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Harford board debates calendar overhaul and move to synchronous inclement-weather days
Summary
Trustees debated a proposed 2025–26 calendar that would reduce half days, add protected teacher planning time and replace some makeup days with four-hour synchronous virtual instruction; administration to prepare an inclement-weather plan and the board will consider a policy change (from six built-in make-up days to three) with public comment.
The Harford County Board of Education discussed a proposed revision to the 2025–26 school calendar at its May 5 work session, with the administration asking trustees to approve a policy change that would allow some inclement-weather makeup days to be conducted as four hours of synchronous instruction.
Administration presented a calendar draft that reduces the number of half days and creates "protected" planning days for teachers spread through the year. The calendar, administration said, assumes a policy change from six required in-person makeup days built into the calendar to three, with the other three allowed as synchronous virtual days — four hours of direct instruction — when weather prevents in-person instruction.
Legal counsel and staff told trustees that state law (Education Article 7‑103 was cited in the session) and board policy impose timing and procedural constraints, and that normally a 30‑day public-notice period applies to policy changes. Some trustees asked whether the board could abbreviate that period; counsel said the board may consider approaches but urged care because state requirements vary depending on the change.
Trustees debated tradeoffs: converting half days to full planning days could improve teacher preparation but reduces the district’s built-in PD days; moving days late in the calendar risks pushing school into late June; asynchronous or synchronous days raise equity questions for families with younger children and for those whose work requires them to travel during weather events. Several members recommended additional stakeholder outreach and a narrower “light” change to the currently approved calendar rather than a late wholesale revision.
The chair said administration will draft a formal inclement-weather plan and present it to the board in June; the board did not take a vote in the work session and signaled different preferences among members. If the board votes to change policy, the plan would be posted and the public-notice period would begin, followed by a vote at a subsequent meeting.
Board legal counsel also noted that under recent guidance some local boards may approve synchronous days locally, but administrative steps and a communications plan are required to minimize disruptions and ensure meaningful instruction on those days.
