As the 2020-21 school year continues, local Maryland school systems have been actively revising reopening plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Conduit Street has the latest.

Governor Hogan recently called for schools to return to in-person learning by March 1, requiring local school systems to send the Maryland State Department of Education the information on local plans for returning to school buildings.

The following information covers each jurisdiction and will be updated as local school boards release their plans to reopen schools.

Last updated: March 12, 10:14 a.m.

Allegany

Allegany County Public Schools Board of Education voted on 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 students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 returned for in-person learning on March 1.

• March 1: Students in ECI programs and prekindergarten through Grade 5 and Elementary ACC, Autism, Self-Contained feeder Classrooms
• March 8: Students in grades 6, 9, and 12 and Secondary ACC Classrooms
• March 22: Students in grades 7, 8, 10, and 11

Baltimore City

Baltimore City Public Schools’ youngest students, in Kindergarten through Grade 2, returned before the March 1 deadline given by Governor Hogan. On Monday, the school system welcomed back more students and are requiring weekly testing of groups/pods of students.

• March 1: Grades 3-5, Grades 9-12

Baltimore County

The youngest Baltimore County Public School students, in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 2, returned to in-person learning on March 1.

• March 15: Grades 3-12, in specific learning programs or in career or tech return.
• March 22: Remaining students in Grades 6 and 9 will return.
• April 6: Remaining students in Grades 3 – 5, 7- 9, and 10 – 12 will return.

Calvert

Starting February 8, Calvert County Public Schools reopened schools for students in special populations and those in pre-K through Grade 2. Students in Grades 3 – 6 returned on February 22 and alternate weekly in two groups for in-person learning.

• March 8: Students in Grades 7 – 12 will return to in-person learning and will follow the same alternating schedule.

Caroline

Caroline County Public School students in Pre-K through Grade 3 returned for in-person learning prior to the March 1 deadline. 3-year-old Pre-K students returned on January 25, followed by 4-year-old Pre-K through Grade 3, Grade 6, and Grade 9 on February 1. The students in Grades 6 and 9 were split in two groups so that only half the students are in the buildings on any given day. The same procedure is in place for the students in Grades 4 and 5, who returned on February 8 and same for students in Grades 7-8, 10-12, who returned on February 16.

Carroll

Carroll County Public Schools returned to hybrid in-person learning on January 7. The new schedule follows A/B day cohorts and in-person learning two days a week. There will also continue to be virtual cohorts, very similar to the system implemented in the fall.

Cecil

Cecil County Public Schools reopened schools to 25 percent capacity (one day per week) beginning on February 8. Students who participated in face-to-face instruction earlier this year are assigned to the same weekday grouping as they were at the start of the school year (September 28). Families who wished to remain fully virtual retain 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, but starting on March 22, CCPS has moved into Phase 2. Phase 2 includes eligible students whose parents opted to send their child to school for in-person learning. Phase 2 students will attend in-person classes on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday remains an asynchronous day for the rest of the school year. As of right now Phase 4 is expected to begin on April 19.

Dorchester

Dorchester County Public School students returned to hybrid in-person learning on February 9. The students were divided into cohorts and will alternate weeks in the buildings, with families having the choice to send students in to attend, one, two or four days a week.

Frederick

Frederick County Public Schools teachers returned to buildings on January 27, with students returning as part of an in-person hybrid model on February 16. Currently, all grades returned in some form of in-person learning in February for two days a week.

Garrett

The Garrett County Board of Education voted to return to hybrid in-person learning by March 15 for all grades.

• 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

Harford County Public Schools returned to in-person on March 1.

• March 1: Kindergarten – Grade 5 returned, two days per week.
• March 15: Grades 6 – 12 return, one day per week.

Howard

The Howard County Public School System began a phased-in transition to a hybrid instructional model on March 1.

• March 1: All grades have an option to begin in-person learning five days a week should they want to on March 1.
• March 15: Students in Pre-K through Grade 2 can return for one or two days a week
• March 29: Students in Grades 3-6, 9 and 12 can return for either one or two days a week.
• April 12: Students in Grades 7, 8, 10 and 11 can return for one to two days a week.

Kent

Some Kent County Public Schools students returned to the classroom in Fall 2020.

• Pre-K – Grade 5 are back two days a week.
• Grades 6 – 8 are back four days a week.
• High school students returned to in-person learning two days a week in February 2021.

Montgomery

Montgomery County Public School students in specific special education and career and technical education programs returned to in-person learning on March 1.

• March 15: Students in Kindergarten – Grade 3 return to in-person learning in phases.
• April: More students will begin to return to in-person learning.

Prince George’s

Prince George’s County Public School students with special needs have returned for some in-person learning.

• April 6: Kindergarten – Grade 5 return, with certain students in Grades 6 – 12 for two days a week.
• April 12: The rest of students begin to return.

Queen Anne’s

Starting in February, Queen Anne’s County Public School students returned for up to four hours and four days a week.

St. Mary’s

St. Mary’s County Public School students returned on March 1 for two days of in-person learning.

Somerset

Somerset County Public School students have returned for five full days of in-person learning.

Talbot

Talbot County Public School students have returned for two full days of in-person learning.

Washington

Washington County Public School students have returned for five full days of in-person learning.

Wicomico

Starting in February, Wicomico County Public Schools students in Pre-K returned to in-person learning four days a week, while students in Kindergarten – Grade 12 returned for in-person learning two days a week.

Worcester

30% of Worcester County Public School students in all grades returned in January for five full days of in-person learning, while all others alternate weekly.