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MSDE joined leadership teams from Baltimore City’s lowest performing schools in a year-long partnership designed to jump-start academic improvement.
This month the Maryland State Department of Education
(MSDE) and Baltimore City Public Schools convened leadership teams from
Baltimore City’s lowest performing schools in a retreat to kick-off a year-long
partnership designed to jump-start academic improvement.
The three-day Intensive Partnership for Improvement focused
on creating turnaround strategies to improve problem areas within the schools.
A passionate and energetic group of school leadership teams completed comprehensive
needs assessments and developed intervention plans with evidence-based
strategies, intended to raise the quality of instruction and strengthen student
academic achievement. The teams, consisting of a principal,
assistant principal, and teacher leader from each school, worked with several MSDE
staff members and other experts that provided customized support to each team.
For the 2017-2018 school year, 23 priority schools from
Baltimore City were identified. Priority schools are the lowest performing 5%
of all Title I schools; and/or have graduation rates below 67%; or are schools
that receive Title I school improvement funds under the Federal School Improvement Grant Program. After participating
in a myriad of interactive activities and programs, each leadership team presented
their own specialized strategy at the end of the three-day retreat. Each school
targeted their goals on a range of improvement strategies; from increasing
attendance, to boosting morale, to increasing graduation rates and creating a
personal relationship with each at risk student. Each team received constructive and
helpful advice and criticism on their strategies to take back with them to their schools.
The MSDE and Baltimore City priority schools Partnership
for Improvement Retreat created a support system for city schools in need. The holistic
approach to improving individual schools and the positive reevaluation of leadership
strategies this program has provided to Baltimore City priority schools is sure
to set the stage for improvement!
The
following actions were taken at the July 18, 2017 meeting of the Maryland State
Board of Education (State Board):
- Held the annual election of officers and re-elected Andrew R. Smarick President of the State Board and Dr. Chester E. Finn,
Jr. as Vice President for a second term.
- Introduced new State Board members Dr. Irene M. Zoppi Rodriguez (in absentia) and Kyle Smith
(student
representative).
- Approved Baltimore City Public Schools’ school calendar waiver request to waive the post-Labor Day school start date and
June 15 school end date for four schools for the 2017-2018 school year.
Schools include:
Harford Heights Elementary School; James McHenry
Elementary/Middle School, Mary Rodman Elementary School and Commodore John
Rodgers Elementary/Middle School.
- Approved proposed revisions to the Procedures for Removal of Professional Assistants and Special Appointments policy. This policy was adopted on January 25, 1995, and has had only minor revisions since that time. The new changes provide more time to conduct a fair and thorough investigation in cases involving misconduct or performance deficiencies, while also preserving the added due process provided to professional assistants.
The following Opinions and Orders were rendered on July 18,
2016:
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Rodney Hudson v. Prince George’s County Board of Education – employee termination – Opinion No. 17-26
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R.L. v. Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners – student suspension – Opinion No. 17-27
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Gregory Sutton v. Somerset County Board of Education – employee termination – Order No. OR17-08
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Susan Twigg v. Montgomery County Board of Education – teacher termination – Order No. OR 17-09
Meeting
materials, Opinions, and Orders can be found at:
www.marylandpublicschools.org/stateboard/Pages/default.aspx
The
next meeting of the Maryland State Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, August
22, 2017, at the Nancy S. Grasmick State Education Building, 200 West Baltimore
Street, 7th Floor Board Room, Baltimore, Maryland 21201.
Appropriate
accommodations for individuals with disabilities will be provided upon request.
Eight business days notice prior to the event is required. Please contact
Charlene Necessary at (410) 767-0467 or TTY at (410) 333-6442 so arrangements
can be made.
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