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Three more Maryland school districts received full approval Thursday for their plans for implementing the Blueprint for Maryland鈥檚 Future, so 25% of Blueprint funds that have been withheld from this year鈥檚 budget can now be released for the education reform efforts.
The Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) approved plans that had been submitted by Baltimore City and Howard and Talbot counties. They join 17 other school districts whose plans were previously OKed by the board.
The board also granted conditional approval Thursday to plans from school districts in Anne Arundel, Montgomery and Prince George鈥檚 counties. They have until Feb. 15 to provide documentation the board said was missing from their proposals, and earn full approval.
Baltimore County is the only school system that has yet to have its plan approved by the board, a delay that stems from 鈥渟ignificant staffing changes鈥� in the district, specifically focused on a career counseling memorandum of understanding document, said Rachel Amstutz, policy director with the Blueprint board.
Baltimore County school officials can still submit documents by Jan. 16 for review at the board鈥檚 Jan. 30 meeting. If the board does not approve the county鈥檚 plan by Feb. 1, county officials can , but the AIB would withhold the next pot of Blueprint funding in that case.
Of the plans that won a conditional OK Thursday, Anne Arundel and Montgomery counties were told they need to submit 鈥渆xecuted agreements鈥� on their plans for career ladders for teachers, part of the five Blueprint pillars, or priorities, that deal with high-quality and diverse teachers.
For Prince George鈥檚 County, a signed career counseling document is still required describing various roles and responsibilities, budget and funding collaboration and staffing plans.
The board took a separate vote on Anne Arundel County鈥檚 career ladder framework. Board member Mara Doss, former associate vice president for teaching, learning and student success at Prince George鈥檚 Community College, asked if additional compensation would be offered to an Anne Arundel County teacher who obtains National Board Certification and then chooses to pursue an additional degree such as a doctorate or other education credits.
AIB Executive Director Rachel Hise said there have not been negotiations 鈥渁t this time鈥� on financial incentives on that school district鈥檚 . She noted that the board is only able to discuss a county鈥檚 compensation for teachers when it involves the extra pay eligible teachers receive for earning National Board Certification: a raise of $10,000 and another $7,000 for those who teach at an 鈥渋dentified low-performing school.鈥�
After Hise clarified that part of Anne Arundel鈥檚 career ladder, Doss voted against that school district鈥檚 plan.
鈥淚 do understand that this is not part of the technical requirements of the Blueprint 鈥� and that鈥檚 not our area, so to speak,鈥� Doss said. 鈥淚n my opinion, it doesn鈥檛 fully support the incentive to attain an NBC, which undermines the Blueprint鈥檚 intent.鈥�
Board member Justin Robinson, a teacher in Prince George鈥檚 County, abstained from the vote on Anne Arundel County鈥檚 approval. The remaining five members voted in favor.
