By Megan Sayles
AFRO Staff Writer
msayles@afro.com
After nearly a year in the interim position, Shawn Joseph was appointed the permanent superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) on June 1—charged with leading one of Maryland’s largest school systems at a moment of both challenge and opportunity.
As he prepares for the next school year, Joseph says his focus is on accelerating student achievement, expanding college and career pathways and building a strategic plan that equips students for an evolving workforce.
“It feels good to be back in Prince George’s County. Since I’ve been here, I’ve been reminded of the absolute brilliance and genius of our children,” said Joseph. “I’m so proud to have the honor to serve them, and when I reflect on the last year, we’ve made a lot of progress.”
In Joseph’s interim year, PGCPS reduced teacher vacancies by 52 percent, expanded tuition-free dual enrollment, secured a 96 percent bus driver fill rate, launched an attendance ambassador program to address chronic absenteeism and created public dashboards to provide families and other stakeholders with accessible data on student achievement, attendance and staffing.
When Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy appointed Joseph permanent superintendent, she said he represented the “right leadership at the right time.”
“Over the last year, Dr. Joseph has demonstrated strong leadership, sound financial stewardship, a commitment to transparency and unwavering focus on improving outcomes for students,” said Braveboy in a June 1 statement. “He has brought stability during a critical period, strengthened relationships with educators and employees, expanded opportunities for students and positioned our school system to continue moving forward.”
Joseph’s appointment follows his navigation of a $150 million budget cut, the largest one-year reduction in the school system’s history, without laying off any teachers. Still, Joseph said funding remains the top challenge for PGCPS.
He is working to counter an inaccurate, persistent narrative that 60 cents of every tax dollar collected goes to public education. Joseph said it’s really closer to 33 cents, a share that’s lower than most school districts in the state.
“It’s going to be a matter of us as a community deciding that education is important and that we’re going to look at the dollars that we have to reprioritize dollars for education. But that only happens when people recognize that they’re under-investing versus over-investing,” said Joseph. “Right now there’s a perception that there’s an over-investment, and until we get that narrative right, we won’t make plans and progress to move us forward with intention.”
In light of the fiscal challenges, Joseph is focused on charting a long-term path forward as he enters the final stages of launching the school district’s next three-year strategic plan. The roadmap, dubbed “Forward By Design,” prioritizes continued gains in reading and mathematics achievement and special education while expanding career and technical education pathways.
“It’s a ‘back-to-the-basics’ plan but a plan that looks forward into the future. It’s one that doesn’t solely rely on getting every kid prepared for college, but getting kids prepared to be successful in living out their dreams—whether that be college, going directly into the workforce, opening their own business or going into military service,” said Joseph. “Next year, we’re going to make sure every kid has an individual plan, particularly in that senior year, and can articulate and communicate which path they’re on and why.”
