Charles County schools unveil near-final special education strategic plan, stressing behavior supports and talent retention

Charles County Public Schools presented a near-final strategic plan for special education to the Board of Education on May 13, outlining program changes, new staffing and training priorities and steps to address suspension disproportionality and case manager workload.

The presentation, led by Larry Johnson, director of special education services, summarized four strategic priorities: student learning and achievement, access and equity, safety and culture/climate, and talent development and retention. "This plan is going well, today is gonna give you the highlights of that strategic plan," Johnson said as he described the document as nearly finalized and subject to further stakeholder input.

Why it matters: Johnson and other staff said the plan responds to rising behavior-related incidents, large caseloads for school psychologists, and uneven programmatic guidance across schools. The district cited National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) guidance and Maryland data showing local school psychologists serving many times the recommended caseload.

Key measures and program changes - Instruction and MTSS: The plan calls for clearer MTSS structures, routines for…