MARYLAND, USA — Frederick County Public Schools voted unanimously on Wednesday to move to full virtual learning this fall for the 2020-21 academic year.
The district's school board also opted to postpone extracurricular activities, including fall sports, until at least January.
"In the FCPS Full Virtual Learning Model, students access learning online instead of face to face in a school building," said the district in its statement on Wednesday. "They will engage in a combination of real-time virtual instruction, instruction on an individual schedule, and completion of assigned tasks. In addition to teachers and school counselors, online learning mentors will also support students, offering designated office hours."
The full virtual model reportedly differs from the Continuity of Learning format in effect last spring when grades were either Pass (P) or Incomplete (iCOL).
The Superintendent and administration will be allowed to make specialized arrangements for small groups of students who may need in-school instruction.
These types of students could be special needs students with mental and learning disabilities. The worry about if they can learn from home has been a concern seen by parents across DC, Maryland and Virginia.
The school year for Frederick County Public Schools will start on August 31 and the district said it will provide more details on its plans for the school year over the next few weeks.
The move by Frederick County comes as school districts across the DMV have decided to move to online learning only.
Learn more about Frederick County Public Schools by clicking here.
