The Summer 2018 MSDE Education Bulletin

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Summer 2018

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MSDE Home - Newsroom - School Improvement 

Cover of Accomplishments Document- Opportunity Belongs to Everyone

MSDE's 2018 Accomplishments

Because Opportunity Belongs to Everyone

The Maryland State Department of Education constantly strives to ensure that the best education opportunities are available to all students, and this year was no exception. MSDE released the official 2018 Accomplishments Document: Strengthening Education in Maryland- Opportunity Belongs to Everyone this summer.

Our main focus is "Equity and Excellence", a phrase that encompasses excellence in education for all. Through using our resources to produce better results in the classroom, we are building the pathways to success for each Maryland student. By providing strong foundations in early education, quality educators and leaders, and a host of new and innovative education programs, we are equipping each student with the tools necessary for a bright future. 

To view the document, read more information about MSDE's 2018 Accomplishments, and to view a special message from Dr. Salmon, follow this link.     


Statewide Joint Titles Conference

Image Dr. Salmon addresses joint titles conference

MSDE hosted it's first-ever statewide joint titles conference, 'Coordinating Federal Resources to Promote Equity,' this summer. Held at Reservoir High School in Columbia, this conference convened hundreds of educators from across the state in an effort to coordinate and analyze the use of Federal Title Program funds. Follow this LINK for a video recap.  


Leading for School Improvement/ Promising Principals' Academy

Image Leadership and Principals' Program

The 2018-2019 Leading for School Improvement Institute and Promising Principals’ Academy was hosted in July by the MSDE Office of Leadership Development and School Improvement. These programs provide customized professional learning

experiences to foster the growth of effective leaders and improve student achievement.To view a WBAL news piece on the programs, Click Here.


State Board Actions

July 24, 2018

Head shot of Justin Hartings, the newly elected State Board of Education President

Congratulations, Dr. Justin M. Hartings!

The Maryland State Board of Education unanimously elected Dr. Justin M. Hartings as president, and elected Stephanie Iszard as vice president of The Maryland State Board of Education for the year 2018/19. 

The following actions were taken at the July 24, 2018 State Board of Education meeting:

  • Granted permission to publish the proposed amendments to COMAR 13A.06.07.01-.10 Student Transportation. This regulation was brought before the State Board on June 20, 2018 requesting adoption.  Based on discussion and recommendations of the State Board at the June meeting, further revisions were made to 13A.06.07.07 School Vehicle Driver and Trainee Disqualifying Conditions and Termination and 13A.06.07.08 School Vehicle Attendant Qualifications and Disqualifications to remove the second-degree assault automatic disqualification and to add language that second-degree assault should be addressed in the regulation and should be held to higher scrutiny.
  • Granted permission to publish the promulgation of new COMAR 13A.12.01.08-1 Adjunct Certificate. The new regulatory language provides LEAs the ability to request an adjunct certificate for individuals with highly specialized content expertise (e.g. engineers, physicists, medical providers, artists) interested in teaching on a part-time basis in the classroom as a teacher of record. The regulation establishes the eligibility criteria for the issuance of the certificate, requires the LEAs to provide specific support and professional development to an individual who holds an adjunct certificate, and establishes the limitations of the certificate.
  • Granted permission to publish COMAR 13A.06.09 Maryland Early Literacy Initiative. This new regulation is designed to carry out the provisions of  HB 1415, which establishes the Early Literacy Initiative, a competitive grant program for up to 50 qualifying schools (Title I) to develop an evidence-based early literacy program in the school to work with participating students to meet literacy proficiency targets by the end of the eighth grade or other literacy targets as determined by the Department.  
  • Granted permission to publish amendments to COMAR 13A.03.02.08 Grading and Reporting, which requires each local school system to develop a written policy on grading and reporting and to file its policies annually with the State Superintendent of Schools. The proposed amendment requires school systems to recognize and accept all credits a transfer student earns toward graduation in any other school system in Maryland and describes requirements that local school systems must incorporate into their grading and reporting policies. 
  • Granted permission to adopt amendments to COMAR 13A.06.03.06 Interscholastic Athletics in the State – Classification, which amend the section regarding how schools are classified for parity and equitable participation in interscholastic athletics.  
  • Granted permission to adopt COMAR 13A.07.11 – Student Suicide Prevention and Safety Training, which includes language as required in the legislation but also requires that the annual training for certificated school personnel include understanding and responding to student mental health, student trauma, student safety, and other topics related to student social and emotional well-being. Local Superintendents are required to submit annual documentation by school, on the type of training, the number of certificated school personnel trained, the dates of the training, and the materials used for the training.
  • Granted permission to publish the amendments to COMAR 13A.12.01.05 General Requirements for Professional Certificates to eliminate the basic skills test requirement for those individuals seeking certification who do not hold a bachelor’s degree (i.e., specialized professional areas and professional technical education candidates).
  • Adopted a qualifying score of 149 for the revised Praxis subject assessment for certification in the area of Computer Science, effective July 1, 2018.
  • Approved a request from Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Inc. to waive the service learning graduation requirement for the Goodwill Excel Center.

 The following Opinions and Orders were rendered: 

  • Alexander and Arlene A. v. Harford County Board of Education – student suspension – Opinion No. 18-21
  • Shahla F. v. Montgomery County Board of Education student transfer – Opinion No. 18-22
  • Coldstream Homestead Monteello Community Corporation, et al. v. Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners – school closing Opinion No. 18-23
  • Angela Wakhweya v. Prince George’s County Board of Education – student suspension Order No. OR18-04
  • Gregory Sutton v. Somerset County Board of Education – employee termination Order No. OR18-05

Meeting materials, Opinions, and Orders can be found HERE.

The next meeting of the Maryland State Board of Education will be held on Tuesday, August 28, 2018 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. 

Image Dr. Salmon with students

Governor Hogan Announces Expanded Eligibility for Child Care Subsidy Program


Governor  Hogan announced that Maryland’s Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Program will now allow more children across the state to access quality child care and educational programs due to historic changes to the program.

Effective  August 1, 2018, annual income eligibility limits for the CCS Program will double from $35,702 to $71,525 for a family of four. For more information, visit this link


View Maryland State Board of Education Meetings Online


The Maryland State Board of Education began live-streaming its meetings at the July 24, 2018 Board Meeting.

The Board’s live-stream can be found  by visiting the State Board meeting portion of the MarylandPublicSchools.org website.

All live-streams will be closed captioned in real time. 


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Maryland Family Engagement: New and Improved Resources! 

Check out Maryland Family Engagement's new website for resources, events, news, and more! 

https://marylandfamiliesengage.org/

For a "how to" guide, watch Steven Hicks, Assistant State Superintendent of Early Childhood, explain how to use this new resource! 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=697LZEU3TIY


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More than $ 2.4 Million Available through Maryland’s Literacy Initiative Grants

MSDE is seeking applications from local school districts for Maryland’s Early Literacy Grants, a $2.4 million grant program that assists up to 50 qualifying Title I schools in implementing an evidence-based literacy program that works with students to meet literacy proficiency targets.  Please note the deadline for applications is Monday, September 17, 2018

For more information on application formatting and procedures, follow this link