Each of Maryland’s 24 local school systems is led by a Superintendent of Schools, who is ultimately responsible for the performance and safety of students, teachers, and staff in their district. While the specific qualifications, appointment process, and the authority of superintendents are specified in State law, each superintendent is really the instructional and operational leader of their system.

County superintendents are responsible by law for carrying out all federal, state, and local laws relating to public education, the policies of the State and county boards of education, and the rules and regulations of the county board. The superintendent is the sole employee of the county board of education. All other school system staff ultimately work under the direction and oversight of the superintendent. 

In Maryland, superintendents serve for a period of 4 years and must be appointed by the county board of education between February 1 and June 30. They may be reappointed to an unlimited number of terms.

To learn more about the powers and duties of county superintendents in Maryland, see §4-205 of the Education Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.