Board Hears Plan to Implement Maryland Pre-K–3 Literacy Policy and Student Reading Improvement Plan

Worcester County officials told the board on Aug. 19 that the district is moving to align instruction and screening with Maryland’s comprehensive literacy policy for pre-K through grade three.

Cassidy Hamborski, the district literacy coordinator, said the state is providing free training for teachers aligned to the science of reading and that the district has already enrolled many staff: “We have had 196 of our Worcester County Public Schools employees enroll in the SUNY course or the AIM course and 136 of them have completed this so far,” she said.

Hamborski outlined four major components required by the state policy — support for teachers and coaches, assessment and parent notification, instruction and intervention, and retention/promotion procedures — and described the Student Reading Improvement Plan (SRIP). The SRIP will identify students through approved screeners (district currently uses DIBELS‑8), document evidence‑based interventions, frequency and intensity of supports, and include family‑facing notification and collaboration. Hamborski said the SRIP is designed to involve parents in developing the plan and to document two years of support leading into any promotion decisions.

On promotion and retention, Hamborski said grade‑three promotion will require demonstrated readiness on MSDE‑adopted grade‑3 ELA assessments; retention will include procedural safeguards and good‑cause exemptions and will require parent consent. District leaders said final policy submission and implementation timelines extend through 2027–28 when the state’s full policy is due to be in place.

What happens next: District staff will submit required teacher training counts by Sept. 15 and continue to refine local procedures and parent‑notification materials ahead of the 2027–28 implementation window.

Sources: Cassidy Hamborski and Dr. Wallace, Worcester County Public Schools presentation to the board, Aug. 19, 2025.