AACPS presents magnet and CTE audit; board presses on access, lottery, transportation and funding

Anne Arundel County Public Schools on Feb. 17 presented findings from an independent audit of the district’s magnet and CTE programs and sketched five‑year plans to expand career pathways and improve admissions, communications and program fidelity.

Christina Catalano, chief academic officer, and Kevin Hamlin, assistant superintendent for college and career readiness, told the Board of Education that the audit — produced in partnership with Magnet Schools of America (MSA) after a Maryland State Department of Education grant — reviewed 18 magnet and CTE host schools through site visits, student focus groups, classroom observations and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data. "We were awarded approximately $100,000 in funding to expand our access to selective admissions programming in AACPS," Catalano said while summarizing the grant and audit process.

The audit found strengths and recognitions across the district but identified gaps on equity and access, program consistency, staffing and facilities. Hamlin said the review produced 65 detailed recommendations and that the district has already pulled several short‑term actions together, including advisory committee restructuring and initial five‑year CTE and magnet plans. "Magnet Schools of America provided 65 detailed recommendations," Hamlin said.

Why it matters: Board members stressed that praise for award‑winning schools does not resolve longstanding access concerns. The district faces large wait lists for high‑demand programs, inconsistent admissions criteria that may exclude students (including world‑language prerequisites), transportation limits that can bar participation, and shortages of teachers in specialized fields such as computer science and other emerging technologies.

Key proposals and constraints - Admissions and lottery: The audit recommended reimagining the application and lottery process to support equitable access. Hamlin said the district is piloting a transparent lottery embedded in PowerSchool and convening work groups with equity and policy staff to examine application criteria. Board member Silkworth called the current system ‘‘winners’’ and ‘‘losers’’ and said he wished the district could show every program to every student rather than rely on a lottery.

- Transportation and program capacity: Presenters proposed expanding program capacity across networks and, in some cases, allowing students initially to self‑transport to career institutes while long‑term transportation solutions are phased in. Board members warned that self‑transport could exacerbate inequities if some families cannot provide their own transportation.

- Career institutes and CTE expansion: The district plans to establish career institutes across its networks (for example, agricultural science at Southern High School, aeronautics, cybersecurity, culinary arts and others) and to open the Center of Applied Technology North in 2027. The CTE plan calls for 3–4 credit sequences and industry credential exams, aiming to exceed the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future target that 45% of graduates hold a credential or apprenticeship by 2031.

- Idea hubs and Apex 1: The audit team proposed ‘‘idea hubs’’ — shared regional maker/performance spaces for students — and an ‘‘Apex 1’’ model to concentrate arts learning in focused, multi‑grade sites. Hamlin said idea hubs could leverage existing district spaces such as Studio 39 and CAT centers and support student‑run revenue or cost‑saving activities.

- Staffing and partnerships: Hamlin said the greatest hiring challenges are for computer science and other emerging‑tech teachers and that the district is deepening partnerships with community college, industry groups (Fort Meade Alliance, BWI partnership) and workforce development to recruit and support teachers and mentors.

Board reaction and next steps Board members broadly welcomed the audit’s findings and the district’s short‑term actions, but many pressed for clearer timelines and funding sources. Several asked the district to prioritize low‑cost operational changes while planning phased investments. The superintendent and CCR leaders said they would pursue a combination of internal reprioritization, targeted grant seeking and external partnerships to support implementation.

As a next procedural step, district staff said proposed five‑year plans will undergo vetting by the cross‑functional implementation team, cabinet and superintendent before any formal changes to program sites, application rules or transportation are adopted. No board votes or formal actions were taken at this workshop.

Representative quotes "We were awarded approximately $100,000 in funding to expand our access to selective admissions programming in AACPS," Christina Catalano said of the grant that supported the audit.

"Magnet Schools of America provided 65 detailed recommendations," Kevin Hamlin said as he summarized the audit outcome and district analysis.

Board member Silkworth said of the lottery system: "I wish to goodness that we didn't have a lottery system. I wish to goodness that we could put all of these programs in front of all of our students and let them based upon their interest make a decision."

Doctor Tobin, pressing on IB access, said: "IB was built to be accessible to everyone. It was not built to be an elite program."

Ending District leaders emphasized that many of the recommendations are already being translated into short‑term, low‑cost actions and longer‑term items that will require phased funding and partner support. The board directed staff to continue vetting five‑year plans and to return with proposals, data and cost estimates as planning advances.