Digital Education Center To Allow Virtual Learning Indefinitely

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — To help accommodate students who have discovered throughout the coronavirus pandemic that they actually learn better virtually from home, the Howard County Public School System will be creating a Digital Education Center.

The Digital Education Center is intended to function as an additional, separate, full-time kindergarten through 12th grade virtual center, which will continue to operate even after fully in-person learning resumes across the district, explained HCPSS Superintendent Michael Martirano during a recent work session.

"It will provide live, synchronous instruction during all classes with teachers who will be teaching students virtually. Many core courses, and some related arts and electives, will be offered using the same curriculum standards as in our other schools. While some special education and related arts can be provided virtually through the Digital Education Center, additional services would need to be provided at the student’s districted home school," Martirano said.

Participating students will be able to maintain a connection with their districted home school through in-person supports and extra-curricular activities.

The district anticipates the Digital Education Center will open in August for the 2021-2022 school year. The first day of school would be the same for all other schools.

The district will be holding virtual information sessions Wednesday to explain the Digital Education Center to prospective parents and students. So far, more than 1,000 people have signed up for these sessions. Then, parents will complete a survey gauging their interest that opens up March 31.

Brian Bassett, spokesperson for HCPSS, said that Martirano had been considering launching a Digital Education Center for quite some time.

"Of course, we were working on the plan for the return to in-person hybrid instruction so the development of the Digital Education Center concept had to begin following the development and implementation of the hybrid plan," Bassett told Patch.