Local Systems’ Blueprint Plans Delayed due to “Unforced Error”

Approval for the local plans aimed at reforming Maryland’s public schools has been postponed until July. State education officials have decided to take additional time to thoroughly assess the plans. The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) convened in person for the first time since December and could have started approving certain plans this month.

Isiah Leggett, the Chair of the Board, attributed the delay to a and “unforced error” in communication, emphasizing the importance of clarifying any misunderstandings surrounding a multi-billion-dollar initiative to reform Maryland’s education system. Leggett acknowledged that the Blueprint represents a significant transformation and that the process involves more than mere formalities. He anticipated challenges and disagreements in the pursuit of educational change.

The miscommunication pertains to the evaluation process of each Blueprint plan across Maryland’s 24 local school systems. The State Department of Education is currently reviewing the documents submitted by school systems using the criteria that prioritize areas such as early childhood education, recruitment and retention of high-quality and diverse educators and leaders, college and career readiness for students, and additional resources provision.

According to state law, the Department of Education provides recommendations on the Blueprint plans, and the accountability board grants final approval. The department recently released a timeline indicating that the plans would be reviewed between Wednesday and Monday, with recommendations submitted to the accountability board by Tuesday.
The board is attempting to avoid a two-step process due to some Blueprint feedback going directly to local school systems and is attempting to create a process for simultaneous feedback from the Department of Education and the AIB to avoid requesting local systems to revise their plans twice.