State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury will not seek a second term.
Mohammed Choudhury was appointed State Superintendent of Schools in May 2021 following a national search. He came to Maryland from Texas, where he served as the Associate Superintendent and Chief Strategy, Talent, and Innovation Officer for the San Antonio Independent School District. He started leading Maryland’s schools on July 1, 2021.
On September 15, the Maryland State Board of Education released a statement saying that “Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury informed the State Board that he is withdrawing his request for a second term to pursue other opportunities.”
That statement, which was in conjunction with the Superintendent’s office, reads:
The State Board is grateful to Superintendent Choudhury for his leadership in Maryland through the first phase of educational transformation in the State. Over the past two years, he rebuilt the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) 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.
Governor Wes Moore issued a statement in response to the news and outlined his expectations of the next State Superintendent:
“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.”
The State Board intends to present plans for transition and a national search by its upcoming September 26th State Board meeting. Stay tuned to Conduit Street for more on the upcoming search.
