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Harford County Board postpones synchronous inclement-weather instruction plan, cites access and cost concerns
Summary
After discussing access gaps and an estimated $200,000 cost for mobile hotspots, the board voted to postpone indefinitely a proposal to use synchronous online instruction for inclement-weather days, citing equity and readiness concerns.
The Harford County Board of Education voted Monday to postpone indefinitely a plan to use synchronous virtual instruction on inclement-weather days after administration cited cost, access and operational readiness concerns.
Chief of Staff Katie Ridgeway told the board that the district could not identify a viable way to reach all students in a meaningful way and highlighted limitations for pre-K students, special education students and multilingual learners. Ridgeway said alternatives were explored — including providing cell phones — but that those options either cost more than hotspots or would not reliably deliver a full instructional day.
Board members raised concerns about the roughly $200,000 annual hotspot contract and the staff time required to develop curriculum and practice days. "Whether you use them or not, you're going to pay $200,000 if you don't have a single inclement weather day," one board discussion noted.
After debate, a motion to postpone the synchronous-instruction plan indefinitely carried on a voice vote.
Why it matters: The move preserves the district's traditional approach to inclement-weather days but leaves unresolved how the district will respond to future weather disruptions. Administration noted that reducing in-person days is a community priority but said equity for vulnerable student groups must be solved first.
What's next: The board suggested seeking grants or county assistance to provide home internet access for students and left the option open to revisit the plan in the future if funding and operational issues are resolved.
