Goals, Priorities and ESSA: A Conversation with Maryland State Board of Education Representatives

The Maryland State Board of Education serves as the head of the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and has general control and supervision over public schools of 24 systems and the educational interests of the State. The State Board is a 12-member body appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the State Senate.

Members of the State Board of Education will join us to discuss their priorities for the 2016-2017 school year.  Specifically, they will discuss Maryland's timeline and tentative policies for implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which impact school accountability and ratings, school improvement, teacher evaluations and student assessment.

We will be joined by:  

Andrew Smarick, Board President representing Queen Anne's County

Partner at Bellwether Education Partners, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to improving K-12 education particularly for disadvantaged students. Previously, he was an education aide at the White House Domestic Policy Council and Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Education. Earlier in his career, he served as a legislative aide to a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland and members of the Maryland General Assembly. He also served as Deputy Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Education. Andy was a member of Governor Robert Ehrlich's Commission on Quality Education.

Laura Weeldryer, Board Member representing Baltimore City

Laura is a Senior Consultant for Urban Policy Development, a public sector management consulting firm located in Baltimore. She works nationally on a variety of education reform projects with school systems, state departments of education, and non-profit organizations. Previously Laura worked in the central office of the Baltimore City Public School System (City Schools) for eleven years. During her time with City Schools, she held several positions, including Deputy Chief of Staff. She was an Area Executive Officer for 32 schools that spanned pre-k through 12th grade. Laura also served as the Executive Director the Office of New and Charter Schools, facilitating and supporting the opening of more than 20 new public schools, and overseeing the charter school application and renewal process for Baltimore.

This program is for Maryland Philanthropy Network members only.