Board approves standards, certification waiver and local calendar changes; MSDE and partners outline grants and search progress

Several administrative and informational items were on the Maryland State Board of Education agenda alongside the major literacy and CCR votes.

Presentations and partnerships
- Towson University (Jessica Schiller) outlined work supporting community schools statewide and offered MSDE collaboration on professional development and research partnerships.
- Mackenzie Allen (Maryland Alliance of Public Charter Schools, MAPS) reported that MAPS received a five-year federal Charter School Program (CSP) grant for $28,700,000 to support new/expanded charter programming; MAPS anticipates subgrants up to $2,000,000 per eligible school and described teacher-pipeline partnerships with HBCUs.
- MABE representatives described legislative priorities focused on local governance authority, blueprint funding and AI guidance for schools.

Board actions
- Social studies frameworks: The board adopted revised sixth- and seventh-grade social studies frameworks that emphasize geographical thinking and inquiry-based learning. MSDE described engagement with LEAs, higher-ed reviewers and teacher feedback; the Education Policy Committee had recommended adoption.
- Conditional certification waiver: MSDE asked the board to modify a previously approved waiver (authorized in July) so that candidates whose conditional certificates expired Jan. 1, 2024, could be covered until new regulations become effective April 1. The board approved the modification; MSDE noted affected teachers are often career-changers and local personnel actions could otherwise include demotion or termination.
- Queen Anne's County calendar waiver: The board approved a request to allow Queen Anne's County Public Schools to designate Presidents' Day (Feb. 19) as a makeup day if the district exhausts built-in calendar days.

Legislative and budget updates
MSDE staff summarized the governor's fiscal 2025 allowance and recommended board positions on pending legislation: support for a guaranteed-admissions bill for three public institutions (SB5), support for a community schools funding-flexibility bill (SB161/HB200), and opposition to HB138 (financial-literacy curriculum) because the statute's proposed timetable conflicts with MSDE's existing internal process. The board approved the recommended positions and authorized letters/testimony.

Superintendent search
HYA, the board's search consultant, presented progress on the superintendent search. The engagement phase included 20 focus groups, three public town halls and 353 survey responses. Consultants summarized a leadership profile emphasizing instructional credibility, fiscal acumen, collaboration with the AIB and board, and the need to rebuild trust with legislators and local leaders. Recruitment is underway with a tentative March closing of the candidate pool.

The board recessed for executive session on appeals and personnel and then reconvened for committee reports and opinion announcements before adjourning.