City Schools CEO Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises named 2026 Maryland Superintendent of the Year

Press Release

October 30, 2024

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Ocean City, Maryland - The Public School Superintendents Association of Maryland (PSSAM) has announced that Dr. Sonja Santelises, Chief Executive Officer of Baltimore City Public Schools, has been selected as the 2026 Maryland Superintendent of the Year.

The award is presented annually to a Maryland superintendent who shows excellence in educational leadership, communication, professionalism, and community involvement.

“Being chosen by my peers for this recognition is both humbling and inspiring,” said Dr. Santelises. “It reflects the collective work of our students, educators, families, and community partners who believe in what is possible for Baltimore’s young people. This honor belongs to them as much as it does to me.”

Robert Salley, chair of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, said this award reflects the effectiveness of Dr. Santelises and the district overall.

“Dr. Santelises’ selection as Maryland Superintendent of the Year embodies our district’s belief in high expectations, hard work, and the limitless potential of our students,” said Chair Salley. “This honor recognizes not just her excellence, but the collective strength of a community committed to helping every child thrive. We could not be prouder of our CEO.”

Since becoming CEO in 2016, Dr. Santelises has guided Baltimore City Public Schools through a decisive period of academic focus and reform, emphasizing literacy, and access to rigorous coursework. Among the district’s achievements under her leadership:

• On the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP), literacy proficiency in

English Language Arts has grown more than 13.6 percentage points since 2015-16,

outpacing the statewide gain of 8.9 points.

• City Schools has significantly invested in the arts, nearly doubling the number of fine arts

teachers from 174 in 2017-18 to 328 in 2025-26. At the same time, City Schools

implemented the community schools model at all 154 of its campuses.

• City Schools students have the second largest growth in reading nationally since 2022

among large urban school districts: City Schools is also one of five large urban school

districts that are performing better in reading than before the pandemic.

• The number of schools without air conditioning has been reduced from 75 in 2016 to zero in 2025, while supporting construction on more than 30 schools during that same period.

• On the Maryland Kindergarten Readiness Assessment, the percentage of students

demonstrating readiness in Baltimore’s Pre-K/kindergarten programs improved by 16

percentage points between 2021-22 and 2023-24, nearly four times greater than the

statewide rate.

• City Schools has significantly expanded access to Advanced Placement (AP) coursework,

achieving a 100-percent increase in the number of students taking Advanced Placement AP

coursework, and a 300-percent increase in students earning qualifying scores on AP exams.

Her leadership has set the stage for Baltimore’s students to graduate ready for higher education and a family-sustaining career.

Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises, 2026 Maryland Superintendent of the Year