Baltimore-area systems are determined to coax families to send their children back to school this fall

Some schools are half empty across the Baltimore area, and parents in significant numbers are signaling that they aren’t sure they are ready for their children to return in the fall. But those hesitant parents will find a phalanx of educators — from the U.S. Secretary of Education down to their school principal — nudging them to return their children to a school building. Determined to return to normalcy, leaders throughout Maryland are planning to open schools five days a week, 180 days a year starting this fall.