Baltimore County Superintendent Favors Starting With Remote Model

TOWSON, MD – Whether area school districts will offer some sort of in-person learning for students this fall remains under consideration as concerns over the ongoing coronavirus continue. But with less than two months before the new school year is set to begin, Baltimore County school officials are learning toward remaining on a virtual platform.

At least for the time being.

Using safety as the driving factor, Baltimore County Schools Superintendent Darryl L. Williams announced Tuesday that he anticipates the school year beginning with students learning remotely and then will consider future moves depending on what the landscape surrounding the pandemic looks like.

According to the Baltimore Sun, Williams said that in-person learning at district buildings may be phased in depending on the guidance the district receives from state government and health officials. On Tuesday, the Maryland State Education Association, the Baltimore Teachers Association and the Maryland Parent Teachers Association all urged state officials to begin the school year using an online model.

Like other area districts, Williams told the Board of Education Tuesday that county school officials are considering three options as to what learning looks like in Baltimore County. Depending on where the state lies as far as Gov. Larry Hogan’s Roadmap To Recovery plan, the district may choose to conduct classes fully in-person, fully remotely or using a hybrid schedule in which students would be in the classroom for a portion of the week before finishing at home learning virtually.

The Board of Education is scheduled to vote on a virtual model on Aug. 11, but Williams has told board members that virtual learning will take on a different look in the new school year than it did when schools were forced to close in the spring due to the pandemic.