Anne Arundel school leaders cite Annapolis cluster enrollment dip, tout attendance, AP/SAT gains and request city help with aftercare

Joanna Tobin, a member of the Anne Arundel County Board of Education representing District 6, and Superintendent Dr. Jason Bedell presented an annual update to the Annapolis City Council, reporting a countywide enrollment decline and a series of academic and operational gains.

Tobin opened by noting the district’s size and demographic makeup and flagged a recent dip in enrollment concentrated in the Annapolis cluster. “Robust public schools are sort of the backbone of any community,” she said, stressing the connection between school strength and drawing young families to the city. She invited the city to partner on programs that could support recovery of those enrollment numbers.

Dr. Bedell, who joined the district in 2022 and whose contract was recently renewed, said the county lost about 750 students in the most recent period and that nearly half of that loss is concentrated in the Annapolis cluster. He attributed much of the decline to federal-level developments affecting the district’s fastest-growing constituency of English-language learners. “This was the hardest-hit cluster when you think about enrollment decline,” he said.

The presentation highlighted staffing and attendance progress. Bedell said the district opened the school year with an unusually low number of vacancies—about 30 statewide—after a multi-year strategy that included targeted bonuses and roughly a 30% cumulative cost-of-living adjustment for many employees. Those retention measures, he said, have helped stabilize classrooms and implementation of curriculum.

The superintendent also credited legislative change with improving attendance. Under House Bill 226 the district moved from a 180-day calendar to an hours-based schedule, reducing the number of disruptive early-release days. Bedell said converting multiple half days into a single full professional day produced measurable attendance gains and reductions in chronic absenteeism; the district has submitted those findings for review in education journals and to the state.

Academic-access data were a central focus: the district reported major increases in PSAT, SAT and Advanced Placement participation, with participation gains most pronounced among African American, Hispanic and free/reduced-price meal students. Bedell said PSAT participation rose from roughly 4,800 to over 15,000 students since the effort began, and AP course enrollment increased (from about 5,300 to 7,700 in the figures presented), while the share of students scoring a 3 or better on AP exams did not fall—he described that result as evidence that widening access uncovered students who were previously excluded from advanced opportunities.

Board members and the superintendent urged expanded aftercare in the Annapolis cluster as a policy priority. They said lack of accessible after-school care likely contributes to enrollment loss in city neighborhoods, and noted that in some low-income schools the aftercare fee is subsidized (a speaker said it can be as low as $5 per month). Tobin and Bedell asked the city to consider partnerships—ranging from facilitating internships and mentorships to exploring ways to scale aftercare—and they identified Andre Dillard as the district staff member overseeing mentoring.

In Q&A, councilmembers raised follow-ups including the maritime apprenticeship internship request (staff asked for contact details to pursue), technology rollout problems with the district’s learning-management migration to Canvas, and the need for continued expansion of counseling and college-readiness supports for first-generation college applicants.

No formal council action was taken at the meeting; the presentation closed with council members thanking the presenters and offering to coordinate follow-up on internships, aftercare partnerships and technical issues.

The district provided detailed tables and slide materials in the presentation and asked the council to continue dialogue about aftercare and mentorship programs.