The school board in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, voted early Friday to implement a hybrid learning program for as many students as possible by March 1.
The approved plan, which is dependent on health and safety metrics in the county, calls on Superintendent George Arlotto to allow smaller groups of students to return as soon as possible too.
Special needs students and English language learners would be among them, according to a news release.
Before Friday’s vote, the board had aimed to establish the hybrid learning model in elementary schools for the start of the second semester, which begins Feb. 2. The vote delays the return by a month.
Board members urged Arlotto to present a timeline explaining how the reopening plan will be implemented and provide an update on reopening plans by Feb. 17.
They called on Arlotto to identify students who can’t be successful in a virtual learning environment so interventions can be developed.
The school system said it is working with the county’s health department to create a vaccination plan for school system employees.
Gov. Larry Hogan said Thursday that the state can begin vaccinating people included in Phase 1b of its vaccination plan on Monday. Education staff and K-12 teachers are included in that group.
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