Normal Isn’t Good Enough: Maryland State Board and Maryland State Department of Education Seek Input from All Maryland Residents for Strategic Planning Survey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT:  Lora Rakowski, 410-767-0486 
lora.rakowski@maryland.gov 

Normal Isn’t Good Enough: Maryland State Board and Maryland State Department of Education Seek Input from All Maryland Residents for
Strategic Planning Survey

Stakeholder Engagement Will Help Redefine Maryland Education;
 Guide Implementation of Multi-Year Strategic Plan and the
Blueprint for Maryland’s Future

BALTIMORE, MD (February 1, 2022) – Charting a course to transformational change by leading the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and shaping public education, the Maryland State Board of Education and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) are launching the Maryland Public Schools Strategic Planning Survey. The State Board and MSDE invite all Marylanders to participate in the survey to share their experiences and ideas that will help define the future of public school education. In conjunction with other wide-reaching engagement activities, including town halls, roundtables and focus groups, the survey will guide the development of the State’s multi-year strategic plan for the future of public education.

“The development and implementation of our multi-year strategic plan will operationalize our mission to ensure that every Maryland student has access to excellent and equitable educational opportunities that realize their full potential. Talent is equally distributed, but opportunity is not. We cannot accept a return to normal, because normal was not good enough, especially for those who have been historically underserved. Rich, meaningful engagement with all of our stakeholders will be critical as we move forward and become better,” said Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury. “We are counting on our stakeholders to help us expand the tent to include all voices – especially those who do not have time or resources to attend Board meetings, who do not speak English, or have limited opportunity to participate.  Please join us as we seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity to implement the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future; your participation and voice are needed to get this right for Maryland’s children.”

“While developing the multi-year strategic plan, we will be actively reaching out to both traditional and non-traditional partners in an inclusive strategic planning process informed by students, families, educators, business and industry leaders, higher education representatives and more,” said Maryland State Board of Education President Clarence C. Crawford. “Public schools serve to develop our future workforce and future community leaders, and it is critical that we hear from as many people as possible while we work through this process of developing and implementing a shared vision for the future of Maryland education.”

The Maryland State Board of Education and MSDE are developing the Strategic Plan to guide the Department’s organizational direction as it leads the implementation of the unparalleled opportunities presented by the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. The Strategic Plan will establish MSDE’s vision and mission and define core priorities and goals delivered through impactful strategies and actions. Engagement, collaboration, accountability and innovation will steer the journey ahead and drive results.

The Strategic Planning Survey, currently available in English and Spanish, is available here: https://www.marylandpublicschools.org/survey. The survey will soon be available in additional languages as well.

If interested in participating in or inviting MSDE to engagement opportunities, please complete this brief form: bit.ly/MSDEEngages.

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MSDE Strategic Planning Survey Press Release 2.1.22