District committee recommends Cengage medical‑assisting text as CCMA program pivots

Charles County Public Schools' CTE instructors recommended a Cengage textbook for a retooled Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) pathway after identifying new state requirements that could affect clinical and internship placements.

Why the change: Staff said Maryland is proposing updated regulations that would require nursing‑assistant programs to include both Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) and geriatric nursing assistant (GNA) content and that internships must include geriatric settings. District reviewers said some local clinical sites do not meet the draft requirements, which could reduce students’ ability to earn state credentials under the current program model.

Committee review and recommendation: A teacher‑led committee evaluated three candidate texts and recommended Medical Assisting: Administrative and Clinical Competencies (Cengage) as the best fit for high‑school students because it balanced accessible reading level, breadth of clinical and administrative skills, and available online supports including practice exams and an electronic health‑record simulation. Committee members noted limited diversity in some imagery and asked the publisher for updates.

Next steps: District staff asked the board to place the Cengage title on public display for comment and to bring any public input and the adoption vote to the June meeting if appropriate. Staff also said they would continue coordinating with the College of Southern Maryland and the National Healthcare Association (the credentialing body) as MSDE finalizes certification rules.

What board members asked: Board members requested additional information about publisher updates, whether other regional colleges had been consulted, and how the district would address representation and culturally relevant materials. Staff said they would follow up with publishers and expand outreach to local higher‑education partners.