MCPS Plans To Start 2020-2021 School Year Entirely Online

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County Public Schools students will start the academic year online before returning to their classrooms on a part-time, rotating schedule, according to a newly released draft plan.

The 21-page plan calls for an Aug. 31 start to the 2020-2021 school year. Classes will solely be conducted online — as they have been for the past few months due to COVID-19.

School officials emphasize that this draft is subject to change.

"As you can imagine, this work has been challenging and incredibly complex," said MCPS Superintendent Jack Smith. "We have discussed and evaluated several possible models for reopening schools and the truth is, there is no one option that can address all of the instructional, operational and logistical challenges that our school system is faced with."

This draft plan has students returning to schools in three phases. Each phase, school officials believe, will last two to four weeks — and are based on a number of factors, including the child's grade level, last name, and address.

The first group will be students in specific special education programs and students new to a school level (Prekindergarten, Kindergarten, 6th grade, and 9th grade).

"The goal is for all grade levels to begin a school rotation by end of November," the report read.

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

Elementary and middle school students will be broken into two groups: Group A or Group B.

Group A will attend in-person classes Mondays and Tuesdays; and Group B will be back in schools on Thursdays and Fridays. Wednesdays are reserved for online learning.

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

High school students will be placed in Group A, Group B, or Group C. No in-person classes will be held on Wednesdays.

Click here to learn more about MCPS' draft plan.

The school board will be holding a discussion on preliminary recovery plans on Tuesday, July 14. The meeting, which will begin at 12:30 p.m., will be broadcasted live on the MCPS website and MCPS TV (Comcast 34, Verizon 36, RCN 89).