Maryland Education Pulse

Foster Care Reforms

• 🔥 Gov. Moore Announces Overhaul: Governor Wes Moore announced reforms to Maryland's foster care system after a teen's death...

• Relocation plan: Montgomery County Board of Education eyes moving Wootton HS students from Rockville to new Crown High in Gaithersburg.
• Mixed...

Key reforms target vulnerable children post-teen's death:

• One-on-one care with staffing standards like CPR training, crisis intervention
• All 3,800...

MSDE's 29:15 YouTube video on the Restorative Practices in Schools Workgroup is now live, with a description linking to UMD's Dispute Resolution Program. Early watch: just 1 view so far.

Lower Shore districts trail Maryland's $60K teacher salary mandate:

• Somerset at $58,378 (up from $53,978), evaluating FY27 adjustments.
• Worcester...

Charles County partners with the Board of Education for an Emergency Telecommunications Certification course, giving students behind-the-scenes 911...

• Ceremonial groundbreaking held Tuesday for building housing Middletown Elementary and Middle Schools
• Frederick County leaders and community members joined the celebration
• Construction already begun; FCPS invited officials, students, and families

School Safety Developments

• 🔥 Gilman School Indictment: An 81-year-old former chaplain at Baltimore’s Gilman School has been indicted for...

• $70B+ budget advances with $250M surplus and $2B rainy day fund – no tax hikes, fiscal cushion for programs.
• DDA cuts reduced to $126M from $150M,...

Historic accountability in MD schools: 81-year-old Laurence LaPointe, former Gilman School chaplain, indicted for sexually abusing a child on campus...

Accountability breakthrough: Prince George’s County Public Schools now assigns a dedicated 1:1 aide to every student whose IEP requires one, as of...

Hidden health burdens in kids with autism: 21.6% GI issues (vs 5.2%), 14% sleep problems (vs 0.9%), higher anxiety (22.1% vs 3.7%).

• These...

Key resource for educators: Maryland Department of Human Services now provides a single website for easy access to foster care policies and vital info, with regular updates to support families and schools aiding vulnerable students.

• Current chill: Wind chills 20s-30s across areas like Westminster (25°), Hagerstown (22°), Annapolis – feels brutal after recent warmth.
• Snow risk:...

Anne Arundel candidate Pete Smith prioritizes teacher retention, school construction, and student support in public schools.

Key proposals:
-...

Student pressures mount from schoolwork, sports, and social media, leaving little rest.

• Academic overload: Ryan overwhelmed by assignments and...

Storm Impacts on School Safety

• 🔥 Early Dismissals Across Counties: Schools in Lower Shore, Charles, St. Mary's, Calvert, Washington, Howard,...

Urgent family update for Lower Shore public schools amid impending severe weather:

• Middle & High Schools: Dismiss 12:30 p.m.
• Elementary Schools: Dismiss 1:30 p.m.
• All after-school events cancelled

Plan pickups now for student safety.

Big step forward for vulnerable students' well-being in Prince George’s County:

• Full compliance with federal law on special needs services,...

Key PISA findings link leisure device use during school to twin crises:

• Teens average over 1 hour daily on phones for social media/games, not...