school year.
The Carroll County Public Schools presented to the board updated draft plans that require a combination of virtual learning and face-to-face classes when the 2020-2021 year begins.
The school board is scheduled to meet again at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, July 29.
Charles County Public Schools
The Charles County School Board voted to start the year with fully virtual distance learning beginning August 31.
Under the plan, students would receive full-day online instruction four days a week, with Wednesdays designated as independent study days when students could also organize one-on-one meetings with teachers and counselors.
Frederick County Public Schools
Frederick County has plans for hybrid learning and fully virtual learning. The hybrid model divides students into two groups: A and B. Students in group A would learn in person on Monday and Tuesday; Group B students would learn in person on Thursdays and Fridays.
Both would learn at a distance for three days.
Howard County Public Schools
School will begin two weeks later, on September 8 instead of August 25. The school system is considering a fully online model and a hybrid model that would start online and eventually include some in-person learning.
Montgomery County Public Schools
A county proposal encourages students to return in phases, by grade level, last name, and school group once the new school year begins on August 31.
School bus capacity would be reduced by more than 20%. Class sizes would be dramatically reduced, with the goal that all grade levels experience some in-person learning in late November.
The plan also requires a combination of remote learning and two days a week of classroom time, with all school buildings closed on Wednesdays for a deep cleanup.
Prince George’s County Public Schools
Prince George’s County students will begin the new school year on August 31 with distance learning and that virtual learning will remain in effect until January 2021. It involves more live instruction combined with recorded instruction.
Virginia
Alexandria Public Schools
Alexandria City Public Schools is conducting a series of community discussions on the reopening plans. Seven are currently scheduled. The ACPS start date is September 8.
Arlington Public Schools
The Arlington superintendent plans to propose a postponed start to the school year, online only.
The proposed start would be Tuesday, September 8, and all students would begin with full-time distance learning.
Fairfax County Public Schools
FCPS will begin the year two weeks later, on September 8, to give teachers more time to plan.
Two options are offered: Students can go to school twice a week or choose to learn online only four days a week.
Fauquier County Public Schools
Fauquier County Public Schools will reopen on August 24 with a hybrid system of face-to-face classes two days a week and distance learning the remaining three days.
Parents can choose to have their children learn virtual 100% of the time, if they choose for as long as they deem necessary, depending on the school district.
Teachers will be available for online support on Wednesdays, according to the FCPS plan.
Loudoun County Public Schools
Loudoun’s parents can choose between a hybrid system that includes in-person instruction twice a week and distance learning the remaining days, or completely online learning. School starts on September 8th.
Manassas City Public Schools
Manassas students will begin their year virtually on August 31, after a vote by the school board.
Some special education students and level one and two English as a Second Language students may return for in-person instruction to start the school year, but the rest of the students will start the school year entirely through online learning.
The board agreed to review the decision and consider moving to some in-person instruction monthly.
Prince William County Public Schools
Prince William County students will not return to the classroom when the school year begins on September 8th.
The school system will provide in-person instruction for students with special needs and some English language learners.
Stafford County Public Schools
Stafford is evaluating whether students will learn only online or through a hybrid system. School begins on August 17.
WTOP’s Dan Friedell, Matt Small, and Maryland Matters contributed to this report.
