Maryland education boards scrutinize districts’ Blueprint plans to carry out prekindergarten, pay raises

The Maryland State Board of Education was joined in its Tuesday meeting by another education board in the state — the one that oversees the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future — so the two entities could discuss the implementation of the landmark plan to reform public schools.

The Blueprint’s independent Accountability & Implementation Board is in the process of approving each of Maryland’s 24 school districts’ plans outlining how they will create and maintain Blueprint programs, such as expanding public prekindergarten for low-income 3- and 4-year-olds, raising teacher starting salaries, and offering relevant career and technical education for students seeking trade credentials.

Every school district will receive feedback in the coming weeks that they can use to revise their implementation plans before the AIB decides whether to approve them in August. Districts submitted a two-part plan in March and May.

Rachel Hise, executive director of the AIB, said more specific information was needed from districts about how they will engage community stakeholders, offer tutoring during the school day and prepare to teach 4-year-old prekindergarten students by the 2025-26 school year.

School districts were asked this year to forecast budgetary needs and explain their decision-making when reallocating existing funds is necessary. Many districts faced intense financial pressure when balancing their budgets this fiscal year, and several districts cut programs that the Blueprint did not finance.

“There’s definitely a lot of room for improvement there,” Hise said of the district’s response to that question.

After the rocky budget process, the AIB is preparing to offer grants for technical assistants who would work with school districts to find ways to balance their budgets. Those assistants would help districts in revising that part of their implementation plans, Hise said.

The AIB and state Board of Education have some overlapping responsibilities. Both boards reviewed each district’s implementation plan. The state board recommends approval and the AIB formally approves the plans.

Next month, the Maryland State Board of Education will send school districts written guidance on how to support students who do not meet the college and career readiness standard.

The standard, approved by the board in January, should be met by the end of the 10th grade and no later than graduation. But the board has yet to clarify what will happen to students who don’t meet it. The state education department will publish “best practices” in July for districts and individual schools to use to understand why specific students aren’t meeting the standard and how to reach it.

There are two options for students to be considered ready for success. One is having a GPA of at least 3.0, plus either earning an A, B or C in Algebra 1 or scoring at least proficient in Algebra I on the MCAP exam. The second option is scoring at least proficient in both Algebra I and English 10 on the MCAP.

Students who do meet the standard can take Advanced Placement classes, dually enroll in college courses and earn credentials in trade and other programs.

Josh Michael, vice president of the state board, described the new standard as “one of the highest stakes portions of the Blueprint.” About 40% of Maryland students are not considered college- and career-ready, he said.

“If we don’t engage [those students] properly, provide support and keep them engaged with those CCR pathways, we’ll see chronic absenteeism and dropouts increase in 11th and 12th grade,” Michael said. “We really have to get this right.”

He noted that there is no dedicated funding for programs for students who have yet to meet the standard. Monica Goldson, a board member, suggested that the state could create a grading standard for Algebra 1.

Goldson’s last meeting on the board was Tuesday. Her term, along with those of members Susan Getty, Shawn Bartley and Holly Wilcox, ends June 30. Gov. Wes Moore will appoint their replacements in the coming weeks.

The board will elect a new president and vice president next month. Clarence Crawford, the current board president, will continue to serve on the board but has maxed out the number of years he can lead it.