Board adopts revised vision statement and metrics; district unveils 2025–29 strategic plan priorities

The Charles County Board of Education on Aug. 12 approved a revised district vision and a set of board goals tied to a newly drafted 2025–29 strategic plan that senior staff will use to guide work for the coming school year.

What the board approved: The board voted to approve a proposed revised vision statement that emphasizes an inclusive, safe, equitable and rigorous global learning environment "where every student and staff member is empowered to thrive." The board also endorsed five governance goals developed at a June retreat: improved board governance, annual policy impact reviews tied to student outcomes, coherence across superintendent performance indicators, strategic plan and board goals, stronger budget oversight and a higher share of meeting time devoted to student‑outcome data.

Strategic plan framework: School district staff presented a four‑goal strategic plan to the board that aligns with the vision and the board goals: 1) college and career readiness (including AP, dual enrollment and CTE expansion); 2) safe, inclusive and healthy learning environments; 3) attract, develop and retain a diverse and effective workforce; and 4) strengthened family and community partnerships. The plan sets measurable aims — for example, annual percentage improvements on state assessments and I‑Ready benchmarks, increases in AP enrollment and targets for equitable extracurricular participation.

Why it matters: The board asked staff to make the plan coherent across governance, superintendent performance indicators and school improvement efforts. Superintendent Navarro told the board she will launch a public website and interactive dashboard at the district 'state of the schools' event this fall so the public can track metrics that link district strategy, board goals and superintendent indicators.

Next steps: Staff said they will publish the plan, set instructional benchmarks and revisit board metrics twice this year. The board also asked for an easy public landing page that aggregates the district strategic plan, superintendent performance indicators and board metrics so community members can see how the pieces align.

Ending: Board members described the June retreat and follow‑up as a “hard, valuable” exercise in self‑evaluation. The district will report progress to the board twice during the school year and will present additional implementation details at upcoming meetings and community events.