The superintendent for state schools in Maryland has announced that schools should be aiming to get their students back in classrooms by year’s end.
The schools are still able to make their own decisions about whether to use virtual instruction when fall classes start, however.
The schools reserve the right to implement recovery plans that are more stringent than the state’s. Despite that, the goal is transition towards having more students attending classes in person.
Schools will also be tasked with ensuring safe transportation for the students and coming up with their own solutions for checking attendance, ensuring those who learn virtually are not at a disadvantage. Poster printing can be used to share information about new learning techniques.
Anne Arundel schools such as those in Crofton, along with other schools in the Baltimore area, have already put forward their plans for virtual learning and are yet to make decisions on whether there will be in-person classes. Schools from Harford County are offering online classes and have opened learning centers for extra support while learning online. Some schools have even postponed opening until Labor Day.
The Maryland State Education Association’s president, Cheryl Bost, stated:
“Virtual learning is not a perfect solution, but it’s the safest, and focusing on just one mode of education enables educators to direct their total attention to making it more rigorous and equitable.”
Bost also feels that more funding may be required to help with reopening schools.
