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Three more Maryland school districts received full approval Thursday for their plans for implementing the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, so 25% of Blueprint funds that have been withheld from this year’s budget can now be released for the education reform efforts.
The Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) approved plans that had been submitted by Baltimore City and Howard and Talbot counties. They join 17 other school districts whose plans were previously OKed by the board.
The board also granted conditional approval Thursday to plans from school districts in Anne Arundel, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. They have until Feb. 15 to provide documentation the board said was missing from their proposals, and earn full approval.
Baltimore County is the only school system that has yet to have its plan approved by the board, a delay that stems from “significant staffing changes” in the district, specifically focused on a career counseling memorandum of understanding document, said Rachel Amstutz, policy director with the Blueprint board.
Baltimore County school officials can still submit documents by Jan. 16 for review at the board’s Jan. 30 meeting. If the board does not approve the county’s plan by Feb. 1, county officials can file an appeal, but the AIB would withhold the next pot of Blueprint funding in that case.
Of the plans that won a conditional OK Thursday, Anne Arundel and Montgomery counties were told they need to submit “executed agreements” on their plans for career ladders for teachers, part of the five Blueprint pillars, or priorities, that deal with hiring and retaining high-quality and diverse teachers.
For Prince George’s County, a signed career counseling document is still required describing various roles and responsibilities, budget and funding collaboration and staffing plans.
The board took a separate vote on Anne Arundel County’s career ladder framework. Board member Mara Doss, former associate vice president for teaching, learning and student success at Prince George’s Community College, asked if additional compensation would be offered to an Anne Arundel County teacher who obtains National Board Certification and then chooses to pursue an additional degree such as a doctorate or other education credits.
AIB Executive Director Rachel Hise said there have not been negotiations “at this time” on financial incentives on that school district’s career ladder. She noted that the board is only able to discuss a county’s compensation for teachers when it involves the extra pay eligible teachers receive for earning National Board Certification: a raise of $10,000 and another $7,000 for those who teach at an “identified low-performing school.”
After Hise clarified that part of Anne Arundel’s career ladder, Doss voted against that school district’s plan.
“I do understand that this is not part of the technical requirements of the Blueprint … and that’s not our area, so to speak,” Doss said. “In my opinion, it doesn’t fully support the incentive to attain an NBC, which undermines the Blueprint’s intent.”
Board member Justin Robinson, a teacher in Prince George’s County, abstained from the vote on Anne Arundel County’s approval. The remaining five members voted in favor.
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