Maryland
Wright: There must be ‘a conscious effort’ to grow, diversify Maryland’s teacher workforce – Maryland Matters
Maryland State Schools Superintendent Carey Wright said Tuesday that school leaders must work harder to diversify and boost the state’s teacher workforce.
“It’s got to be a conscious effort,” Wright said during a break at the state Board of Education meeting in Baltimore. “Are we really going into our HBCUs? Are we recruiting? What do those techniques look like?”
Her comments came as the board was considering a recent state Department of Education report that showed the state has made little progress in recent years in diversifying its teacher workforce. The report said 68% of the state’s teachers in the current school year are white compared to 20% Black and about 5% Latino or Asian.
But Wright said another challenge facing school systems is hiring and retaining teachers in the state.
“We aren’t producing enough of those candidates in house, so we’ve got to be thinking about what else are we going to do,” she said.
A few ideas were highlighted as part of a teacher workforce report with various data that included teacher retention in all 24 school systems, those enrolled in state preparation programs and number of those who received National Board Certification.
A graph that shows racial breakdown of teachers in Maryland. Photo courtesy of Maryland State Department of Education.
Starting in two weeks, a work group will convene to assess recruiting and retaining a diverse teacher workforce. The task force will include representatives from the Maryland Higher Education Commission, the state’s historically Black colleges and universities, the College of Southern Maryland and at least seven school districts – Baltimore, Dorchester, Frederick, Kent, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties and Baltimore City.
“We have a very diverse group of stakeholders from all of these entities,” said Kelly Meadows, assistant state superintendent in the division of educator certification and program approval. “Our charge is to come together to [find] solutions and overcome the challenges of recruiting and retaining our high-quality workforce here in Maryland.”
Meadows said other solutions are to market the state’s revamped teacher-recruiting website, produce short YouTube videos to summarize the teaching profession and visit school districts to inform officials about various teacher pathways and certification opportunities.
The report also found that of the state’s 1,626 “accomplished” educators – those who have been designated as National Board Certified – 1,204, or 74%, were concentrated in four counties: Montgomery, Prince George’s, Anne Arundel and Howard.
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform plan called for salary increases for teachers with that national designation beginning in the 2021-22 school year. About 976 teachers enrolled in the program that year. When the salary increase was raised a year later to as much as $10,000 a year, more than 3,000 teachers applied, followed by another 3,800 in the current school year.
As of December, Meadows said every jurisdiction in the state has at least one teacher with that designation.
Of teachers with conditional certification – those who have a bachelor’s degrees but haven’t completed the requirements for a professional teacher’s license – more than half have been Black in the last five school years, the report said. In comparison, white teachers accounted for about 32% of those conditionally certified over the same period.
“Our conditional cert teachers better reflect the communities. That’s where many of the people come from,” said Joshua Michael, vice president of the board.
Last year, the legislature approved House Bill 1219 requiring that the department establish an educator recruitment, retention and diversity dashboard. Data from that dashboard will be publicly available by Jan. 1. Some of the data will include gender, race, new hires and attrition rate. Meadows said the dashboard will also highlight teacher interns.
“The key is to hopefully follow this individual into the school system, into employment and really publicize the diversity of our classrooms so that there is awareness around what we need in Maryland,” she said.
A gift
In other business, the board voted unanimously to approve the use of $350,000 to implement a science of reading program for an estimated 30,000 paraprofessionals, teachers, school literacy supervisors and school administrators across the state. The money will be used for meeting space, stipends and other administrative costs of the program, that focuses on teaching students based on phonics, comprehension and vocabulary.
Wright, who led the science of reading program while superintendent of public schools in Mississippi, announced the money is in conjunction with a four-year, $6.8 million grant from the nonprofit Ibis Group of Washington, D.C.
About $5.3 million will go to the State University of New York (SUNY) and to the AIM Institute for Learning and Research of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, to provide online training for the science of reading program. The other $1.5 million for Johns Hopkins University and the department to research the impact of teacher efficacy, teacher background knowledge and literacy leadership development.
The training, which will be free for Maryland educators, will start July 1.
Tenette Smith, executive director of literacy programs and initiatives in the department, said training will take about 35 hours to complete. Smith worked with Wright in Mississippi on the science of reading program.
All of Maryland’s school systems must have the science of reading program implemented in the 2024-25 school year.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region.
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
(Courtesy Washington Nationals)
Courtesy Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals’ first-round draft pick Chris Hacopian inked his first professional contract Wednesday, a moment made sweeter by the fact it was just a 30-minute drive from home to get to Nationals Park and put pen to paper.
The 21-year-old second baseman and 11th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft has deep ties to the D.C. region. He’s from Potomac, Maryland, and played his high school ball at Winston Churchill, where he was named the 2022 Maryland Gatorade Player of the Year and a 2022 Washington Post All-Met selection.
According to MLB.com, Hacopian grew up a Nationals fan, admiring the likes of Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa and others. He also played his first two collegiate seasons at the University of Maryland, where his father Derek played before him, before transferring to Texas A&M for his junior season.
With the Aggies, Hacopian hit .319 with 11 home runs and 41 RBI across 42 games en route to being named First-Team All-Southeastern Conference and a Third-Team All-American by Baseball America, the Nationals said in a news release.
After inking his contract Wednesday, Hacopian donned his new jersey and ball cap and stepped onto D.C.’s beloved diamond as a part of the Nationals organization for the first time.
“That was so cool, oh my gosh. I’ve been in the stands like, 100 times, but being on the field is so different,” he said.
Hacopian was ranked 14th among MLB Draft prospects by MLB.com. The 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound second baseman boasted one of the best bats in college baseball, according to MLB.com, with excellent control over the strike zone and feel for the barrel, along with solid pop.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
The state said the five recently traveled together to “a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak.”
Maryland health officials confirmed five more measles cases, all in Carroll County.
“These individuals recently traveled together to a location in the U.S. experiencing an active measles outbreak,” the state Department of Health said in a release.
The agency said others may have been exposed on the afternoon of July 13 in the emergency department waiting room at Carroll Hospital Center in Westminster.
Another measles case recently prompted warnings from health officials in Maryland, Virginia and the District. On June 17, a Maryland resident traveled through Dulles International Airport and visited a D.C. urgent care clinic.
Measles is highly contagious. It can spread through the air through coughs, breathing, and sneezes. Early symptoms can include fevers of over 101 degrees, coughs, runny noses, watery eyes and face or body rashes.
It can take up to 21 days after exposure for the first symptoms to appear, and those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles are especially vulnerable.
The five new measles cases in Maryland bring the state’s year-to-date total to nine. The state health department confirmed three cases in 2025, and one in each of the previous two years.
“All Marylanders should review potential exposure times, watch for symptoms, and confirm they are up to date on their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations,” the health department said.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
Baltimore may be under an extreme heat alert, but residents can dream about autumn, as tickets are now on sale for the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show returning to the Maryland State Fairgrounds in October.
This three-day celebration of home and garden takes place from Friday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day. Expect hundreds of exhibitors, local makers, home improvement experts, family-friendly experiences and celebrity guests. The show offers everyone the chance to explore the very latest in home improvement, landscaping, outdoor living and decor, the chance to take part in hands-on experiences, and do some holiday shopping all under one roof.
This year’s show will have more than 300 exhibitors, including more than 100 crafters from around Maryland in the Makers Market. There will be unique exhibits, stage presentations and a special appearance by Chase Morrill, Ashley Morrill-Eldridge and Ryan Eldridge from Magnolia Network’s hit series “Maine Cabin Masters.” The three will have two Main Stage appearances, one on Friday, Oct. 16 at 4 p.m. and the second on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.
“As temperatures start to drop and the holiday season comes into view, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show is a place to gather ideas, meet local experts and get inspired before the busy season begins,” said Dave Paul, show manager, in a statement. “Whether attendees are planning a home project, looking for outdoor living ideas or getting a head start on holiday shopping, the show brings together resources and experiences for every kind of homeowner, maker and DIY enthusiast.”
In addition to the Makers Market and stars of “Maine Cabin Masters”, the Maryland Fall Home & Garden + Craft Show will have a petting zoo, a Kids Market where attendees can shop from local children, and much more.
Tickets are available online and at the door. Prices are as follows:
Online:
- Adults: $8
- Senior Citizens (60+): $6
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- 4-Pack Online: $30 for four tickets, valid for one admission each and one day only
At the door:
- Adults: $10
- Senior Citizens (60+): $8
- Children (ages 6-12): $4
- Friday & Saturday: $4 after 4 p.m. at the door only
Special Offers:
- Active and retired military personnel, veterans, firefighters and police officers receive free admission all weekend, along with one guest, with valid ID at the box office.
- Attendees who show a CharmPass app, Light RailLink ticket or eligible transit pass at the box office receive free admission any day of the show. One admission is available per pass.
The Maryland State Fairgrounds is located at 2200 York Road in Lutherville-Timonium.
Related
-
Louisiana5 minutes agoWhy Louisiana is one of the most mosquito infested states in the US
-
Maine11 minutes agoWife of Colombian father killed by ICE in Maine says they had planned to grow old together
-
Maryland17 minutes agoWashington Nationals 1st-round pick from Potomac Md. signs contract – WTOP News
-
Michigan23 minutes agoMichigan AG Dana Nessel visits Kalamazoo to address rising energy prices
-
Massachusetts29 minutes agoSpringfield attorney named to 2026 Massachusetts Super Lawyers list
-
Minnesota35 minutes agoHundreds of Canada wildfires prompt US air quality alerts as smoke spreads south
-
Mississippi41 minutes agoMississippi homeowners blame a noisy data center plant for sleepless nights. The mayor’s advice? “Consider selling.”
-
Missouri47 minutes agoMissouri health officials report 80 current cases of cyclosporiasis
