BALTIMORE — The state of Maryland is launching a 'major hiring campaign' to recruit 61 new teacher coaches for literacy and math, it announced Monday.
According to the state, research shows teacher coaching improves quality, retention and student growth; its plan to implement the strategy calls for 52 school-based literacy coaches, along with five literacy and four math coaches at a regional level.
A spokesperson said a district-by-district breakdown is not available just yet. However, the plan is to assign coaches to schools based on three data points: third grade MCAP performance in English-language arts and math over three years, the percentage of conditionally-licensed teachers among faculty and staff, and the performance of special education students and multilingual learners.
"Every student deserves a great teacher and every teacher deserves support to keep growing," a state website reads. "Right now, too many Maryland students are falling behind. Instructional coaching helps change that."
State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey Wright said she implemented a similar state coaching program in Mississippi, and the state already launched a pilot program in Prince George’s County earlier this year.
"Through this program," Wright said at a virtual news conference on Monday afternoon, "we have an opportunity at the state level to leverage an understanding of research-based training and resources to ensure the best in public education, teacher by teacher and student by student."
The program will come with a $14 million price tag, which will also cover supplies and equipment, a spokesperson told WMAR-2 News. Philanthropic funds will continue to support the Prince George’s County program, but 35 hires will be paid for by state funding.
Interested candidates can apply here.
Baltimore County resident Charles Bennett, whose daughter went to New Town High School and whose grandkids are in private school, believes coaching up teachers can make them even better.
"The sharper the teachers are, the sharper the children will be," Bennett said.
Some are less convinced about the idea of more teacher coaches on the taxpayer dime. Jonas Mervilus, an uncle and business owner in Baltimore County, shared his thoughts on the initiative.
"It’s a good step up that they’re taking initiative," he told WMAR-2 News, "but it’s an initiative that exposes a lot of problems that we have in our school systems."
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