Are Maryland’s Stricter Discipline Policies Working, or Just Rewriting the Numbers?
As districts tighten codes of conduct, official data looks cleaner. Yet many educators say misbehavior hasn’t gone away — it’s just harder to report. When a classroom fight causes a lockdown or a teacher is shoved in a hallway, school leaders hear the same thing from parents and stakeholders; “make schools safe!” This year, …
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How Are Kids Passing Without Going to School?
Chronic absenteeism in Maryland Public Schools has become one of the most troubling and telling challenges facing the system. It has also received quite a bit of attention recently from local media; specifically, because of articles about funding of school systems. Over the last several years, the number of students missing significant amounts of class …
Hot Mic, Hard Choices: Politics Shake Somerset County Classrooms
Somerset County is not your average Maryland school district. It is a place where politics runs more sharply than in the state’s urban and suburban corridors. Somerset has become ground zero for the intensifying clash between conservative counties and liberal governing state bodies. The recent standoff between its Board of Education and its superintendent is …
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Residency Requirements and Realities in Maryland Public Schools: A Growing Challenge
By John Huber MarylandK12.com In Maryland, where a child lives used to be the sole factor in determining where they go to school. Over the past few decades, this has become increasingly complicated. Residency verification, once a simple matter of geography, now involves layers of documentation, legal exceptions, and investigative oversight. As families seek access …
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Comment on Charlie Kirk, Lose Your Job? What Free Speech Really Means for Teachers
The death of Charlie Kirk has stirred controversy across the country, but nowhere is it more complicated than in public education. In Maryland, several teachers have landed in hot water over their social media comments about Kirk, comments that some community members viewed as unprofessional or inappropriate for educators. These incidents have triggered investigations, backlash …
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Chronic Absenteeism and Grading in Maryland: When Students Pass Without Showing Up
Chronic absenteeism has emerged as a critical issue in Maryland’s public schools. Over recent years, the number of students missing significant class time has surged, even as promotion rates remain very high (promotion is the percentage of students who are passed on to the next grade K–12). This disconnect creates important questions about accountability, instructional …
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Resetting the Scoreboard: Maryland’s Assessment Cycle and the Illusion of Progress
Resetting the Scoreboard: Maryland’s Assessment Cycle and the Illusion of Progress In Maryland, the rhythm of educational reform follows a familiar beat: a new test is introduced, expectations are reset and redefined, scores are delayed, and then, almost predictably, gains are celebrated. Within this cycle lies a concerning issue. The illusion of progress is created …
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