Maryland superintendent of schools won't seek new contract. What leaders are saying.
Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury informed the Maryland Board of Education on Friday that he will not pursue a second term in office, and response came in swiftly from the governor on down.
Choudhury's current contract runs through June of 2024, but the board will meet Sept. 26 to present plans for transition and a national search, it said Friday in a release.
Read on for reactions from Democratic Gov. Wes Moore and Republican Senate Minority Leader Steve Hershey and Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready, plus more from the board on Choudhury's impact on education in Maryland.
Gov. Wes Moore lauds leadership through pandemic
Moore released the following statement Friday about Choudhury's decision.
“I want to thank Superintendent Choudhury for his service to the state of Maryland. He led the Maryland State Department of Education admirably during an unprecedented global pandemic and a transformative time for our state's education system. His implementation of the initial phase of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future has set our students and educators up for success as we continue the work of making Maryland's public schools the best in the country.
"As MSDE looks for our next superintendent, I expect the board to ensure we find an exceptional leader who will commit to transparency, accountability, and partnership with all stakeholders to improve education outcomes in every corner of Maryland. Our educators, students, communities, and families deserve nothing less.”
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The GOP's Hershey and Ready were less charitable about Choudhury's work so far, releasing this statement:
“It was clear that Choudhury was not the right person to lead Maryland’s Public Schools system. His management style as well as his lack of transparency and accessibility were extremely concerning.
"We encourage the State Board of Education to hire a new superintendent who will be focused on accountability, collaborating with local school boards, listening to parents, and ensuring that all of Maryland’s students have access to a high-quality education.”
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State Board of Education defends record on Blueprint, more
In its release, the state Board of Education cited Choudhury's work in advancing the Blueprint for Maryland's future, the plan from the Kirwan Commission that will guide Maryland's education plans for the next several years. Here's what the Board had to say in a joint statement with Choudhury:
"Over the past two years, (Choudhury) rebuilt the Maryland State Department of Education for the Blueprint era, centered the focus of the State Board and MSDE on comprehensive educational equity, led the charge to build a Strategic Plan, prioritized improving reading proficiency rates which recently improved to their highest level in nearly a decade, and developed innovative programs such as Maryland Leads, Maryland Works and the Maryland Tutoring Corps initiative.
"Superintendent Choudhury has also strengthened MSDE staffing infrastructure, resulting in the lowest vacancy rate in a decade while recruiting top tier talent and elevating current employees. During the remainder of his tenure, the Superintendent will work with the State Board and other stakeholders to continue the critical work of leading education transformation in Maryland."
This article originally appeared on Salisbury Daily Times: Maryland schools chief won't seek new contract. Here's what comes next.
