Workshop highlights diagnostic findings: curriculum strengths, staffing pressures and partner friction
Summary
Staff presented diagnostic results identifying curriculum strengths, concerns about compensation and retention, safety and facility variation, and partner frustration with district affiliation processes.
District staff presented a high‑level organizational diagnostic at the Oct. 20 workshop that highlighted areas of strength and persistent challenges identified through multi‑year climate data, surveys and focus groups.
Mahathi Tonk and Alex Ramirez summarized findings drawn from six years of school climate surveys plus the two years of recent community engagement: nearly 200,000 survey responses, 65 focus groups with 548 participants and targeted leadership conversations. “The portrait of a graduate represents our collective vision for the skills, traits, and attributes that every MDCPS student needs to thrive after graduation,” Ramirez said when describing how stakeholder feedback will anchor strategic priorities.
Staff said the diagnostic shows strengths in academic curriculum and rigor — particularly in magnet programs — and generally positive teacher‑principal relationships. At the same time, the diagnostic flagged several persistent problems: compensation and the local cost‑of‑living pressures affecting recruitment and retention; variability in facility maintenance; concerns about discipline practices and fears expressed by parents about school shootings; and an operational burden felt by community partners when navigating affiliation and contracting processes.
Practical findings given to the board included: a need for clearer multilingual communication about enrollment and programs; interest in creating a vetted directory of community partners for schools to use; and stronger professional development and career pathways, especially for early‑career teachers and non‑instructional staff. Staff also noted opportunities to expand hands‑on learning, internships and paid work experiences to strengthen transition pathways to careers.
Board members amplified some diagnostic points. Board Member Santos said the research identified a significant correlation between school‑level staff satisfaction and enrollment trends: “the highest correlation that...affects the most, when it comes to student enrollment is with staff satisfaction at their school site,” she said. Several members argued that the district must strengthen principal supports and reduce bureaucratic strain so school leaders can focus on instruction and community relationships.
Staff described steps already underway: reconfiguring family and community engagement responsibilities to simplify partner access, directing cabinet retreats in early 2026 to translate strategy into measurable objectives, and exploring brand and outreach strategies to better communicate school‑level strengths. Staff also said they would present a deeper dive on root causes and core challenges in the December (or early January) workshop.
The diagnostic did not include binding policy changes; board members and staff agreed the findings will guide development of strategic priorities and measurable objectives to be proposed later in the process.
