The Maryland State Board of Education is scheduled to hold a meeting on Tuesday, February 22, to do a deep dive on COVID-19 learning loss and mental health in schools.

The Maryland State Board of Education (MSDE) will meet in-person at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, February 22 at the Maryland State Department of Education, in Baltimore. The meeting will also be available via YouTube livestream on the department’s channel.

February 22 agenda

The board will meet to discuss COVID-19 learning loss, also known as the “COVID gap” — a term used to describe the phenomena resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and hybrid/virtual during which some students have fallen behind. Early fall assessment data confirmed that Maryland students were not immune to learning loss related to the pandemic. At the February 22 meeting, MSDE will provide an update on 2021 four-year cohort graduation rate and results from the early fall 2021 and Kindergarten Readiness assessments (KRA), as well as AP and SAT results and additional data.

The Board meeting will also feature an extensive deep dive on mental health in schools, another key area of concern as students return to in-person learning and public education grapples with the mental health challenges of the pandemic.

The meeting agenda also includes the regularly scheduled monthly update on pandemic reopening logistics and COVID-19 transmission rates in schools and an extended public comment period for the public to weigh-in on these pressing issues.

Access the meeting agenda and materials.

Livestream the February 22 meeting on MSDE’s YouTube channel.