Committee pauses vote on licensed‑principal career‑ladder criteria; asks for more talks with AIB

The Education Policy Committee voted unanimously to postpone a recommendation on proposed criteria to move to the licensed‑principal tier of Maryland’s educator career ladder and asked staff to continue discussions with the Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) about potential changes to waiver conditions and recruitment supports.

MSDE presented workgroup recommendations for criteria and waiver processes tied to Level 4 (administrator track) of the career ladder, including the statutory requirement that principals starting July 1, 2029, must hold an active National Board Certificate (NBC). MSDE staff (Kelly Meadows) summarized work‑group objectives, statutory constraints and recommended criteria: prior qualification to serve at Level 3 of the career ladder, local LEA determination of readiness, a required effective evaluation in the year preceding advancement, and completion of a principal induction program within one year of assignment. The work group recommended several waiver conditions for the NBC requirement, including (1) no NBC assessment exists for the candidate’s licensure area; (2) no NBC candidates are available on the LEA’s qualified candidate list; (3) the candidate served as an assistant principal in Maryland with three years of effective evaluations prior to July 1, 2029; (4) the candidate served as a principal in Maryland with three years of effective evaluations prior to July 1, 2029; and (5) the candidate has five years of effective principal experience in another state.

Several committee members raised substantive objections to the NBC requirement. Committee chair McCusker and others said they believe the NBC requirement creates an unnecessary barrier and expressed skepticism that evidence supports NBC as a predictor of stronger principal performance. Members noted equity issues: for example, specialists and other licensed educators who do not have access to an NBC assessment would not face the same requirement, which several members described as potentially unfair. MSDE and the Professional Standards and Teacher Education Board (PSTEB) had previously reviewed the recommendations; PSTEB submitted feedback urging standardization of evaluations and recommending that candidates granted waivers be required to obtain NBC within five years.

The AIB memo suggested the waiver process should include documentation of recruitment efforts for NBC candidates and evidence of systems to support existing administrators pursuing NBC, and suggested additional evidence beyond performance evaluations to demonstrate instructional leadership capacity.

Doctor Goldson moved (seconded by Doctor Johnson) that the committee withhold a recommendation and pursue further discussion with the AIB; the motion passed unanimously. The committee asked staff and board leadership to pursue conversations with AIB and consider directing the board’s legislative committee to pursue statutory changes if the board chooses to do so. MSDE said districts will need clear criteria in time for bargaining and AIB level‑4 administrator track submissions; staff highlighted the importance of giving districts timely information while pursuing any legislative change separately.