Baltimore City Public Schools' new CEO, Jermaine Dawson, has unveiled a comprehensive plan for his first 100 days in office, emphasizing the importance of community input and immediate problem-solving.
Dawson, who previously served as a math teacher and principal and most recently held the position of deputy superintendent of academic services in Philadelphia, aims to tackle the district's ongoing issues related to academics, attendance, and infrastructure. His approach will prioritize listening and learning during this initial period.
In his plan, Dawson stated, “I will spend my first 100 days listening, learning, and being present in schools and communities across the city.” This strategy is designed to gather insights from residents and stakeholders, which will be compared against district data to identify areas needing urgent attention.
Despite recent academic improvements, Baltimore students still face significant challenges. Although the district has seen nine consecutive years of progress in English language arts and three years of gains in math, proficiency rates remain low. Less than one-third of city students met proficiency standards in English on the latest state assessments, placing Baltimore last in the state for English proficiency and second-to-last in math.
Attendance issues also persist, with chronic absenteeism being a major hurdle. The percentage of students missing at least 10% of school days has decreased from a pandemic peak of 58.1% in 2022 to 46.4% in 2025, but Baltimore still holds the highest absenteeism rate among Maryland's school systems.
Infrastructure is another pressing concern, as approximately 75% of school buildings are reported to require repairs. This comes despite the construction of 27 new schools under the 21st Century School Buildings Program.
Dawson's first month will focus on gathering input through conversations centered around five key questions: improving academic outcomes, supporting students beyond academics, ensuring strong schools in every neighborhood, enhancing the work environment for educators, and rebuilding public trust in the district.
On the 30th day, he plans to establish an independent transition team to validate the feedback received against operational data. The final phase of the 100-day plan will address immediate issues while laying the groundwork for long-term reforms.
By October 8, Dawson intends to release a public report summarizing community feedback, data analysis, and subsequent actions taken. His overarching goal is to create an educational environment where all students are prepared for future success and feel a sense of belonging.
“I will tell you the truth about what I find, including when the news is hard,” Dawson assured the community, highlighting his commitment to transparency.
Reported by HarborBeat based on Yahoo (source).
0 Comments
Log in to join the conversation.