By Dr. Deborah Bailey
Special to the AFRO
Jermaine Dawson is bolting from the running blocks in his first month as CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools (BCPS). The lifelong educator and administrator spent his first days and weeks fanning out across Baltimore to visit summer school programs and community events, and connect with parents, families and entities that support students.
Dawson spoke with the AFRO about his 100-day entry plan and priorities for the start of the 2026-2027 school year. He said that he and more than 680 central office administrative staff will get out of the office and into school buildings, starting the new school year with students and principals.
“Internally, we’ve got to change how we do business,” Dawson said.
“The first thing I’m doing is flipping it on its head so that schools feel supported by the District,” he added.
Just as Dawson spent his first days on the job – out at schools and in the community – he expects the same for the district administrators who work with him, starting this August.
“The first two or three days of school, the central office – everybody will be out in the schools supporting principals. That’s our first sign to show them we’re not just doing lip service; we’re putting action behind what I’m saying. Schools are the unit of change, and we are in service to support them.”
“The first two or three days of school, the central office – almost everybody will be out in the schools supporting principals through the first two or three days of school. That’s our first sign to show them we’re not just doing lip service.” — Jermaine Dawson, CEO, Baltimore City Public Schools
‘Are all the right people at the table?’
“I believe in getting people around the table,” Dawson said about how he plans to tackle the problems faced by Baltimore City public school students. Dawson said he has worked in urban school districts with challenges similar to Baltimore’s chronic issues, including low rankings in statewide testing, historic attendance gaps, school safety and community mistrust in the quality of all public schools. “But I want to make sure I connect with how we solve these problems in Baltimore,” he added.
Dawson has already started reaching out to various industries and communities across the city, inviting them to the table to support students.
“I’ve already reached out to the higher education community to tell them I need more pipelines for our young people to get into two- and four-year colleges and trade schools,” Dawson said.
“I’ve already met with the Greater Baltimore Committee (GPC) and the business community because I want to hear from the business community: What skills do you need in your employees for them to take on the high-wage, in-demand jobs?”
Coppin State University (CSU) is one of the institutions Dawson and his team will continue to work with, expanding those pipelines to post-secondary success. Coppin gives local city high school students access to university services, labs and college courses. The institution also operates Coppin Academy, a college preparatory public school in cooperation with BCPS.
Coppin President Dr. Anthony L. Jenkins said he welcomes even greater partnership with Dawkins.
“I extend my congratulations to Dr. Jermaine Dawson on his appointment as CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools. Coppin State is proud to be Baltimore’s hometown university, and we know firsthand the talent, determination, and promise of this city’s students. We look forward to continuing the strong collaboration between K–12 and higher education in Baltimore and to the fresh ideas and new energy Dr. Dawson will bring to this work,” Jenkins said.
Dawson said he wants to ensure students graduate from high school with their next destination in mind and the ability to earn living wages.
“I do not want our young people spending 12 or 13 years in the public schools and leaving just to make minimum wage. I want them to be on a path to earning livable wages,” Dawson said. “Most jobs now require some level of trade. College or trade school or education is a requirement for our students.”
Strong schools in every neighborhood
“My job is to work with our schools to make sure we have high-performing schools in every single zone; schools with a good culture where students feel a sense of belonging and a sense of safety. I want parents to be confident in all of our schools and speak highly of them,” Dawson said. “One of the problems standing up to us is the amount of time students are having to travel just to get to a school they believe is better than a school in their neighborhood.”
“I want parents to be confident in all of our schools and speak highly of them.” — Jermaine Dawson, CEO, Baltimore City Public Schools
High school students are free to choose schools outside of their “zoned” neighborhood. Many families vie for the same three schools rather than the 35 high schools citywide.
“I want every school to be an outstanding choice. Families won’t need to go outside of their neighborhood to attend an excellent, safe school. I know it’s going to take some time to get there, but that’s what we ought to be striving for,” Dawson said.
Hearing from families and community – the 100-day entry plan
“My job is to make sure our parents still see City Schools as the district of choice,” Dawson said.
Community meetings are at the heart of Dawson’s 100-day entry plan. The first meeting is scheduled for 5-7:30 p.m. on July 28 at Forest Park High School cafeteria, with five more to follow in August through October.
