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School responses in Maryland to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic

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Responses by state


As students returned to school for the 2021-2022 school year, states set a variety of policies on education and the COVID-19 pandemic, including how schools should open to in-person instruction and whether students and staff would be required to wear masks. By the end of the 2020-2021 school year, about 66% of students nationwide were in states that left closure decisions to schools or districts, 33% were in states with state-ordered in-person instruction, and 1% were in states with state-ordered regional school closures.[1][2] All 50 states closed schools to in-person instruction at some point during the 2019-2020 school year in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

This article summarizes responses to the coronavirus in Maryland schools in the academic years ending in 2020, 2021, and 2022. You will find:


Ballotpedia’s coverage of COVID-19 includes how federal, state, and local governments are responding, and how those responses are influencing election rules and operations, political campaigns, the economy, schools, and more.

This page is updated monthly, but our email is always open. We encourage you to share updates from local officials, policymakers, and campaigns in your community at editor@ballotpedia.org.


Timeline by school year

Below is a list of major events involving schools in Maryland during the coronavirus pandemic between 2019 and 2022, including school closings and openings, mask requirements, and the release of statewide operating guidance. Know of something we missed? Click here to email us and let us know.

2021-2022 school year

  • March 1, 2022: Maryland's school mask requirement ended. The Maryland State Legislature's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive & Legislative Review voted to approve the Maryland Board of Education's resolution to rescind the state's school mask requirement on Feb. 25.[3]
  • Feb. 25, 2022: The Maryland State Legislature's Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive & Legislative Review voted 17-1 to approve the Maryland Board of Education's resolution to rescind the state's school mask requirement.[3]
  • Jan. 5, 2022: The Maryland State Board of Education extended the statewide school mask requirement by 180 days.[4]
  • Dec. 7, 2021: The Maryland State Board of Education voted 12-1 to allow local districts to end mask mandates if one of three conditions was met. The conditions were that 1) the county vaccination rate was 80% or higher, 2) 80% of school staff and students were vaccinated, or 3) COVID-19 transmission in the county was considered moderate or low for 14 straight days.[5]
  • Sept. 9, 2021: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio, a school data aggregator, reported no in-person schooling disruptions in Maryland.[6][7]


2020-2021 school year

  • June 29, 2021: At the end of the school year, Burbio reported a majority of schools were in-person in Maryland .[8][9]
  • March 1, 2021: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R) encouraged schools in counties across the state to return students to the classroom. In January, Hogan said school districts that didn’t offer some in-person instruction could face legal action. Districts were allowed to decide how many days a week to offer in-person instruction. Students could still opt for virtual schooling.[10]
  • September 22, 2020: Karen Salmon, the Maryland Superintendent of Schools, announced that she had approved in-person reopening plans for every school district in Maryland.[11]
  • Sept. 10, 2020: At the beginning of the school year, Burbio reported most schools were using virtual or hybrid learning in Maryland .[12][13]
  • September 8, 2020: Schools in Maryland were allowed to reopen virtually. How long virtual instruction would last varied by district.[14]
  • September 1, 2020: The Maryland Board of Education approved new minimums for instruction. Schools needed to be open at least 180 days and offer at least a total of six hours of instruction, of which 3.5 hours needed to be synchronous instruction (all students taught at the same time) for grades K-12.[15]
  • July 22, 2020: Maryland Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon announced that schools had until Aug. 14 to submit reopening plans to the state board of education. Schools were allowed to open in-person so long as they followed specific CDC and state health guidelines and met benchmarks set by the state.[16]
  • June 10, 2020: The Maryland Department of Education released Maryland Together, the state's school reopening plan.[17]


2019-2020 school year

  • May 6, 2020: Salmon announced that schools would be closed to in-person instruction for the rest of the academic year. Prior to the announcement, schools were closed through May 15.[18]
  • April 17, 2020: Salmon announced that the statewide school closure, scheduled to end April 24, was extended through May 15.[19]
  • March 25, 2020: Salmon announced that the statewide school closure, scheduled to end March 27, was extended through April 24.[20]
  • March 12, 2020: Officials ordered all schools in the state to close from March 16 to March 27.[21]

Mask and vaccine requirements in the 2021-2022 school year

Mask requirements in schools

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

As of August 1, 2022, no states had school mask requirements in effect. Forty-two states left mask requirements in schools up to local authorities. Seven states banned school mask requirements.

The table below shows statewide school mask requirement laws and orders in states with school mask requirements or school mask requirement bans in place at the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

Mask requirement orders
State Ban or requirement? Type of order Date lifted or altered
Arizona Ban Legislative action N/A
Arkansas Ban Legislative action Sept. 30, 2021 - Suspended by court action
California Requirement California Department of Public Health order March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Connecticut Requirement Executive order Feb. 28, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Delaware Requirement Executive order March 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Florida Ban Executive order N/A[22]
Georgia Ban Legislative action N/A
Hawaii Requirement Executive order Aug. 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Illinois Requirement Illinois Department of Public Health order Feb. 4, 2022 - Suspended by court action[23]
Iowa Ban Legislative action May 16, 2022 - Reinstated by court action[24]
Kentucky Requirement Kentucky Board of Education order Sept. 9, 2021 - Suspended by state law
Louisiana Requirement Executive order Feb. 16, 2022 - Lifted by executive action[25]
Maryland Requirement Maryland State Board of Education order March 1, 2022 - Lifted by executive action[26]
Massachusetts Requirement Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education order Feb. 28, 2022 - Lifted by executive action[27]
Nevada Requirement Executive order Feb. 10, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New Jersey Requirement Executive order March 7, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New Mexico Requirement New Mexico Public Education Department order Feb. 17, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
New York Requirement Executive order March 3, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Oklahoma Ban Executive order N/A
Oregon Requirement Oregon Health Authority and Department of Education order March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
Pennsylvania Requirement Pennsylvania Department of Health order Dec. 10, 2021 - Suspended by court action
Rhode Island Requirement Executive order March 4, 2022 - Lifted by executive action
South Carolina Ban Legislative action Sept. 28, 2021 - Temporarily suspended by court action
Tennessee Ban Executive order Dec. 10, 2021 - Suspended by court action
Texas Ban Executive order N/A[28]
Utah Ban Legislative action N/A
Virginia Ban Legislative action N/A
Washington Requirement Washington State Department of Public Health order March 12, 2022 - Lifted by executive action

School mask requirements over time

School mask bans over time


Teacher and school employee vaccine requirements

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

Seven states had issued a statewide requirement for K-12 teachers and staff to be vaccinated against the coronavirus or receive regular coronavirus testing during the 2021-2022 school year. The table below shows teacher and staff vaccine requirement laws and orders in states that issued such policies during the 2021-2022 school year.

Vaccine requirement orders
State Testing instead of vaccination allowed? Type of order Date effective
California Yes California Department of Public Health order Oct. 15, 2021
Connecticut No Executive order Sept. 27, 2021
Delaware Yes Executive order Nov. 1, 2021
Illinois Yes Executive order Issued: Sept. 19, 2021
Suspended by court action on Feb. 4, 2022
New Jersey Yes Executive order Oct. 18, 2021
New York Yes Executive order Sept. 19, 2021
Oregon No Executive order Oct. 18, 2021
Washington No Executive order Oct. 18, 2021


Student vaccine requirements

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2021-2022 academic year

On Oct. 1, 2021, California was the first state to announce a vaccine requirement for eligible students. Louisiana also announced a vaccine requirement for eligible students on Dec. 14, but then announced the state would be removing the coronavirus vaccine from the list of required immunizations in schools on May 18, 2022.

School reopenings and closures (2020-2021 academic year)

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2020-2021 academic year

Initial school year operating plan

See also: Documenting America's Path to Recovery: August 6, 2020

Maryland released an initial operating plan for the 2020-2021 school year on June 10, 2020. An analysis of this plan appeared in our Documenting America's Path to Recovery newsletter on August 6. The sections below include an analysis of the plan, the details of the plan, and reactions from officials to the plan.

On June 10, the Maryland Department of Education released Maryland Together, the state’s school reopening plan. Superintendent of Schools Karen Salmon said, “As we move forward, State and local education leaders must recognize that long-standing gaps in educational opportunity and access have been further exposed and widened by the COVID-19 crisis. We want to ensure that students most impacted receive intense focus and priority in our recovery efforts.”

On July 22, Salmon said the goal for schools should be to return to in-person instruction by the end of the calendar year. She said districts would be left to decide whether to teach in-person or virtually in the fall.

Maryland does not have a statewide date for public schools to reopen. According to EdWeek, public schools in Maryland traditionally start the academic year in late August to early September, with the exact start date varying by district.

On March 12, Salmon ordered all schools in the state to close from March 16 to March 27. The closure was extended on March 25 (through April 24) and April 17 (through May 15). On May 6, Salmon closed schools for the remainder of the school year.

Context

Maryland has a divided government. The governor is a Republican, and Democrats have majorities in both chambers of the state legislature. The state became a divided government in 2015.

The following tables show public education statistics in Maryland, including a rank comparing it to the other 49 states. Rank one is the highest number of each figure, rank 50 is the lowest. All data comes from the Common Core of Data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics.

Maryland school metrics
Category Figure Rank
Per pupil spending (16-17) $16,553 13
Number of students (18-19) 896,827 20
Number of teachers (Fall 2016) 59,703 17
Number of public schools (18-19) 1,418 25
Student:teacher ratio (18-19) 14.8 28
Percent qualifying for free/reduced lunch (16-17) 46.7% 27


Maryland school revenue
Category Figure Rank
Total revenue 13
Federal revenue percent 5.7% 44
State revenue percent 43.5% 33
Local revenue percent 50.8% 15

Details

District reopening plans

Districts are responsible for developing their own specific reopening plans. Plans are due for state review and approval by Aug. 14. Districts must post their reopening plans on their official website.

In-person, hybrid, and online learning

The guidelines leave the decision for how to return to school for the fall semester up to school districts. Districts may choose from in-person, hybrid, or online-only options. The state guidelines recommended the following:

  • One-day rotation where 25% of students would attend once per week on alternating days
  • Two-day rotation where 50% of students would attend twice per week on alternating days
  • Alternating weeks where 50% of students would attend four times per week every other week
  • Elementary in-person learning and secondary distance learning
  • Grade band phase-in with elementary students returning to in-person learning first, followed by middle and high school in successive weeks

Mask requirements

The Maryland Department of Health and Maryland Department of Education released joint guidance on the use of cloth face coverings in schools on July 21.

“
  • School staff must wear cloth face coverings while in the school building, on school grounds when not contraindicated due to a medical condition, intellectual or developmental disabilities, or other conditions or safety concerns;
  • All students, school staff, and bus drivers must wear a cloth face covering while on school bus when not contraindicated due to a medical condition or developmental or safety considerations;
  • Other adults must wear cloth face coverings when they must enter the school building or grounds for essential functions;
  • Students, especially students in middle and high school, must wear cloth face coverings in the school building and on school grounds as much as possible when not contraindicated due to a medical condition or developmental or safety considerations;
  • The use of cloth face coverings is most important at times when physical distancing measures cannot be effectively implemented especially when indoors;
  • Local education agencies should examine the structure and schedule of the education program to identify when physical distancing may be a challenge;
  • Cloth face coverings should not be worn by children under 2 years and anyone who has trouble breathing or is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove a face covering without assistance.[29]
 ”

In-person health recommendations and requirements

The guidelines recommend the following considerations be made in district reopening plans:

“
  • Determine if face coverings (not PPE) are to be utilized by faculty/staff/students and what the LSS policy will be for adherence to the policy
  • Review procedures for sending ill persons home from the school facility
  • Determine if pre-designated entry and exit paths will be utilized
  • Determine pre-designated drop-off points for buses, parents
  • Determine if class changes are static (students remain in room, teachers change classrooms) or Fluid (Students change classrooms)
  • If fluid period/topic changes occur, determine:
    • Is locker use allowed, if not, secure from use
    • Determine distance and flow paths through facility, mark flooring, walls appropriately
    • Determine communication and outreach methods to students and parents for notification of above
    • Determine a “Use of restroom” policy that maintains distancing[29]
 ”

Transportation and busing requirements and restrictions

The guidelines say that based on recommendations from the CDC, a 77-passenger bus would only be able to transport 8 students. The guidelines acknowledge districts may not be able to handle such transportation demands and offers the following ways to modify transportation:

“
  • Encouraging use of face coverings when use of alternate rows for seating is not possible.
  • Allowing siblings from the same household to sit together in the same seat.
  • Recommending passengers sit in the same seat going to and returning from the trip.
  • Allowing for alternate transportation arrangements, such as riding with a parent[29]
 ”

Responses

Cheryl Bost, president of the Maryland State Education Association, criticized the guidelines for not providing enough specifics. “The newly released Maryland reopening plan is lacking in so many areas and punts on too many decisions,” she said.

Map of school closures

The map below shows the status of school reopenings and closures at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year.

As of July 8, 2021, the status of school closures and reopenings was as follows:

  • Two states (Delaware, Hawaii) and Washington, D.C. had state-ordered regional school closures, required closures for certain grade levels, or allowed hybrid instruction only.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 410,896 students (0.81% of students nationwide)
  • Thirteen states had state-ordered in-person instruction.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 15,697,460 students (30.96% of students nationwide)
  • One state (Arizona) had state-ordered in-person instruction for certain grades.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 1,152,586 students (2.27% of students nationwide)
  • Thirty-four states left decisions to schools or districts.
    • 2019-20 enrollment: 33,449,499 students (65.96% of students nationwide)



School reopenings and closures (2019-2020 academic year)

See also: School responses to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic during the 2019-2020 academic year


The map below shows the status of school reopenings and closures at the end of the 2019-2020 academic year.

  • States closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year: 48
  • Number of public school students in states closed to in-person instruction for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year: 50,261,464


The chart below shows the first date schools in a state were closed to in-person instruction during the 2019-2020 academic year, divided by the political party of the governor.

School responses by state

To read about school responses to the coronavirus pandemic in others states, click one of the following links below:

General resources

The chart below shows coronavirus statistics from countries across the world. The information is provided by Real Clear Politics.

Click the links below to explore official resources related to the coronavirus outbreak.


See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Number of operating public schools and districts, student membership, teachers, and pupil/teacher ratio, by state or jurisdiction: School year 2019–20," accessed September 10, 2021
  2. ↑ EducationWeek, "Map: Where Were Schools Required to Be Open for the 2020-21 School Year?," June 14, 2021
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 CBS Baltimore, "Legislative Panel Revokes Statewide School Mask Mandate, Sending Decision To Local Districts," February 25, 2022
  4. ↑ CBS Baltimore, "Panel OKs Rule Extending Mask Mandate In Maryland Schools For 180 Days," January 5, 2022
  5. ↑ WUSA 9, "Maryland Board of Education approves plan to lift school mask mandates, if certain metrics are met," December 7, 2021
  6. ↑ To read more about Burbio's school disruption tracking, click here
  7. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed August 27, 2021
  8. ↑ Burbio rated Maryland's in-person index at 65.2. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  9. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed Oct. 6, 2021
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named MD31
  11. ↑ WJZ 13, "In-Person Reopening Plans Approved For All Maryland Schools As Some Teachers And Parents Express Frustration: ‘Left Running In Circles’," accessed September 24, 2020
  12. ↑ Burbio rated Maryland's in-person index between 0-20. To read more about Burbio's school opening tracker, click here. To read more about Burbio's methodology, click here.
  13. ↑ Burbio, "Burbio's K-12 School Opening Tracker," accessed Oct. 6, 2021
  14. ↑ WBAL, "Maryland Public School Students Start School Year Virtually," September 8, 2020
  15. ↑ FOX Baltimore, "Maryland State Board of Education passes new recommendations on school schedules," September 1, 2020
  16. ↑ DCist, "Maryland Public School Systems Can Opt For In-Person Classes This Fall," July 22, 2020
  17. ↑ Maryland Department of Education, "Maryland Education Moves Forward as Part of State’s Overall Stage 2 Recovery," June 10, 2020
  18. ↑ Baltimore Sun, "Maryland schools to remain closed for the rest of academic year due to coronavirus pandemic," May 6, 2020
  19. ↑ Politico, "Maryland to keep schools closed through May 15," April 17, 2020
  20. ↑ The Baltimore Sun, "Maryland school closures extended a month due to coronavirus threat," March 25, 2020
  21. ↑ The New York Times, "Congress to Vote on Coronavirus Rescue Package," March 12, 2020
  22. ↑ On Sept. 2, 2021 the ban was temporarily suspended by court action. An appeals court upheld the ban on Sept. 10.
  23. ↑ Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) ended the statewide school mask requirement on Feb. 28, 2022.
  24. ↑ On Sept. 13, 2021 the ban was temporarily suspended by court action for all schools. On Jan. 25, 2022, the ban was partially reinstated.
  25. ↑ Oct. 26, 2021 - School districts could be exempt from the school mask requirement if they followed CDC quarantine guidance
  26. ↑ Dec. 7, 2021 - School districts could be exempt from the school mask requirement if they met one of the three following criteria: 1) the county vaccination rate was 80% or higher, 2) 80% of school staff and students were vaccinated, or 3) COVID-19 transmission in the county was considered moderate or low for 14 straight days.
  27. ↑ Oct. 1 - Schools could become exempt from the school mask requirement when at least 80% of students were vaccinated
  28. ↑ On Nov. 10, 2021 the ban was suspended by court action. An appeals court upheld the ban on Dec. 1.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
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