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Board deadlocks on virtual school plan after hours of debate; defaults to MSDE calendar rules
Summary
After a lengthy presentation and multi-hour Q&A, the Howard County Board of Education failed to approve either the traditional or hybrid inclement-weather model. With no plan adopted at the meeting, district staff said state guidance will default the district to six built-in makeup days unless the board returns with an approved virtual plan.
The Howard County Board of Education debated whether to adopt a traditional makeup-day model or a hybrid option that would combine built-in makeup days with designated virtual instruction days but failed to approve either approach at its May 19 meeting.
Keisha Logan, executive director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, recommended Option 1 — embedding six traditional makeup days in the 2026–27 calendar — citing predictability for families, fewer technology and staffing barriers and stronger continuity for high‑impact services such as special education and English‑learner supports. Option 2, a hybrid model proposed by state guidance, would keep three built‑in makeup days and allow up to three synchronous virtual instruction days under a published district virtual education plan that meets MSDE requirements for at least four hours of live instruction plus asynchronous work.
Board members pressed staff on operational and equity trade‑offs. Members raised concerns that younger students lack reliable at‑home supervision and internet access, that synchronous instruction can be inconsistent in practice, and that switching in and out of virtual modes creates heavy logistic burdens (transportation, device distribution, and teacher preparation). Staff and the calendar director explained state waiver rules, the need to keep the school year ending before June 18 to meet Maryland requirements, and options for embedding makeup days in the calendar rather than tacking time onto June.
Multiple motions were made to adopt either Option 1 (traditional makeup days) or Option 2 (hybrid). In successive roll calls the motions failed to secure a majority, leaving the board without an approved virtual instruction plan. District staff told the board they would need to contact the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) for additional time if necessary; staff also noted that, under current MSDE guidance, the default is to have six built‑in makeup days if the board does not approve a virtual plan.
The board directed staff to return with additional information and analysis (including whether a split model by grade band is permissible under MSDE rules). The district will also need to identify specific calendar dates that could serve as makeup days if the board ultimately selects the traditional model. The board set an expectation to revisit the issue with more operational details and legal clarification before the June 1 deadline the district cited for notifying MSDE of its intent.
Outcome: No motion to adopt a new inclement-weather virtual plan passed during the May 19 meeting. The district said it will follow up with MSDE and return to the board with more research and options.
