Where do home and hospital teaching services take place?
All Home and Hospital instruction sessions are delivered virtually. Only in extenuating circumstances will in-person sessions be arranged.
If my child has an IEP, will he or she still get the support services in his or her IEP at home?
Please direct all questions about students with disabilities to your child's IEP Team. The IEP Team, along with your input, will determine what support services may need to be provided given your child's medical condition that is precluding them from attending school for a short period of time.
Is my child eligible for home teaching?
Students enrolled in the Howard County Public School system are eligible for interim Home and Hospital instructional sessions when it is determined by an appropriate medical provider per COMAR (13A.03.05.04) that a student’s medical diagnosis is serious enough to preclude school attendance (20 schools days - 60 calendar days) or a chronic health impairment that causes the student to be absent at least 20% of the time.
How do I register my child for bus transportation service?
For the 2025-26 school year, bus registration is not required. All bus-eligible students (per Board of Education Policy 5200 - Student Transportation) will be routed.
What is Synergy?
Synergy is the Student Management System (SIS) used by HCPSS. Synergy is the primary system for recording quarterly and/or final grades. Grades will appear in Synergy as they appear on quarterly report cards at the end of each marking period.
Staff at my child’s school are willing to write a letter supporting our reassignment request. Is that okay?
Letters from school staff should not be requested by the parent/guardian or submitted with the reassignment request form. If appropriate, the Office of Pupil Personnel Services will reach out to your child’s school to receive feedback about your child. The school will be asked if they are aware of the issues you've presented on the request form. In addition, the school will be asked to provide information, if any, about the supports in place to help your child be successful as well as whether there are disciplinary or attendance concerns.
What kind of supporting documentation do I need to submit for reassignment under the hardship category?
To be considered for a hardship reassignment, you must provide the Hardship-Student Reassignment Request Form (H-SRRF) along with specific evidence that substantiates your unique situation.
Supporting documentation varies based on the nature of the request:
What are the current programs, services and positions being considered for reduction or elimination to close the remaining budget gap?
To build the scenarios, staff worked with principals and other school-based and non-school-based leaders to consider many programs and services. These are the same considerations the Superintendent began socializing publicly at the Board budget work session on April 29th. These considerations are very impactful and not decisions we want to make. Any decision in these areas will result in an impact on valued positions, services, and programs. It is our hope that any eliminated positions will be able to be absorbed through annual attrition.
What was the budget gap following the County Council approving their budget?
Following the County Executive’s amendment and County Council’s approval, the net budget gap has been reduced but not eliminated. Earlier this month, County Executive, Calvin Ball, committed $14.5 million additional dollars to our budget using a provision in the County Charter that will allow PAYGO funds to be used for recurring expenses and be included in next year’s Maintenance of Effort calculation. This amendment was approved by the County Council.