A recent meeting of the Maryland State Board of Education saw the adoption of an extended timeline to implement a new statewide mathematics instruction policy.
As previously covered on Conduit Street, the State Department of Education (MSDE) proposed changes to how, and how often, math instruction is done in Maryland schools. The changes effect a couple things but primarily it would delay the implementation of a requirement that all school districts are required to provide 60 minutes of math instruction everyday for kindergarten through grade 8.
In a unanimous vote, the State Board of Education (MSBE) approved that proposal to delay the implementation of the new standards. The adopted plan shifts the 60-minute implementation requirement, amongst others, from the FY27 – 28 school year to the FY28 – 29 school year.
State leaders, in their discussion, drove home a few primary points about the 60-minute requirement, one of which focused specifically on the equitability problem of some students, over a school year, receiving hundreds of additional hours of math instruction than those students in a neighboring jurisdiction that are not providing 60 minutes per day. Additionally, stakeholders shared that they believe the extension will give MSDE more time to analyze the quality and type of additional minutes that need to be spent on math instruction rather than saying local education agencies need to simply add more time to existing instruction procedures.
Below is a quick look at the updates that will be delayed.
