Latest news with #BlueprintForMaryland
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blueprint gets a road map: Two agencies that oversee school reform agree to clarify roles
The Maryland State Board of Education and Blueprint for Maryland's Future Accountability and Implementation Board hold a joint meeting June 25, 2024, in Baltimore. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) Local school systems straining to comply with the state's sweeping Blueprint for Maryland's Future have had to report to both the Maryland Department of Education and the Blueprint's Accountability and Implementation Board, a setup creating confusion 'since the get-go.' Now, more than three years into the process, the two agencies said they are working on a memorandum of understanding that could make things a bit smoother for all concerned. Alex Reese, chief of staff with the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), did not tell the state Board of Education on Thursday how long it would take to finalize an agreement, but he said a memorandum is in the works. State law requires the seven-member AIB to oversee the 10-year plan and approve any Blueprint documents submitted by the state's 24 school systems and other state agencies that craft elements of the Blueprint. The law also requires the department to provide technical assistance and lend expertise on education policy. The AIB and state Board of Education also hold occasional joint meetings and approve certain policies associated with the multibillion-dollar Blueprint plan. Reese said 'MSDE will be fully owning Blueprint implementation. We feel good about that as practitioners. We really do feel like we possess that expertise to be able to be poised to fully implementing the Blueprint.' An AIB spokesperson confirmed in an email Thursday evening an agreement is being worked on with the department. 'AIB and MSDE attorneys are working together on an MOU [memorandum of understanding] relating to the agencies' respective roles and duties,' the spokesperson said. 'Blueprint' bill that avoids some of the most severe education cuts is signed into law 'There is not currently a timeline confirmed for finalizing it. Because it is an MOU directly between the AIB and MSDE, there would be no need for General Assembly approval,' the email said. In a quick summation to the state board Thursday, Reese said certain processes will remain the same such as the Blueprint board providing instructions to school systems on what is required in each Blueprint plan. It will continue 'interagency collaboration' with agencies such as the state Higher Education Commission, which focuses on two of the Blueprint's five pillars, or priorities – hiring and retaining high-quality and diverse teachers, and preparing students for college and technical careers. The news was welcomed by school leaders, educators and advocates who have expressed frustration over the process of implementing the comprehensive education reform plan. 'One of the biggest complaints, if not the biggest, has been the lack of clarity and final guidance and where we get questions answered. We've got to run every decision by both entities [MSDE and AIB],' said Mary Pat Fannon, executive director of the Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland. The association released a 12-page document in December that outlined proposals to help improve the plan. One of those recommendations was clearing up the relationship between the two agencies. 'Restructuring and clarifying the relationship of the MSDE and AIB would be very beneficial in the implementation of the Blueprint. This change would clarify roles and responsibilities, and establish clear guidance to the LEAs [local education agencies, or school systems] that they are governed by the procedures and processes promulgated by the MSDE and the State Board,' the December report said. 'Somebody's got to be the point. Somebody's got to be the team captain on certain things,' Fannon said. 'Otherwise, it's just completely frustrating.' 'We are happy they are doing this. This is all going to help in implementation when these guys are 100% clear with us,' Fannon said of the work on an MOU. Sen. Mary Beth Carozza (R-Lower Shore) was also pleased by the discussions, which she said would help improve the process at the local and state levels. But the senator hopes an agreement can be reached before the 2025-26 school year begins in the fall. 'I would like to think they would make every effort to use the time between now and [when] school starts to give as much clarity to the roles and responsibilities, since it will only have a positive impact at the local level,' Carozza said. 'That would be my expectation to keep that on track and to keep it moving.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Blueprint board approves joint plan on teacher preparation programs
Blueprint for Maryland's Future Accountability and Implementation Board meets online May 15. (Screenshot) The board overseeing implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future approved a plan Thursday for the state Department of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission to collaborate on programs certifying teachers. Approval by the Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB), which oversees the multibillion-dollar plan, comes amid an ongoing shortages of teachers, in Maryland and nationwide. In January, the Blueprint board cited the teacher shortage as the reason behind its recommendation that the state delay the start of collaborative time, which gives teachers more out-of-classroom time to plan, work with other teachers, analyze student data and more. In order to implement it, education leaders have said it would require the hiring of at least 12,000 additional teachers by next year. The General Assembly eventually approved Blueprint legislation last month to delay the collaborative time requirement, but kept the funding in place for students. 'Blueprint' bill that avoids some of the most severe education cuts is signed into law As for the joint plan with the department and commission, the Blueprint board outlined two strengths: It leverages existing structures for state and national accreditation to evaluate preparation programs and higher education institutions; and provides a detailed schedule of activities and how Blueprint requirements will be integrated. According to a Jan. 31 document signed by State Superintendent Carey Wright and Higher Education Secretary Sanjay Rai, the review of educator preparation programs at various institutions would be done in stages starting this fiscal year through fiscal 2030. A board summary in 'areas for growth and improvement' urged the agencies to complete their assessments much sooner, and to integrate self-reporting measures and coordinate those with Blueprint requirements to annually collect data. The department and commission agreed and will report their first set of data by Oct. 1, 2026. 'Receiving this self-reporting on an annual basis will allow us to monitor progress until we receive those accreditation reviews,' said AIB Executive Director Rachel Hise. 'Staff with be reviewing all of that and sharing it with the board.' The AIB approved the plan unanimously. Board member Jennifer Lynch, who works as an associate vice chancellor for education and engagement at the University System of Maryland, recused herself from the vote. The AIB already approved school system Blueprint plans earlier this year, but state law requires the board to have various state agencies develop implementation plans that are elements of the joint agencies' plan coincides with pillar two of the Blueprint, to hire and retain high-quality and diverse teachers and leaders. Also Thursday, the AIB announced dates next month for public meetings for anyone who wants to recommend changes to the overall Blueprint comprehensive plan. State law requires that any changes to the plan must be made annually by Aug. 1. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A meeting on on college and career readiness facets of the plan will be held June 17 from 3-4:30 p.m., followed by the meeting on high-quality and diverse teachers and leaders from 5-6 p.m. The meeting on providing more resources for students to be successful will be held June 24 from 4-5:30 p.m. No date has been set to discuss early childhood education or the governance and accountability aspects of the Blueprint. Suggestions can be submitted online here. In other business, Hise announced that board member Mara Doss plans to resign June 30. Doss, a former associate vice president for teaching, learning and student success at Prince George's Community College, had one year left in her term. Appointments are set to expire July 1 for board members Laura Stapleton and Joseph Manko. Stapleton, who chairs the Human Development and Quantitative Methodology Department at the University of Maryland, College Park, said Thursday she doesn't plan to come back. 'I will not be putting my name in the hat, so there will definitely be [a] vacancy for those folks out there who are considering applying,' she said. 'It's not a waste of time to apply. It's an exciting opportunity, and I encourage folks to put their name out there.' An AIB nominating committee will solicit applications for those who want to serve on the seven-member board, including Manko if he wants to reapply. Hise said the committee is scheduled to meet next week to announce a timeline on when and how applicants can apply.
