TOWSON, MD – Interim Superintendent Verletta White will continue her employment with Baltimore County Public Schools in the capacity of a consultant to the superintendent for the 2019-2020 school year.

On Tuesday, June 18, the Board of Education of Baltimore County accepted White’s proposal to spend the next year studying the recruitment and retention of teachers, particularly in high-need areas, such as special education, mathematics, science, and ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages).

“Teachers are the lifeblood of any school system,” White said. “Recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers is essential for the academic success of students. My plan is to examine the school system’s current recruitment/retention strategy and propose changes that I hope will serve as a win-win for the organization and for our students.”

For the past two years, BCPS has hired approximately 900 teachers annually. In Baltimore County and across the nation, many teachers decide to exit the profession soon after entering it. Nationally, more than 40 percent of new teachers leave within their first five years. White will examine this phenomenon by analyzing data, and meeting with teachers, staff, university partners, and school system officials in BCPS and across the nation. Quarterly, White will provide updates on her findings and make recommendations to the superintendent.

Board Chair Kathleen Causey noted her support of White’s plan. “In this capacity, Ms. White will be able to use her knowledge of the school system to examine an area of critical importance to the Board,” Causey said. “We appreciate Ms. White’s willingness to support Dr. Williams in this area and as he transitions into the school system as the incoming superintendent.”

White, who was named BCPS interim superintendent in 2017, will serve as a consultant to the superintendent from July 1, 2019, until June 30, 2020.