Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Carey Wright, is making plans to revitalize reading achievement policies and standards as the State Board of Education considers the merits of the proposed changes. 

State Superintendent Wright and Education Department staff presented a new reading proficiency policy during the July meeting of the State Board of Education. The 13-page policy proposal outlined a number of measures to improve reading in elementary school, including proficiency tracking for students, intervention methods for those needing more services to improve outcomes, and professional development for teachers, particularly on the science of reading. Opinions of the board members were varied, with some challenging how grounded the policy is in research and others recognizing its benefits from implementation in other states.

The board decided to hold a special comment period on just the literacy policy during the regular board meeting in August with a goal to vote on it by September. The most recent period of public comment received around 900 submissions regarding the policy. Implementation procedures for the plan, if passed, are not yet clear.

Watch the July Meeting of the Maryland State Board of Education.