Maryland Students Now Can Be 3 Feet Apart In Schools: Hogan

MARYLAND — As long as Maryland students are wearing face coverings, they now can be three feet apart in the classroom. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced Thursday that the state will adopt new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that allows for the change in students' proximity to each other. However, adults should continue to maintain 6 feet of distance from students and other adults.

“Every single Maryland student must have the opportunity to return to attending school in some form or fashion and this updated CDC guidance is another step in the right direction,” Hogan said in a statement. “The time has come to give our kids a chance to get back in the classroom and to open all of the schools.”

State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Karen Salmon and Maryland Deputy Public Health Secretary Dr. Jinlene Chan issued a letter notifying school systems of the update to the state’s guidance. The letter read:

“In accordance with the CDC guidance, schools should allow for students, while in the classroom, to maintain 3 feet of distance between each other. This updated guidance is the result of numerous and robust academic studies finding that 3 feet of distance between students did not significantly impact transmission of COVID-19 when compared to the earlier 6 foot distancing guidance. Adults should continue to maintain 6 feet of distance from students and other adults.

“This updated guidance and the continued low rate of cases in schools should empower all Maryland schools to bring more students back into the classroom and/or give students the opportunity to receive in-person instruction more frequently before the end of the school year. In accordance with the CDC guidance, schools should implement phased prevention strategies with an emphasis on prioritizing in-person learning.”

State officials have taken a series of steps to provide substantial funding and support for school reopenings:

A total of more than $1.2 billion in federal funding has been made available to school systems. In addition, the governor has submitted the fiscal year 2022 budget that exceeds statutory funding formulas to ensure that every jurisdiction receives more direct education aid than in the prior year.

The Maryland Department of Health and the Maryland State Department of Education have launched a program to provide up to 1 million COVID-19 tests for both public and non-public schools. Maryland was one of the first states to prioritize teachers and education staff to receive COVID-19 vaccinations. The state has provided school systems with 2 million masks and 200,000 face shields, as well as hand sanitizer, gloves and gowns.