The Education Transformation & Accountability Committee of the Maryland Department of Education convened on May 16, 2024, to discuss key metrics and targets for student achievement and workforce diversity in the state's education system. The meeting focused on establishing interim targets for various educational measures, with a timeline extending to the end of the 2025-2026 school year.

The committee began by outlining the importance of data collection, emphasizing the use of a decade's worth of data to identify trends and set realistic targets. Adjustments were made to account for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on student learning, with the committee noting that some trends were not positive and would not be carried forward in target setting.

A significant point of discussion was the kindergarten readiness assessment, where the committee agreed to wait for baseline data from a new assessment instrument before establishing future targets. For literacy, a three-year target was proposed, allowing local education agencies (LEAs) to set their own ambitious goals based on current proficiency rates. For instance, if an LEA's grade 3 reading proficiency is currently at 70%, they could aim for a higher target than the state’s proposed 60%.

The committee also addressed college and career readiness metrics, indicating that new data collection is necessary before establishing targets. In terms of workforce diversity, the committee set a target for 52% of new teachers of color by the 2025-2026 school year, representing a 3 percentage point increase annually. Additionally, they proposed a retention target of 75% for teachers of color over three years.

Chronic absenteeism was another critical topic, with the committee aiming for a reduction to 19.5% over three years, which would return rates to pre-pandemic levels. This target reflects a significant decrease of 10 percentage points, acknowledging the rise in absenteeism following the pandemic.

Overall, the meeting highlighted the Maryland Department of Education's commitment to using data-driven approaches to improve educational outcomes and workforce diversity, while also addressing the challenges posed by recent disruptions in the education system. The committee plans to continue monitoring these metrics and will reconvene to assess progress and adjust targets as necessary.