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Dr. Sean Bulson, past-president of PSSAM and current superintendent of Harford County Public Schools, shared his back-to-school goals and challenges for the upcoming school year with WJZ News. WJZ News recently interviewed Dr. Sean Bulson, superintendent of Harford County Public Schools, about the goals and challenges facing local school systems approaching the 2023-2024 school year as part of their "Ready, Set, School!" campaign this month. "The first day of school always has such great energy," Dr. Bulson stated, sharing with WJZ News that he was excited to lead Harford County Public Schools upon students' return to the classroom. "I want to see [students] learning and working on the first day -- from the first minute they arrive." Dr. Bulson noted a few top priorities for Harford County Public Schools to focus on this year, including student participation, as well as solutions to curtail the continuing rippling effects of learning loss arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. "On the student achievement front, we're still hyper-focused on our core elements of language arts, reading, and math. We've seen data go in the right direction, but it's just not moving fast enough." Another common issue facing Maryland school systems this year is teacher shortages, and Dr. Bulson admitted that Harford County was no exception. "Unfortunately, we're not getting as many qualified candidates." However, as part of initiatives centered around Blueprint for Maryland's Future, Career and Technical Education (CTE) opportunities are growing in Harford County. "We now have over 40 students signed up for apprenticeships, and 70 businesses engaged. I feel like this is going to redefine what the high school experience is going to look like." While other systems in Maryland are dealing with issues around transportation, Dr. Bulson said he is blessed that transportation is not an area widely impacted in Harford County this year. "We have a fantastic transportation team. We work with great contractors." Watch the full interview on WJZ News here. Dr. Sean Bulson spoke with the WJZ News team about his goals for the upcoming school year, as well as challenges facing Harford County Public Schools.

20 aspiring superintendents from across the state participate in the Maryland Superintendent Academy. Press Release: August 8, 2023 The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM) has partnered with the U.S. Department of Education funded Region 4 Comprehensive Center (R4CC) to launch Maryland’s first statewide grow-your-own program to prepare the next generation of superintendents. The Maryland Superintendent Academy is an executive professional learning experience for aspiring superintendents who aim to accelerate student growth, champion equity, and establish effective operational structures in a rural, urban, and suburban Maryland school systems. 20 aspiring superintendents representing 14 school systems were selected for the second cohort, which will kickoff on August 8, 2023. There is a need to proactively prepare the next generation of Maryland superintendents. Since March 2020, almost half of the nation’s largest school districts have experienced changes in leadership (ILO Group, 2022). Prior to the pandemic, the average superintendent turnover rate was 14-16 percent (AASA, 2010). Post pandemic, the turnover rate has increased to approximately 25 percent (Morton and Valley, 2022). In Maryland, the post pandemic turnover rate of superintendents was over 40 percent. The Maryland Superintendent Academy aims to build the bench of qualified and diverse aspiring superintendents that are equipped with the skills and knowledge to transition to the role and experience success as a Maryland school system leader. Participants will learn effective practices for negotiating a superintendent contract, engage in mock interviews, participate in job shadow experiences, practice developing and managing a budget to move student achievement and create equitable learning experiences, and refine their leadership strengths and core values in preparation for the superintendency. “This program provides a unique pathway for leadership-driven candidates to prepare for the superintendency of 21st-century schools in a landscape that is constantly evolving,” says Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director of PSSAM. "We are extremely grateful to be partnering with the Region 4 Comprehensive Center to extend this opportunity to participants across Maryland." The accelerated Academy kicks off on August 8th and 9th at Turf Valley Resort. The agenda details the two day experience and the learning plan outlines content for the full Academy. Academy Meeting Dates and Location Dates and Times: August 8, 2023, 4:30 pm – 8:00 pm August 9, 2023 from 8:00 am – 2:45 pm Location: Turf Valley Resort Merriweather Room 2700 Turf Valley Road Ellicott City, Maryland 21042 View all meeting dates, times, and location by accessing the learning plan. Image of the cohort members participating in the 2023-2024 Maryland Superintendents' Academy, which will kickoff on August 8th, 2023 at Turf Valley Resort in Howard County, MD. Image of current superintendents, alongside the first cohort of participants from the 2022-2023 Maryland Superintendents' Academy, which concluded in May 2023.

On Wednesday, May 10, 2023, The Education Trust and the School Superintendents Association (AASA) hosted a discussion forum entitled "Black Women Superintendents Leading With Excellence," which featured superintendents from across the nation, including two school leaders from Maryland. Dr. Sonja Brookins Santelises, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, starred as a panelist during the conversation, while Dr. Monifa B. McKnight, Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, offered remarks. Other guests included superintendents from states such as Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, California, and Washington, D.C. The conversation explored methods to support students’ mental health, the pressures of leadership, recent book bans, and other prevalent topics affecting students nationwide. These school leaders discussed what must be done to diversify the school leadership pipeline and, notably, how to support Black women school leaders once they take the helm. The event's description noted that while black women make up only 1.4% of people leading school districts nationwide, black women leaders are best positioned to lead in an environment where classrooms have become sites of cultural and political conflict: "Black women know firsthand what it takes to thrive amid racism and sexism — overcoming systemic barriers and challenges that many of their peers do not endure. This lived experience fuels them daily as they work to meet their student’s academic and social-emotional needs and ensure that, despite the challenges of the pandemic, all students leave the K-12 school system with precisely what they need to succeed." When asked about her motivation to lead and the people that inspire her, Dr. Santelises pointed to past, present, and future generations."I am very much about the idea of legacy," Dr. Santelises stated."This is generational work. This, for me, is about strong families and strong communities." "That's why I still do the work." Dr. Santelises continued. "If we allow a narrative that our kids and communities are so broken that we can't do anything for them until everything is perfect, then we are selling a generation down the river without anything to get them through to where they are supposed to be. They are dying from a lack of hope. That is why...I am still here. I refuse to allow trauma to be all that people know about young people in Baltimore City." During her remarks, Dr. McKnight stated that the one theme she took away from the panel is the idea of always leading with care and compassion. "At the end of both our toughest and easiest days, it's about remembering our why," Dr. McKnight said. "Compassion means that in the toughest moments, when people try you at every level, it's about [thinking] 'what do I care about the most, and how is this moment going to help me do what I care about, or how is it going to get in the way of it?'" For a full list of speakers, or to watch the entire panel discussion, click here.

NPR's Marketplace , a daily podcast highlighting the economic context of current national, state, and local issues, released a segment featuring PSSAM's Aspiring Superintendents Academy. The episode, featuring the voices of Dr. Patty Saelens (Superintendent, Queen Anne's Co.), Mr. David Bromwell (Superintendent, Dorchester Co.) and Mary Pat Fannon (Executive Director, PSSAM), highlights the need for a pipeline of support and professional development of superintendents to fill vacant roles. The episode highlights a mass exodus of superintendents in the United States, citing a study that found that over 30% of superintendents have left the role in the last three years amid the changing educational and political landscape. The article states that " in Maryland, turnover is indicative of what’s happening on a national scale, with about a third of the state’s 24 superintendent positions up for grabs last year. " But the episode highlights PSSAM's role in a solution to help feed the pipeline of future superintendents: " Now, the Public Schools Superintendents’ Association of Maryland, a membership organization, is putting on its first-ever aspiring superintendent academy, where about 16 educators from around the state gather to learn during the course of the school year. Members of this group have experience working as teachers, principals and even assistant superintendents. But the lead role has new challenges, like working with school board members who may be upset about curriculum choices or individual teachers. " Listen to the full Marketplace episode here

The State Board of Education (SBOE) and State Superintendent of Schools (Mohammed Choudhury) honored the Maryland Milken Educator Award Recipients for 2021 and 2022 at today's State Board meeting. The recipients were Melissa Salkeld, the 2021 Maryland Milken Educator Award Recipient, and Dion Jones, the 2022 Maryland Milken Educator Award Recipient. The Milken Educator Awards, created by Lowell Milken in 1987, have rewarded and inspired excellence in the world of education by honoring top educators around the country with $25,000 unrestricted awards. The Milken Educator Awards target early-to-mid career education professionals for their already impressive achievements and, more significantly, for the promise of what they will accomplish in the future. Melissa Salkeld , the 2021 Milken Educator recipient, is a kindergarten teacher at Prettyboy Elementary School in Baltimore County Public Schools, brings innovative practices to her classroom, with a strong focus on social and emotional learning (SEL). She has studied Conscious Discipline, a trauma-informed, evidence-based SEL methodology, and threads its strategies throughout her practice. She connects concepts to real life which helps students practice specific strategies, incorporate precise vocabulary, and demonstrate their learning. Ms. Salkeld often divides the class into small groups so the students can work collaboratively as she moves from table to table, differentiating to meet each child’s strengths and needs. As a member of Prettyboy’s school progress planning team, Ms. Salkeld helped design professional development for staff on responsive instruction, including developing data stories, exploring learner variability, and creating equitable learning environments. Dion Jones, the 2022 Milken Educator recipient, is a third-grade teacher at Fairland Elementary School in Montgomery County Public Schools. Mr. Jones keeps students engaged by tailoring lessons and activities to their personal interests. Students work together to write a class newspaper featuring stories about each child. The relationships Mr. Jones builds with students and families are key to his success. Former students often stop to visit on their way to class, and Mr. Jones has shared his parent communication strategies with Fairland colleagues. Mr. Jones is a member of the instructional leadership and school improvement plan teams at Fairland. He supports both students and teachers at the school and district. Thanks to Mr. Jones’ focus on both academics and SEL, his students’ performance shines. The recipients were accompanied to today's recognition ceremony by Dr. Darryl Williams, superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools, as well as Dr. Monifa McKnight, superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools.

Following the 2023 Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly, PSSAM has released our 2023 Session Summary. This document highlights important budgetary information and and legislative updates regarding education legislation in Maryland. Click the link below to view this document.

BILL: HB 1237 TITLE: Special Education - Judicial Actions - Attorney's Fees and Related Costs DATE: April 4, 2023 POSITION: Oppose COMMITTEE: Education, Energy, and the Environment CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, opposes House Bill 1237. House Bill 1237 authorizes a court to award reasonable attorney’s fees and related costs, including expert witness fees, to the parent of a child with a disability who is the prevailing party in a proceeding to dispute the identification, evaluation, educational placements, or the provision of a free and appropriate public education. However, such an award may not be made after the date a written offer of settlement is made to the parent, under certain conditions, unless the parent was substantially justified in rejecting the settlement offer. Maryland’s local school systems take great care in their responsibility to provide exceptional and appropriate special education services for students with disabilities, and by virtue of this goal, local systems work diligently to adhere to comprehensive federal and state requirements to serve special education students. It is because of these standards that PSSAM believes existing requirements adequately provide due process and monetary awards to prevailing parents and render this legislation unnecessary. At the state level, the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR 13A.05.0l.15c(22)) provides an existing remedy that affords parents/guardians the right to recover attorney fees as the prevailing party under specific circumstances. In the small number of cases that are formally litigated at a due process hearing, local school systems are most commonly the prevailing party. More commonly, local school systems work with parents to resolve cases without formal due process hearings. These resolutions are signed settlement agreements between both parties and often contain lump sum fees that account for a portion of the parent’s/guardian’s attorney fees. At the federal level, House Bill 1237 is inconsistent with the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), (20 U.S.C. §1415(i)(3)(B)-(G) and 34 C.F.R. §300.517), which authorizes a court of law, in its discretion, to award reasonable attorney fees to either party. House Bill 1237 provides that only the parent or guardian of a child may be awarded reasonable attorney fees if they are the prevailing party during a due process hearing without the need to petition a court of law. Additionally, the proposed bill explicitly permits fees for expert witnesses to be awarded, language of which there is currently no similar provision in special education federal laws or regulations. Therefore, as a result, House Bill 1237 could actually extend the time it takes to litigate these matters due to legal arguments regarding the reasonableness of such fees. For the reasons stated above, PSSAM opposes House Bill 1237 and urges an unfavorable committee report.

BILL: HB 461 TITLE: Education - Sexual Abuse and Assault Awareness and Prevention Program - Human and Sex Trafficking DATE: April 4, 2023 POSITION: Oppose COMMITTEE: Education, Energy, and the Environment CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four Maryland local school superintendents, opposes House Bill 461. House Bill 461 requires the Maryland State Board of Education (MSDE) to develop an age-appropriate education program modeling awareness and prevention of sexual abuse and assault for use in public schools and certain nonpublic schools. The program would be required to include material promoting the awareness and prevention of human and sex trafficking geared towards students in grades six through eight. Each local board of education would be required to incorporate this education program into already existing health curriculum, as well as ensure that instruction of these topics would be provided by teachers trained in the instruction of sexual assault prevention and awareness. PSSAM has a longstanding policy of opposing efforts by the General Assembly to codify curriculum standards, assessments, or graduation requirements. Local superintendents strongly believe that the role of curriculum development and implementation belongs solely to local boards of education in conjunction with MSDE. Rest assured, PSSAM’s opposition to this bill does not rest on an evaluation of the merits of teaching any specified subject matter, but rather opposition to statutorily mandating revisions to content standards and curriculum. The Maryland General Assembly, in creating the Maryland State Board of Education and local boards of education, has delegated to them the responsibility of delivering a high-quality statewide system of public education through State standards and accountability measures, as well as locally governed and administered curriculum. The State Board establishes State content frameworks, state assessment standards, and minimum state graduation requirements, while each local board and school system implement locally-developed curriculum to ensure that the state content frameworks are followed, student performance standards are met, and students are prepared to meet graduation requirements. In the context of educational programming proposed by House Bill 461, PSSAM emphasizes that many local school systems already incorporate age-appropriate materials on topics such as sexual abuse and sex trafficking prevention into comprehensive health education curriculum. Under current law, each local school system must provide a comprehensive health education program for all students from prekindergarten through grade eight, as well as offer an education program in grades 9 through 12 that enables students to meet graduation requirements. Superintendents are committed to providing students with a comprehensive, well-rounded health education through curriculum that is implemented after proper stakeholder input is received and review processes are completed in each individual system. However, seeing as though this bill would require all local systems to expend additional funds in curriculum and assessment creation that are not provided under the bill’s current language, this bill serves as an unfunded mandate for all twenty-four local systems. Again, PSSAM’s opposition to this bill does not rest on the merits of instruction pertaining to the sexual abuse, assault awareness, and sex trafficking prevention. Rather, it rests on the implications of curricular mandates on local school systems. House Bill 461, alongside similar bills which seek to interject or extract piecemeal segments of the curriculum, only serve to weaken the effectiveness of the overall educational curriculum. For these reasons, PSSAM opposes House Bill 461 and urges an unfavorable committee report.

BILL: HB 1196 TITLE: County Boards of Education – Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Implementation Coordinator – Salary Grant DATE: March 30, 2023 POSITION: Support COMMITTEE: Education, Energy and the Environment CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty four public school superintendents, supports House Bill 1196. This bill would provide a $150,000 appropriation to each Local Education Agency for fiscal years 2025 and fiscal 2026 for the personnel costs for a Blueprint Implementation Coordinator (IC). The bill also addresses other Blueprint initiatives including an extension for the Accountability Implementation Board’s (AIB) outside evaluation of the implementation, due to the delayed implementation of the Blueprint. The House amended the bill directing that the funding is appropriated in the same manner as the foundation formula between the State and the local government. There has also been discussion about the bill’s wording regarding the $150,000, specifically whether it is a state mandated salary. PSSAM has been advocating for this funding for several months, and it has been our intention that the funds would be for personnel costs, which are largely acknowledged to be inclusive of salary and fringe benefits; we did not, and do not, see this as a mandated salary. In the final version of the Blueprint legislation (HB 1300/2020), the Legislature required the local governing body and the LEA to jointly designate Blueprint Coordinators. The requirement was that this position would be required through fiscal 2025, which was subsequently changed to fiscal 2026 during the 2021 session (HB 1372). The IC position was also mandated without an identified funding source. Lastly, the position was to be created by July 1, 2021; all districts were in compliance within one or two months of that deadline. In July of 2021, the role of the coordinators was unclear and many districts assigned this responsibility to existing staff. Now, eighteen months later, many of the coordinators are still wearing multiple hats in their districts, and have significant responsibilities in addition to the Blueprint work. This is especially challenging in smaller districts with fewer staff and resources. For example, among the ICs there are Chief Financial Officers, Chief Administration Officers, and two or three Directors of Assessment and Reporting. Having staff serve as the IC seemed reasonable when we (PSSAM) first started convening this group in 2021. At that point we were meeting about once a month and we were waiting for the AIB to be named, and the new State Superintendent was settling . As the AIB and MSDE geared up, meeting frequency increased and going back to September 2021, there have been roughly 71 meetings, (excluding duplicate sessions), the bulk of which occurred beginning July 2022 when there were roughly 62 meetings. As you can see, the commitment to the Blueprint work has been immense. The designation of ICs has created a moderate equity issue between the smaller and larger districts. Even after adjusting for the enrollment of the districts - the planning and implementation has to be done if you are a district with 200,000 students as those with 2,000 students. As we have moved through the initial year of the Blueprint, it is exceptionally clear that these ICs are integral for the proper implementation with fidelity. We recognize that there are many staff that are overworked, but we feel it is appropriate to request a carve-out for the salaries of the ICs, especially since the General Assembly mandated the position. We believe a line item in the budget would provide an equitable funding opportunity for all districts to hire and employ a full-time Blueprint Coordinator. For these reasons, PSSAM supports House Bill 1196 and requests a favorable report.

BILL: SB 21 TITLE: Criminal Law - Person in a Position of Authority - Sexual Offenses With a Minor DATE: March 30, 2023 POSITION: Support COMMITTEE: Judiciary CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four Maryland local school superintendents, supports Senate Bill 21. Since the passage of the State’s initial “person in a position of authority” legislation in 2004, which prohibits certain persons employed in public or private schools from engaging in a sexual act with a minor enrolled at the school that employs the perpetrator, PSSAM continues to strongly support the criminalization of sexual activity between minor students and educators not prohibited under other provisions of state law. In the absence of the “person in position of authority” law, a school employee may be charged with child abuse if the conduct occurs on school property or while the student is engaged in school activities. However, sexual conduct occurring outside this custodial relationship would not constitute a charge of child abuse and no other criminal charge may be available. Per the legislation passed in 2004, violators can be found guilty of the misdemeanor of fourth degree sexual offense and subject to maximum penalties of a fine of $1,000 and imprisonment for one year. Maryland statute defines “person in a position of authority” as a person who is employed by or works as a volunteer in a public or private school and, because of the person’s position or occupation, exercises supervision and influence over a minor who attends the school. The law further clarifies that this definition includes a principal, vice principal, teacher, or school counselor. School systems are more suited to administer internal discipline and discharge educators engaging in sexual conduct with students; however, outside of public schools, communities are not fully protected from perpetrators without the assurance that criminal penalties are available to prosecutors. Criminal penalties also better ensure that a record of the employee’s conduct will be available to future prospective employers, thereby more effectively protecting the safety and welfare of all students. The same rationale that garnered support for the “person in position of authority” law described above should support the updating and expansion of this approach to criminalizing sexual activities between adults and the youth they supervise in other service sectors. Just as school employees, these adults that are entrusted to supervise youth should be held criminally responsible for engaging in sexual conduct with the minors in their care. For these reasons, PSSAM supports Senate Bill 21 and requests a favorable report.

BILL: HB 878 TITLE: Public Schools - Student Telehealth Appointments - Policy and Access DATE: March 29, 2023 POSITION: Letter of Concern COMMITTEE: Education, Energy, and the Environment CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, provides this letter of concern regarding House Bill 878. House Bill 878 requires each local board of education to establish a policy to accommodate students who need to participate in telehealth appointments scheduled during the school day. Each local board must ensure that the local school system publishes the student telehealth policy in the student handbook and makes school personnel aware of student telehealth policy objectives and requirements. On request, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) must provide technical assistance to local boards to establish telehealth policies. The bill takes effect July 1, 2023. During the pandemic, many people found that telehealth was a lifeline to speak with their doctors during a very traumatic and fragile time. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic created many challenges in the delivery of public education, it highlighted the value and potential of virtual health services, as well as virtual learning. There is no doubt that both of these technologies will continue in public schools and for the general public, well past the end of this pandemic. As the state’s top educators, superintendents are very interested in this new model of health care for our students, but we have many operational concerns with this legislation. In order to ensure the highest quality public education in Maryland, we need to approach telehealth in schools with a deliberate, methodical, and research-based approach. We need to create opportunities for students to safely speak to medical professionals, but also have support systems in place at each school if telehealth appointments create a challenge for students in returning to the classroom. Some of our operational concerns include finding an appropriate and private space, the coordination of use of the room, and appointment-making. Privacy concerns are very real, as well concerns over whether or not parental consent is needed and ensuring the communication with the parents. The need for behavioral health services have skyrocketed during and following the pandemic. In the realm of mental health services, consistent appointments are a best practice; however, if these appointments are by telehealth during the school day, the student’s academic success could be challenged if they are consistently missing instruction. On the flip side, we see the equitable benefit of telehealth in helping families who are challenged in getting to appointments due to transportation or work commitments. So, while PSSAM sees positive aspects of this legislation, we highly recommend that the committee consider creating a workgroup with all of the affected stakeholders, including MDH, MSDE, school nurses, other health or support providers in the schools, and families and parents. For these reasons, PSSAM provides this letter of concern with regard to House Bill 878 and requests either an unfavorable report or amendments to provide for a workgroup to study these very important issues.

BILL: HB 849 TITLE: School Bus Stops - Violations - Enforcement and Safety Measures DATE: March 29, 2023 POSITION: Oppose COMMITTEE: Judicial Proceedings CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, opposes House Bill 849. House Bill 849 would require a law enforcement agency to issue a warning for certain traffic violations caught through school bus monitoring cameras. Additionally, this bill requires the State Highway Administration to develop a certain plan for improved safety measures at certain school bus stops in Montgomery County and to report its findings to certain persons on or before December 31, 2023. Maryland’s superintendents champion student safety when students are under the care of school personnel, including during their transport to and from school. Maryland’s Code makes it very clear that in the absence of a physical median, motorists are required to stop when approaching a stopped school bus, regardless of the number of lanes separating the vehicles. PSSAM is very concerned that allowing motor vehicle operators a first time warning when violating school bus traffic laws negates the severity of the potential danger they are posing to students. Motorists must be aware of their surroundings and anticipate that school children may be crossing the street in any direction when getting on and off a school bus to avoid causing students serious injury and death. Stop arm cameras on school buses are intended to further reinforce for drivers the importance of protecting our children by providing consistent penalties intended and proven to increase driver compliance. It is proven that associating a steep fine with such a dangerous traffic violation significantly decreases the chance that the driver will commit that violation again, which ultimately makes our roads safer. Additionally, many vendors who provide these school bus stop arm cameras contract with school systems to provide other services, such as cameras inside school buses, GPS equipment, and other technology with little to no upfront costs. This bill jeopardizes many systems’ relationship with their vendors, potentially disallowing access to these valuable tools that ensure student safety on and off the bus. Giving a warning to a school bus stop arm violator before instating penalties goes against all identified school bus safety best practices, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommendations that promote increasing education and enforcement. In order to best ensure the safety of all students on their way to and from schools, we must reinforce the severity of the potential consequences of not stopping for a school bus, which include serious injury and even death. For these reasons, PSSAM opposes House Bill 849 and requests an unfavorable report.