Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker III (D) announced Friday he was extending the contract for Kevin Maxwell, the schools’ chief executive officer.

According to The Washington Post,

It is the first time in nearly 25 years that a superintendent in Prince George’s County will get a second term. Before Maxwell, the state’s second-largest school system had seven superintendents in less than two decades.

Maxwell is paid just under $300,000 a year. He was appointed by Baker in 2013, shortly after the state legislature awarded the county executive broad new power over school-system governance.

His leadership is a central part of Baker’s plan to overhaul and stabilize the system after years of scandal, poor performance and dwindling public trust.

Maxwell, who grew up in and began his career in Prince George’s County, has seen graduation rates reach record highs at some schools. Enrollment and some test scores also have increased.

He expanded full-day prekindergarten and language-immersion offerings,and increased participation in dual-enrollment programs that allow high school students to take college-level courses.

…

“It has been challenging but at the same time, it’s been some of the most rewarding work that I have ever done,” Maxwell said at a news conference at DuVal High School, where he introduced a specialized academic program focused on aerospace science.

Maxwell cited letters he has received from grateful students, the number of strategic business and philanthropic partnerships that school officials have brokered and a more than $44 million increase in the value of scholarships offered to county graduates in 2016.

“I see this as my capstone for my career,” he said. “I see this as my legacy and reinvesting in the community that gave me the life that I have today.”

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