BALTIMORE, MD—The State Board has laid the groundwork for moving forward through the next phase of the transformation at the Maryland State Department of Education. The State Board has put into place a transition team to ensure the operational continuity of the Department and maintain the provision of critical services and assistance to members of the public and to local education agencies. The focus of the transition team will be to maintain clear direction on critical policy priorities of the Board, as well as implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and the 2023 State Board and MSDE Strategic Plan.

State Board President Clarence Crawford will lead the transition team on behalf of the State Board. Vice President Dr. Joshua Michael, Dr. Monica Goldson, Dr. Susan Getty, and Shawn Bartley will also serve as members of the transition team. Deputy State Superintendent Krishnanda Tallur and Assistant State Superintendent Mary Gable will lead the transition team on behalf of MSDE. Deputy State Superintendents Dr. Deann Collins and Dr. Sylvia Lawson, as well as Assistant State Superintendent Justin Dayhoff and Chief of School Improvement and Transformation Najib Jammal will also serve as members of the transition team.

A State Board search committee has also been formed to direct a national search to select a State Superintendent of Schools to begin a full four-year term on July 1, 2024. The search committee will first seek to recruit an experienced search firm to assist the State Board in the multi-phased search process to include planning, community outreach, and development of a recruitment strategy designed to select and appoint a new State Superintendent. State Board Vice President Dr. Joshua Michael will lead the search committee comprised of the following members of the State Board: President Clarence Crawford, Dr. Joan Mele-McCarthy, Brigadier General (BG) Warner Sumpter, Rachel McCusker, Nick Greer, and Abisola Ayoola.

Both the transition team and the search committee will begin their work immediately. The State Board and State Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury have not finalized an agreement on when Choudhury will conclude his tenure as State Superintendent.

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