The Blended Learning Program (BLP) for Long-Term Medically Impacted Students is a comprehensive educational program that provides students access to courses in a blended learning environment. The BLP is designed to extend educational services to students who are unable to access academic services in a physical school setting for up to one year due to medical conditions, but who can otherwise access a broader instructional program.
The application for School Year 2024-25 is available now, and instruction begins on November 6, 2024.
The BLP is limited to students who have a documented medical condition that cannot be accommodated in a physical school setting and prevents school attendance for the remainder of the school year. If a student’s condition improves during the year, families/caregivers may choose to have students return to their in-person schools.
Additionally, students must:
Please access the Blended Learning Program Application here.
To apply for the Blended Learning Program, parents/caregivers must:
Applications are addressed on a rolling basis and may be submitted at any time during the school year.
Approved applications last for the remainder of the school year. At any time, parents/caregivers and medical practitioners can determine that it is in the best interest of students to return to school.
Families will complete a Blended Learning Program for Long-Term Medically Impacted Students Application (Link to Form) for each student they would like to be considered for the program. Students who qualify will have a medical condition, either physical or mental health, that makes attendance at their in-person schools impossible for the remainder of the year, even with reasonable accommodations.
In all cases, medical necessity must be certified by a practitioner who is treating the student for the condition. A physician or certified nurse practitioner can certify physical health conditions. Mental health conditions can be certified by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or certified registered nurse practitioner in psychiatric mental health (CRNP-PMH).
Families must submit new applications each year.
No, students and families will not be required to pay any additional cost for the program.
Applications will be assessed by a review panel including representatives from the Office of School Support and Improvement (OSSI), the Office of Special Education (OSE), and the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs (OCIP).
All students will receive synchronous instruction every week, with asynchronous experiences daily. Courses will be similar to in-school courses in scope and sequence, but learning activities will be different. Every effort will be made to provide synchronous instruction opportunities during the standard school day, but most synchronous instruction will likely occur after traditional school hours. Teachers will be available to students for one-on-one support during pre-scheduled times during the week.
There will be some differences by grade level:
Students will have materials and opportunities to engage every day of the week.
Students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) will receive the special education and related services, as well as accommodations, required for them to access the curriculum.
If families and practitioners believe that a student’s condition has improved enough to allow in-person school attendance before the end of the current school year, students may return to school. Families will need to notify both BLP staff and school staff so that appropriate accommodations can be made for the student’s return to school. Students who complete the year with the BLP must submit a new application beginning in July, 2025.
Please send any questions to BLP@mcpsmd.org