Building A Future That Is For Everyone

Building A

Future that is for

Everyone STRENGTHENING EDUCATION IN MARYLAND

ACCOMPLISHMENT HIGHLIGHTS 2019

Our Year In Review

……and how are the children?

The traditional greeting of the Maasai people, one of the most accomplished and fabled tribes of Africa, is “And how are the children?”

It acknowledges the high value that the Maasai place on their children’s well-being. They hold that no matter the daily struggles we face, the primary responsibility of society is the well-being of its children.

The mission of the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is to provide leadership, set policy, and advocate for continuous improvement of Maryland’s educational system. We never stop asking “and how are the children.”

Our strategic initiative in early interventions and special education services is realizing improved student outcomes. The Division of Early Childhood received a $10.6 million Birth through Five federal grant, which will fund, among other activities, modernizing the data system, professional development to meet the needs of Dual Language Learners, and training for 200 teachers in the new 4-year old curriculum. A $45 million Striving Readers grant is working to promote universal literacy for birth through grade 12 throughout the State.

Major efforts are being made related to teacher recruitment by a steering committee established by MSDE. Certification and Teacher Preparation regulations have been transformed. These regulations continue to support efforts to bring high quality teachers to Maryland schools.

2 |

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Over two years of work on Maryland’s Every Student Succeeds Plan resulted in the publication of the Maryland Accountability Report Card, offering parents and stakeholders the most information and data about individual schools in State history. This information serves to generate needed conversations between parents and schools.

The third year of the Lead Higher initiative resulted in an additional 856 students of color and low income signing up to take Advanced Placement and/or International Baccalaureate (AP/IB) courses next year compared to this year. Career and Technology offerings have expanded across the State. Focus on improvement of low performing schools continues through root cause analysis, professional development, curriculum vetting and analysis of data to identify and target areas of need, in order to improve student achievement across the State.

of our accomplishments during the 2018 – 2019 school year. MSDE will continue to emphasize and implement programs that reflect our core values of equity, excellence and accountability.

I hope you will join me in asking each day, “And how are the children?”

In doing this, we can make a collective impact to ensure all students achieve and thrive, regardless of socioeconomic status, gender and gender identity, ethnic background, immigration status, English proficiency, disability, or family background.

– Karen B. Salmon, Ph.D. State Superintendent of Schools

We must accelerate student progress and pave the way for their success by implementing strong standards, innovative programs, technical service supports, and access for all students – all within a safe school environment. Please take a few minutes to review some

MESSAGE FROM THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT

| 3

“

Prekindergarten makes a huge difference. What we see is those children who went to pre-K definitely do better than those children who did not.

– Karen Karten Early Childhood Coordinator, Somerset County Public Schools

Let’s Get Started Early learning programs provide Maryland students with a great start in school, as well as a strong foundation for the rest of their lives. The Maryland State Department of Education is working to expand the number of high quality early learning programs and improve access to those opportunities.

A teacher at Havre de Grace Elementary reads “The Three Little Pigs” to his 2nd grade class.

In early 2019, MSDE was awarded a $10.6 million Birth through Five federal grant from the U.S. Departments of Education and Health and Human Services to improve early childhood programs throughout the state. The grant allows Maryland to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment on the availability and quality of early childhood programs and develop a Birth through Five strategic plan to fuel continued improvement. The Preschool Development grant allows Maryland to conduct a needs assessment on the availability and quality of early childhood programs, and to develop a strategic plan to fuel continued improvement.

The new grant dovetails with efforts already in progress at MSDE to strengthen childcare and early academics. The Maryland EXCELS Quality Rating and Improvement System—a voluntary rating system for childcare providers—now has more than 4,600 participants.

4 |

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

That number represents 56 percent of all childcare programs in the State, and continues to grow as more providers embrace the drive to improve quality.

However, it is more than building better programs. Maryland is also working to make certain more children are able to participate.

Thanks to the efforts of Governor Hogan and funding from the Maryland General Assembly, the number of children receiving childcare scholarships increased by 35 percent. That means that 4,000 additional children from economically disadvantaged homes have the opportunity for better care and a better start in education.

The work is beginning to bear fruit. Results of the Maryland Kindergarten Readiness Assessment for the 2018-19 school year found that 47 percent of children enter kindergarten ready to learn. That is an increase of two percent over the 2017-18 school year. Students enrolled in top quality programs show even better results. The data provide Maryland early childhood educators with a roadmap to even greater success.

30,947 # of students enrolled in publicly-funded prekindergarten in Maryland, including through the PreK Expansion Grants.

LET’S GET STARTED

| 5

Meeting the Need The goal of education is to help every student reach their potential. Programs from the Maryland State Department of Education go well beyond the typical elementary or secondary school classroom to make that vision a reality.

MSDE’s Division of Early Intervention/Special Education Services(DEI/SES) leads a seamless comprehensive system of coordinated services to provide a myriad of services for students with disabilities, birth through age 21, while the Division of Rehabilitation Services (DORS) trains and assists youth and adults with disabilities, through specialized services and employmentrelated programs.

Success for students means beginning early. Through local Infants and Toddlers Programs, Maryland provides early intervention services to 23,000 children with disabilities (and developmental delays) and their families before the child turns six years of age.

6 |

Those programs make an enormous difference. In fact, 68 percent of Maryland third-graders who received early intervention services prior to kindergarten no longer needed special education services.

Maryland serves more than 100,000 students with disabilities from age 3 to age 21. This number represents 12.2 percent of the state’s total student population. Maryland is among the nation’s leaders in providing services to students with disabilities in the general population–more than 70 percent of students receiving special education services are in general education settings for 70 percent or more of the school day. The result: more students with disabilities are graduating along with their typically developing peers (up 7.5 percent since 2013), and gaps in graduation rates between students with disabilities and those without are narrowing (down 4.2 percent since 2013).

As students with disabilities begin to transition from of the public school population, DORS services provide a path to additional

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

“

MSDE really works well collaboratively with general educators, not only to plan for specially designed instruction but to implement it and collect the data needed to make changes and narrow the gap for students with disabilities...

– Dr. Arden Sotomayer Director of Special Education, Charles County Public Schools

7.5% Increased Graduation Rate Maryland increased its graduation rate for students with disabilities by 7.5 percent between 2014 and 2017.

Marcella Franczkowski, Assistant State Superintendent for Early Intervention/Special Education Services, meets with teachers during a professional development program.

education and employment. Over the past year, nearly 7,300 clients were provided with assistance, helping students move from high school to employment, higher education or career training.

DORS also partners with the Maryland business community, providing 1,650 direct services to employers last year, and helping to add 1,285 employees to Maryland’s statewide workforce.

How is it working? Shelly Cotton, who joined the DORS Workforce and Technology Office Technology Training Program late in 2017, used her new skills to gain an administrative position in Towson University’s History Department, where she has thrived. Aleice Hargrove, Shelly’s Office Technology Instructor, is not surprised.

“Shelly is the type of person who got it right away; I didn’t have to push her,” Hargrove said. “She was my right-hand person and made sure every class ran smoothly.”

42% DORS Consumers

(Ages 14-24)

The percent of DORS consumers who are between the ages of 14 and 24. DORS offers two programs to help youth with disabilities.

MEETING THE NEED: SPECIAL EDUCATION/DORS

| 7

Accelerating Student Progress Maryland student performance is on the path toward improvement. More importantly, the stage has been set for growth in performance to continue at a more rapid pace in the coming years.

in 2018, up from 31.2 in 2017. That percentage ranked fourth in the nation.

•

Assessment results over the past year reflected positive growth. For example: •

•

8 |

Maryland public school SAT scores increased by 20 points for the class of 2018, to 1066, compared to the national public school average of 1049.

Maryland students set a new record for success on the rigorous Advanced Placement exam. The percentage of Maryland seniors who earned a score of 3 or better reached 31.6 percent

State assessment scores increased on both reading/English language arts and mathematics tests across the elementary and middle grade levels.

That is good news. The better news is that Maryland is building a foundation to further boost student achievement in the coming years.

For example, MSDE has placed a renewed emphasis on Gifted and Talented (G/T) education, holding the first-ever Maryland Gifted and Talented Equity Symposium, targeting student groups historically underrepresented in many G/T programs. In addition, MSDE is developing GT Discover, a state-of-the-art web portal that will provide

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

“

The average SAT score for Maryland’s graduating seniors rose dramatically this year, with an increase shown in almost every demographic group, according to data released…by the College Board.

–“Maryland SAT Scores Jump 20 Points,” Baltimore Sun, October 25, 2018

information to educators, families, researchers, and others interested in the field.

MSDE is also preparing to unveil its new state testing program, the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program, during the 20192020 school year. The Maryland-developed test will replace the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exams with a shorter assessment, without losing the rigor for which that test was lauded.

Ten new schools from two Maryland school systems have joined MSDE’s Lead Higher initiative. Lead Higher is designed to close equity gaps for lower income students and students of color participating in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs. The program provides onsite technical assistance to analyze data, creates strategies for recruiting more students into rigorous academic programs, and provides ongoing planning support.

Maryland student success is bolstered by rigorous content and better assessments.

Maryland also launched a variety of programs targeting students who struggle in school. MSDE used funds from its Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Grant to increase achievement in literacy for children, birth through grade 12, by holding workshops

ACCELERATING STUDENT PROGRESS

| 9

Accelerating Student Progress

The Fall 2018 Maryland Masterclass Series provided fifteen hours of professional learning for music educators and culminated in a concert featuring the 160-singer workshop choir and the Prince George’s County Public Schools Mass Gospel Choir, a 75-member choir comprised of students from Bowie, Douglass, Oxon Hill and Wise High Schools.

throughout the state in all English language arts content areas.

MSDE is also working with the Council of Chief State School Officers to strengthen social studies achievement.

MSDE’s instruction initiatives have run the complete range this year.

In addition to English and social studies, new projects involving mathematics, science, physical education/health, and the arts have taken place. For example, MSDE science specialists worked with the Juvenile Services Education System to provide teachers with the latest professional development involving the State’s science standards. Instructional Technology launched the online OER HUB to house all of Maryland’s vetted Openly Licensed Educational Resources (OERs) – open source courses, lesson plans and other resources for Maryland educators to use. Maryland’s resources may be shared nationally through the HUB, and State educators can access resources from 14 other states as well.

partnership with the Office of Maryland First Lady Yumi Hogan, the Maryland State Arts Council, the Arts Education in Maryland Schools Alliance, Mount Vernon Place Conservancy, and the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts. Hundreds of Maryland students played, sang, danced, acted, and displayed their visual arts in downtown Baltimore.

The Maryland Seal of Biliteracy, awarded to students who have demonstrated high levels of proficiency in English and one or more world languages, continues to grow. Launched in 2017 in seven counties, the program has expanded to 17 school systems. For 2018, seals were awarded in Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Latin and Spanish.

The Fine Arts office held its first Master Class last October, led by Grammy Award-winning gospel artist Donald Lawrence. The office held the Second Annual Best of Maryland Arts Education Festival, in

10 |

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

SAT Composite Score for Public School Students 1070

1066

1065 1060 1055 1050

1049

1046

1045 1040

1044

2017

Maryland

2018

Nation

600+ MSDE’s second annual Best of Maryland Arts Education Festival brought hundreds of students to Baltimore’s historic Mt. Vernon neighborhood to collaborate, perform, and learn.

Maryland student artists attended the Best of Maryland Arts Education Festival to present their work in music, media arts, dance, theatre, creative writing, and visual arts.

ACCELERATING STUDENT PROGRESS II

| 11

“

P-TECH is a big deal. The opportunities that the P-TECH program affords kids, especially kids in this area, are amazing.

– Amy Wolff P-TECH Coordinator, Dundalk High School, Baltimore County

Working Together High school diplomas are important, and Maryland’s high school graduation rate remains at a near record level. But a diploma is just a piece of paper without a pathway to a career.

Maryland has prepared several clear pathways for students to reach success. The plan is for these pathways to serve as highways, allowing students to move quickly and fully prepared into the workforce. Indeed, students often join the workforce prior to graduation.

Maryland is developing more career training options for students interested in a clear path to a great job.

To much acclaim, Apprenticeship Maryland, the State’s youth apprenticeship program, began as a two-year pilot in Frederick and Washington Counties. Propelled by a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the pilot was developed into a Career and Technology Education (CTE) program of study and made available for statewide implementation. Partnering with the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation (DLLR), staff from both agencies have been working collaboratively to engage employers and local school systems.

To date, seven additional school systems have submitted proposals to join Apprenticeship Maryland for 2019-2020 school year, with more systems expressing interest. Scott Stump, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, visited Maryland in March to review the program’s success and witnessed first-hand the collaboration among MSDE, DLLR, and the Maryland Department of Commerce in implementing the State’s newest CTE model.

12 |

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Dr. Karen Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools, joined Governor Larry Hogan last December to announce an expansion of the P-TECH program.

Also growing in Maryland is the Pathways in Technology Early College High School(P-TECH) Program, which creates clear linkages from high school to college and career. In six years or less, students graduate with a high school diploma and a no-cost associate’s degree. Each P-TECH program works with industry partners and a local community college to ensure an up-to-date curriculum that is academically rigorous and economically relevant. The program also includes one-on-one mentoring, workplace visits and instruction on the careers.

Eight P-TECH programs are already underway in Baltimore City, Allegany County, Baltimore County, Montgomery County, and Prince George’s County. In May, Governor Larry Hogan signed legislation adding two more schools to the program.

Other CTE programs continue to grow. One of the newest is Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, which MSDE developed with the Mid Atlantic Center for Emergency Management at Frederick Community College, offering professional development for educators each year. The Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness CTE program aligns with the mission areas of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

2 Million The amount CTE Innovation Grant funds awarded to 17 programs, including: Cecil County’s Medium/ Heavy Truck Technician Program Charles County’s Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education Pathway for Natural Resources St. Mary’s County’s Cybersecurity program

WORKING TOGETHER

| 13

“

It may be a mistake to think of curriculum choice and teaching reforms as alternative ways of improving student outcomes. Rather, to gain the benefits of either, districts may need to do both.

– Dr. Thomas Kane Harvard University Graduate School of Education, describing his research on the importance of textbooks in “Usable Knowledge.

MSDE’s Research Office contributed to Harvard’s research.

Building a Foundation for Student Progress Lasting school and student improvement isn’t a mysterious stroke of good luck. It must be constructed over time using research, strong administrative support, and professional development.

Maryland laid the groundwork for future success with the launch of MSDE’s very first research department in 2017. Over the past year, the research office grew to three staff members, and the work emerging from that office is informing educational policy.

Professional development opportunities provide a spark for educators committed to improving school and student performance.

14 |

For example, MSDE collaborated with Harvard University’s Center for Education Policy Research and five other states in a study of math textbooks and their influence on student achievement. The exhaustive study, covering three school years, found that while high quality curricula matters, teachers—and their fidelity to the curricula—matter a great deal. For student performance to improve, schools must both adopt high-quality and challenging material, and make certain educators use those tools effectively.

Maryland is always on the lookout for new tools and innovations to help students improve. Over the past year, the State has strengthened support for its lowest performing schools, known as Comprehensive Support and Improvement Schools (CSI).

The University of Maryland-College Park has partnered with MSDE to provide analysis and professional development for CSI schools.

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Two Maryland schools—one from Allegany, the other from Charles County—were honored among the nation’s top Title I schools for 2018.

MSDE’s Title I Office serves CSI and other schools serving predominantly low-income populations. For the past year, the office adopted the theme, “Equity, Excellence and Access.” Many of these schools are excelling, such as Cash Valley Elementary School in Allegany County and Mt. Hope/Nanjemoy Elementary School in Charles County, both named National Title I Distinguished Schools for 2019.

Thanks to the support of the Maryland General Assembly, more support is on the way. House Bill 1415, passed in 2018, included $2.4 million to assist students in Title I schools to meet literacy proficiency targets by the end of eighth grade. Five school systems have been awarded Early Literacy Initiative Grants using evidence based strategies.

40 # of professional development opporunities

provided to local public school systems by MSDE’s Office of Research in the 2019-2020 school year.

Maryland continues to look for other ways to strengthen student outcomes. For some students and their families, charter schools offer an alternative to neighborhood schools in some of the State’s systems.

MSDE in September 2018, awarded six new Charter School Grants, with one school already serving students and others in the midst of planning their operations.

Some Maryland families opt to send their children to nonpublic schools, and MSDE provides assistance to them as well. The Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today (BOOST) program awarded more than 3,100 scholarships for the 2018-19 school year to students from lowincome families.

BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR STUDENT PROGRESS

| 15

Accountability Drives Success To know exactly where you are going, you need a map. For schools in our State, that map is the Maryland Report Card. In late 2018, that map provided more information.

MSDE introduced a major upgrade of the Maryland Report Card website (MdReportCard.org) providing educators, parents, and the general public with the most complete picture of school and school system performance in State history.

The Maryland Report Card now includes a broad selection of performance indicators to help measure how schools are doing. In addition to student success and growth on state assessments in English and mathematics, the report card factors in progress in achieving English language proficiency for English learners, student attendance, preparation for postsecondary success, access to a well-rounded curriculum, and graduation rates.

The retooled Report Card, the result of more then nearly two years of planning and preparation, didn’t stop there.

This spring the Report Card added a measure for equity at the school and district level, going well beyond the averages in order to provide a better picture of just how well schools are doing with various racial and student service groups. All students must be accounted for if Maryland schools are truly going to improve.

16 |

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

“

We owe it to Maryland families to provide them with as much information as possible to make informed decisions about their children’s education...The new Maryland Report Card (provides) critical information about our schools and enhances transparency and accountability in our education system.”

–Governor Larry Hogan

The new Maryland Report Card, based on the State’s plan for the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), will continue to evolve.

In the coming years, the report card will include the results of a student and faculty survey.

Perhaps equally as important, the Report Card is easy to use.

Those logging on are able to easily understand how each school is performing, just as they can with a traditional report card. The Report Card utilizes a rating system from one to five stars to represent a school’s progress in achieving its goals.

The new Maryland Report Card offers more information to educators and parents, in an easy to read format.

The Baltimore Sun editorial board noted that prior versions of the Report Card required users to assess school success by comparing test scores, but the new method offers a “more holistic assessment of school quality.”

ACCOUNTABILITY DRIVES SUCCESS

| 17

Accountability Drives Success

Providing specialized support for Maryland schools and school leaders is one of MSDE’s primary roles.

Accountability is a key factor in building better schools. In 2018, MSDE began collecting data on the number of students receiving specialized intervention services, such as academic and behavioral support. The information is used by MSDE to provide technical assistance to local school systems to strengthen that support.

MSDE’s Office of Leadership Development and School Improvement has been engaged with school systems throughout the State to improve the effectiveness of classroom instruction. For example, it held the Leading for School Improvement Institute, gathering nearly 100 principals of at-risk schools to provide customized support to upgrade classroom performance. Participants engaged in a yearlong, job-embedded professional learning experience grounded in effective practices for school improvement. School leaders were provided coaches to support application of effective school improvement practices. In addition, the office has been working with local systems to strengthen educator evaluation, through the Teacher and Principal Evaluation Improvement Workgroup.

18 |

MSDE also launched the Office of Compliance and Monitoring over the past year, to ensure that local school systems are conforming with State and Federal laws, regulations, and practices related to graduation rate validation. The office works closely with local school systems to ensure the State Board’s policies are administered properly and effectively. In one instance, the office was instrumental in recovering $20,000 worth of equipment for the State.

The key to better schools often comes in the form of a better principal. With that goal in mind, the Office of Leadership Development and School Improvement–in collaboration with stakeholders–developed a rubric to support principal evaluations.

The purpose of the rubric is to inform professional learning experiences for principals that will elevate their professional practice by identifying areas of promise and opportunities for growth within each standard. The rubric provides a common language and clear expectations for ratings of a highly effective, effective, developing, and ineffective school leader.

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

“

Maryland education officials … are on the right track in trying to provide as much information as possible in the most user friendly way, and the new system is a vast improvement over the old one.

-Washington Post editorial board, December 27, 2018

300 # of principals, assistant principals and principal supervisors participating in evaluator training provided by MSDE’s Office of Leadership Development and School Improvement.

Tiara Booker-Dwyer, formerly MSDE’s Director of Leadership Development and School Improvement, leads a professional development session. Booker-Dwyer now serves as Assistant State Superintendent for Career and College Readiness.

Better evaluation leads to better teachers, principals and better schools.

ACCOUNTABILITY DRIVES SUCCESS

| 19

Fueling Student Outcomes Healthy and safe students are engaged, active and successful learners. Maryland continues to provide the services that produce a sturdy foundation for educational growth.

Maryland has opened three new school-based health centers over the past year, two in Baltimore City (at Booker T. Washington Middle School and Forest Park High School) and one in Washington County (at Bester Elementary School). The centers, which provide health support, improved immunizations, and health condition management, have helped strengthen school attendance.

•

OSCNP provided two-day trainings to more than 100 school nutrition professionals operating the school nutrition programs and involved students in “taste testing” menu items.

•

The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) oversees 24 sports during the academic year, registering and certifying nearly 4,000 contest officials each year to help ensure student safety.

•

MPSSAA, since 1989, has administered the Minds in Motion award, which honors student athletes achieving a 3.25 unweighted grade point average or better while participating in sports. Each year, more than 40,000 students receive the honor, and 14 athletes receive scholarships.

•

MSDE is developing an online teacher training course on drug abuse prevention for elementary schools, which will aid in the implementation of the Start Talking Maryland Act.

Most of Maryland’s programs have an impact on every school in the State. For example: •

20 |

MSDE’s Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs (OSCNP) manages nearly $25 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture funds to provide meals to children and adults.

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

“

Sports have been a huge part of my high school experience, especially considering there were only a few weeks a year that I wasn’t in season.

When I was an underclassmen, my teammates were my role models to me and I looked up to them in skills and academics. Countless times I have used what I learned in the classroom on the court/field, calculating angles and applying concepts which fortified my understanding of the material.

– Sienna Williams Minds In Motion Scholar-Athlete Scholarship recipient

112,000 The approximate # of students participating in Maryland’s MPSSAA sports during the 2018-19 school year Maryland has emphasized the access to better school nutrition as a component of better learning for more than two decades.

•

More than 250 educators representing every local school system participated in regional MSDE workshops designed to improve delivery of sexual abuse and assault prevention instruction, as well as affirmative consent and healthy boundaries instruction.

•

The Maryland Center for School Safety became an independent agency and expanded its role in 2018. Dr. Karen Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools, serves as the chair of the Subcabinet which oversees the Center.

Maryland became the 16th State in the nation this year to approve a girls state tournament in wrestling.

FUELING STUDENT OUTCOMES

| 21

“

Equal Opportunity Schools commends the Maryland State Department of Education and the Board of Education for the necessary leadership in ensuring every student in Maryland receives an education that prepares them for lifelong learning, success in work, and participation in their community.”

– Reid Saaris

CEO and Founder, Equal Opportunity Schools

Policy that Matters The people of Maryland care deeply about education, and that ironclad partnership with the public informs the policies developed by the Maryland State Department of Education. MSDE over the past year has developed policies designed to improve educational opportunity, expand best practices, and strengthen equity for students across the State.

MSDE, under the direction of the State Board of Education, works with the Governor and legislators to craft policy that points classrooms in a positive direction and maintains Maryland public schools in a position among the nation’s finest. MSDE staff tracked nearly 300 pieces of legislation during the 2019 General Assembly session and provided testimony, written input and advice on a variety of legislative initiatives.

Over the past year, MSDE and the State Board have: Dr. Justin M. Hartings, President, Maryland State Board of Education, was among many State Board members and MSDE staff to testify before the Maryland General Assembly in 2019.

22 |

•

Developed a new Educational Equity regulation. Working with the Council of Chief State School Officers and the Network for Equity and Excellence in Education—in conjunction with input from school leaders throughout the State—the new regulation established equity as a priority for MSDE and the State’s school systems. Still in the approval process, the new regulation defines equity, accountability, and other factors necessary for the State to provide optimal opportunity for all of its students.

•

Launched the Digital Teacher Recruitment Program. Funded by the General Assembly, the program will use social media, advertising, and outreach to bring more educators to Maryland and convince more aspiring educators to consider Maryland as a great place for a teaching career. The program will use the voices of our education program’s best advocates: teachers themselves.

2019 MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACCOMPLISHMENTS

MSDE later this year will launch a new campaign designed to bring more potential teachers to our State. Maryland’s amazing educators are at the forefront of the campaign.

•

Reviewed graduation regulations. MSDE has spent the past year evaluating what should be considered for a Maryland high school diploma and welcomed input from teachers, administrators and the higher education community.

•

Analyzed student discipline policies. Five years after the Maryland State Board of Education approved a sweeping reform of the state’s student discipline regulations, the State Board established a task force to examine the impact of the reforms and determine if modifications may be needed.

•

•

•

Highlighted best practices in Instructional Technology. MSDE, in collaboration with the Maryland Department of Health and Maryland Public Television, is developing a video spotlighting best practices surrounding the use of digital devices and WiFi in the classroom.

Strengthened mental health. The Maryland State Board of Education and MSDE staff spent more than a year placing a spotlight on mental health issues that children face, and developing tools that systems can use to strengthen mental health education in their schools.

Transformed teacher preparation and certification regulations, increasing rigor and improving teacher quality.

167 # of Maryland leaders contributing during regional meetings about student discipline.

38 # of individuals serving on the Maryland High School Graduation Task Force in 2018, representing 24 organizations.

POLICY THAT MATTERS

| 23

MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION KAREN B. SALMON, Ph.D. State Superintendent of Schools

BRIGADIER GENERAL WARNER I. SUMPTER, USA, Ret. President, Maryland State Board of Education

LARRY HOGAN Governor 200 West Baltimore Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201 MarylandPublicSchools.org

The Maryland State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, or disability in matters aff ecting employment or in providing access to programs. For inquiries related to departmental policy, please contact the Equity Assurance and Compliance Branch: Phone 410-767-0433, TTY 410-767-0426, Fax 410-767-0431 REV 2/22/17