The board overseeing implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future recommended Thursday that it work with the state Department of Education to develop a “clear” strategy to address the delayed implementation of teacher collaborative time, which became a battleground in the 2025 General Assembly.
It was one of dozens of proposals unanimously approved by the Accountability and Implementation Board Thursday as it continues to fine-tune the Blueprint, now heading into its fourth year. The board has until Aug. 1 each year to make updates to the document that serves as a guide for state agencies, all 24 school systems and other stakeholders to follow and help implement the statewide plan.
The board also suggested that 27 recommendations from a Blueprint special education work group be included in the multibillion-dollar education reform plan.
The majority of changes reviewed Thursday focused on the plan’s second pillar, or priority, that deals with high quality and diverse teachers and school leaders. Several revisions to the comprehensive plan were adoptions of policies that had been approved this year by legislators.
One deals with the creation of a national teacher recruitment campaign and calls for consultation with a nonprofit organization with expertise in working with state education agencies. The $2 million campaign, scheduled to run through June 2029, is part of the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act signed into law in May.
The act also includes a teacher relocation incentive grant, offering up to $2,000 to out-of-state licensed teachers to as an inducement to move to Maryland, to both ease the current teacher shortage but also cut into the 6,000 conditionally licensed teachers in the state. The department will establish processes and procedures to accept applications and award grants to school systems starting around Oct. 1.
The board received nearly six dozen responses from Blueprint advisory committees and the public on other recommendations to the comprehensive plan.
Several comments focused on ways to improve communication and outreach to the public with updates on the Blueprint plan. The board plans to create materials geared for educators, parents and students and make them available in different languages besides English.
Although it is not specifically part of the Blueprint plan, AIB Executive Director Rachel Hise said the board will continue to “respect” local collective bargaining agreements done by each school system. That reflected a recommendation made by Mary Pat Fannon, executive director of the Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland.
“Each district has unique staffing and budget constraints, constraints preserving local autonomy and bargaining is essential, and state level involvement or public commentary on local agreements should be minimized,” Fannon wrote.
On Thursday, Fannon spoke virtually before the board and offered a “thank you” on updating the plan with recommendations from the association.
Other revisions and updates to the Blueprint comprehensive plan include:
- Getting the department to convene a work group to assess the current mixed-delivery system on full-day prekindergarten, to determine why some private providers have declined to participate in the publicly funded program, among other goals.
- Getting the department to award grants for local school systems that collaborate with colleges and universities for prospective teachers. The money would include books, tuition and fees for teacher candidates, stipends for mentor teachers and administrative costs of the program.
- Posting Blueprint data on the AIB website via data dashboards by Dec. 1 and updating it when information becomes available.
The board does not have an August meeting scheduled, but could have two or three new members when the seven-member body reconvenes Sept. 18.
Current board member Joseph Manko is one of six candidates sent to Gov. Wes Moore (D) last week to fill three open seats on the board. The governor has up to 30 days to choose three individuals for the board openings.
Although Manko’s term expired July 1, a board spokesperson said in an email that board counsel said he can continue to “serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies to serve.”
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