School support chief outlines community schools RFP and role of Transformation, Leadership & Continuous Improvement office

Dr. Davis, chief of School Support and Leadership, told the board Jan. 23 that the division is preparing a request for proposals to provide social workers to support community schools and to address needs such as absenteeism and family engagement.

Dr. Davis said the student services office and the community schools strategy team have collaborated to design an RFP that would allow schools to hire social workers through an agency similar to how the district contracts for mental health clinicians. The administration said an additional supervisory position at the central level will be needed to coordinate and support agency‑hired staff and related training.

Dr. Davis also described the Office of Transformation, Leadership and Continuous Improvement, created last year to provide system‑level coherence for school improvement work, particularly for schools identified as Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) or Additional Targeted Support and Improvement (ATSI) by the Maryland State Department of Education. The office is intended to incubate pilot programs and support area superintendents and principals with implementation assistance and leadership development.

Board member Moss raised concerns that the office’s portfolio overlaps existing strategy and accountability functions. Dr. Davis said the office is intended to break down silos, centralize coordination for school improvement initiatives and provide supervisory oversight for activities that cross multiple departments. Dr. Davis cited the district’s work to implement OGAP (ongoing geometry assessment project) in CSI schools as an example of work coordinated through the office.

Administration said the RFP for community schools social workers is expected to be issued next month, and that additional follow‑up materials would be provided to the board.