MCPS must submit acceptable blueprint plans to the state

The board overseeing implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Education Reform Plan approved plans from an additional 15 school districts Thursday, allowing those schools to receive 25% of the Blueprint funds withheld from this year’s budget.

The unanimous approval by the Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) brings the total number of school districts in compliance with the implementation plans to 17, following last month’s adoption of Garrett and St. Mary’s counties’ plans.

But the seven districts that have not yet submitted acceptable plans include some of the state’s largest school systems: Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George’s and Talbot counties. Those districts have until Dec. 11 to submit updated plans to the board for approval.

“It’s a lot of work, but we have to make sure we’re adhering to the terms of our charter to make sure we’re compliant in a timely manner,” said Isiah “Ike” Leggett, the former Montgomery County executive who serves as board chairman. “But we also try to work very carefully with all jurisdictions to ensure that we are as responsive and responsible as possible to achieve a positive outcome for everyone in terms of compliance.”

AIB chief executive Rachel Hise said the two key updates required for review by jurisdictions whose plans have not yet been adopted were career ladder or career guidance plans. According to an AIB checklist, nothing was filed regarding career leaders from Baltimore City and Montgomery County.

The Blueprint board voted to send written warnings to those two school districts for “failure to comply in a timely manner” after they missed the original Nov. 12 deadline to submit an updated career ladder plan for teachers and staff.

The board, its staff and the Maryland Department of Education have spent much of this year reviewing local school districts’ plans. These included documents filed in March outlining the challenges school systems faced in implementing the blueprint, as well as two follow-up documents filed months later. The work is expected to continue until the 2027 financial year.

The documents include literacy plans to increase student achievement and confirmation that teachers received a 10% raise between fiscal years 2019 and 2024. The raises are part of a state requirement for teachers in all 24 school districts to receive an annual salary of at least $60,000 by July 1, 2026.

Sandi Jacobs, a blueprint implementation coordinator for Baltimore City Public Schools, said during the board’s public comment period that the career ladder portion of the city’s school plan was delayed by ongoing negotiations with the city’s teachers union.

Jacobs said a tentative agreement was reached with the union earlier this month. After ratification by the union, which could happen by Friday, the city’s school commissioners can adopt the entire blueprint plan at their Dec. 10 meeting.

A teacher union representative confirmed that schedule Thursday afternoon.

Baltimore and the other six school districts have until Dec. 11 to submit their updates, and the AIB has until Dec. 19 to approve them.

However, if schools need more time, they have until Jan. 16 to submit revisions for consideration at the Jan. 30 board meeting. And plans not approved by Feb. 1 can be challenged by school officials, but the AIB would withhold the next pot of Blueprint funds in that case.

“Hopefully they can meet these deadlines rather than face further challenges down the road,” Leggett said. “This gives some a little more time to deal with this, but we anticipate and hope that all issues will be resolved for us by that time so we can still take action.”

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