56% Want 5 Days In Person This Fall: MD Schools Reopening Survey

MARYLAND — More than half of the 1,400 people who responded to a Maryland Patch survey about the status of schools reopening said they want full-time in-classroom learning by fall.

Over 700 readers shared their thoughts on reopening guidelines, hybrid learning and fall plans, and their responses reflected a range of concerns, including the state of instruction being in flux.

"Our administrators and teachers are amazing," one reader said, noting school staff were working long hours to coordinate plans. The reader added: "Once a district makes a plan, and we as parents arrange it to work, it would be nice if it just stays steady and there aren't changes all the time."

Because of the coronavirus, modes of instruction can change without warning.

"My daughter who is going hybrid was sent to quarantine in only the FIRST week of 4-days-a-week in school learning and so now has to have a completely virtual week," one survey respondent wrote.

Quarantining is suggested for students, teachers and staff if they had close contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the COVID-19 Guidance for Maryland Schools.

"Community spread is my biggest concern still with MD and local positivity rates again over 5%," the parent wrote.

As of April 7, the coronavirus positivity rate in Maryland is 5.71 percent, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

Fall 2021: What Should It Look Like?

Over half of those who took the Maryland Patch survey said they thought schools should offer five days of in-person instruction in the fall. This questionnaire was not a scientific poll, but it gave a broad idea of public opinion.

More than 25 percent said they were undecided, while over 18 percent said they did not think five days of instruction should happen.

Others supported virtual and hybrid options.

"We should allow virtual and/or hybrid into the next school year to accommodate children who are high risk, who need to quarantine, etc," one reader said. "But otherwise, children should be in school."

About 30 percent of survey respondents said deciding to send their children back to school would be contingent upon their ability to get a COVID-19 vaccine, while over 53 percent said it would not.

The Food and Drug Administration has not yet authorized a COVID-19 vaccine for children under 16 years old. The Pfizer vaccine can be given to people 16 and up, while the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines can be administered to those 18 and older.

Distance Between Students A Concern

About 47 percent of readers said they were uncomfortable with the CDC’s guidance that at least 3 feet of physical distance was recommended between elementary school students, versus the previous guidance of 6 feet, to prevent transmission of the virus.

In areas of high community transmission where cohorting is not possible, those in middle and high school should have at least 6 feet of physical distance between them, according to the CDC.

High community transmission is defined by the CDC as having a case rate greater than 100 new cases per day per 100,000 people in the last week and coronavirus positivity rate over 10 percent. Maryland has a weekly case rate of 21.7 per 100,000 as of April 6 and a positivity rate of 5.71 percent.

"I'm comfortable with CDC Guidelines. But HCPS is not following them," a Harford County parent said. "My child's school has hardly a foot between student desks and the school says there is not enough plexiglass for all desks. They are social distancing 'to the extent possible,' which in some cases is not at all."

A teacher in Howard County also said CDC guidance on distance was not being followed.

"I am a HCPSS teacher, while it is reported the students are practicing social distancing, they aren’t," one reader said. "It becomes more difficult to do so with the increasing amount of students allowed to return. The buildings are only so big, you can’t expand building sizes. We had 8 students within the first two weeks our elementary school opened to IEP/ELL students who became quarantined. It was interesting how hush hush that was. The other parents did not know because it was not shared HIPAA laws, you know."

A parent from Montgomery County echoed that staying apart was a challenge.

"Younger kids need more space because they do not understand spacing," the reader said. "Teachers have asked for smaller classes for years and the county now needs to act. My daughters kindergarten class has 26!!! 26 in Damascus at Rockwell ES is too many and 16 are in person."

Virtual, Hybrid Or Both?

Readers were split on whether school districts should offer virtual only or in-person instruction, with more than 40 percent leaning toward daily in-person instruction in person in the survey.

While only 3 percent of readers said their district was offering in-person instruction five days a week, 42.4 percent said they thought it should be; 34 percent said in-person learning should be virtual only; and nearly 24 percent said their district should offer a mix of hybrid and in-person instruction.

"Hybrid learning is difficult but the in person students are benefitting a lot to be back!" said one reader, who identified as an elementary school teacher. "We need to be back in person full time and off these computers!"

Only Charles County has not yet started in-person instruction for students other than those in special populations. It will welcome students back the week of April 19.

Students in Prince George's County Public Schools began in-person learning this week.

"I wish PGCPS would have stayed virtual this year and then open up 5 days in the fall," one reader said. "Too much transition for just the last quarter of school."

Many districts are conducting a hybrid of virtual and in-person learning, which readers said had challenges.

"Put virtual teachers with virtual students and in person teachers with in person students," one reader said. "The way they make you choose as a parent over your child’s health or school is ridiculous and being a parent that had a child in the hospital last March for Covid was horrific."

In Somerset County, there is no hybrid option; students are either in-person or all virtual for school.

Several said the hybrid option was problematic since teachers had to cater to students virtually as well as those in their classrooms, so they were still in front of screens.

"They way they are doing hybrid learning is silly," one Maryland Patch reader said. "I am not sending my daughter back to school to sit in a classroom looking at her computer doing essentially virtual learning while in school."

Another suggested if school districts cannot offer in-person learning, families should have options to go elsewhere.

"Parents should get vouchers to send their kids to private schools. Public schools have failed the kids during this time," one respondent said.

One parent reported plans to switch from public to private school in the fall.

"BCPS lack of leadership and planning is appalling," one person wrote. "I am a product of the public school system and believed in it prior to March 2020. I am pulling my child next year and super grateful for the private schools that listened to the research and guidance and made children a priority. Listening to most BCPS meetings, I have realized this is Politics over our children's best interest. My moral compass is shattered. I do believe we will look back on our pandemic response and see the biggest mistake we made was not to prioritize our children."

Responses were divided as far as when to go back and when it is safe. Here are two readers' comments that show the split:

• "Kids need to be in school for the sake of their mental and emotional health," one reader said. "That should be the top priority! Chances of them getting ill from COVID are much, much smaller. Adults should get the vaccine so kids can go to school!"
• "I feel like it’s crazy to have the kids go back to school and it’s near the end of the school year," one reader said. "People are still dying from COVID-19 and they are putting people and their family in jeopardy!"

Related: How Do You Feel As Maryland Schools Reopen: Patch Survey

Of those who responded to our survey, most said they were in the Montgomery, Howard, Baltimore and Harford County districts. Since many used BCPS as an acronym, we have combined Baltimore City Public Schools and Baltimore County Public Schools in the pie chart.