Dear MedChi Members and Maryland Physicians:
Today, Governor Hogan held a press conference that focused on schools and local jurisdictions' plans to bring students back into the classroom. He began the press conference with a review of current COVID-19 statistics, emphasizing that Maryland’s data was continuing to improve and that all of Maryland’s jurisdictions had positivity rates below 5%. He also indicated that Maryland job growth was significant, with the unemployment rate decreasing to 7% amid this month seeing the lowest number of unemployment claims since the pandemic began. With the State’s economy steadily recovering and returning to normal, Governor Hogan asserted that it was time for the local school systems to find a pathway to get students back into the classroom.
The State has provided $345 million in grant funding through the CARES Act for technology, expanded broad band access, and numerous innovative approaches to providing much-needed support and services to children and their families as they struggle to ensure that they are able to help their kids access necessary educational services virtually. Despite these efforts, both MSDE and MDH agree that, due to the reduced health metrics attributable to COVID-19, all local jurisdictions are free to bring kids back to school and should pursue a pathway to accomplish that objective by the end of the first marking period.
MSDE had previously requested all of the local jurisdictions provide their plans for operation for the balance of the year by August 17th. Sixteen school districts submitted reopening plans that include plans for bringing kids back into the classroom, including special need kids. Eight districts plans did not include any framework for bringing kids back into the classroom. The Governor said he did not believe that it was acceptable to not have plans for students to return, especially given the current COVID-19 health metrics. He is asking those districts that did not include plans for safe and responsible reopening to revisit their decisions based on the guidance and metrics that MSDE and MDH are releasing today.
Dr. Jinlene Chan, Deputy Secretary at MDH, presented the recommended guidance and metrics for schools to utilize in planning for bringing students back into the classroom. She said that MSDE and MDH, in developing their metrics and guidance for the reopening of schools, had relied upon CDC guidance as well as a comprehensive review of thresholds and metrics used by other states and other reputable sources. The metrics and guidance are not prescriptive, and flexibility is given to schools to address the specific needs of schools, staff, and students. The metrics include a test positivity rate with a level of community spread adjusted for the population of the jurisdiction. If the positivity rate is below 5% for a 7-day average adjusted for population size than a school can hold in-person instruction with the use of other COVID-19 mitigation measures. If the rate is higher than 5%, some form of hybrid is acceptable. The guidance also includes recommendations for the use of standard COVID-19 precautions such as masks, social distancing, cleaning and disinfecting, and policies for staff and student to stay home if exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.
Dr. Karen Salmon, Maryland School Superintendent, stated she is continuing to review local plans and how they are moving forward but believes the plans should ensure students are engaged 5 days a week, 6 hours a day with at least 3 ½ hours of direct instruction and engagement with a teacher. While the state cannot require schools to bring students back to the classroom, MSDE and MDH both agree, as stated by the Governor, that local districts should work to bring children back to school buildings by the end of the first marking period and should not wait until January. To reinforce the state’s strong belief that students should return to the classroom, the state will be providing $10 million in grant funding for schools able to bring students back by the end of the first marking period.
Dr. Salmon also recognized the increased need for child care services due to the closing of schools. She said it is a MSDE priority to facilitate licensure of new child care services in order to meet increased demand but she also said that child care services should not be a defacto replacement for returning to school classrooms. The Governor and Dr. Salmon will be visiting schools throughout the fall that have brought back students.
