5. Governance & Accountability

The Commission’s final report under Policy Area 5: Governance and Accountability recommended the following:

• Develop a comprehensive implementation plan for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and hold all State and local agencies involved accountable for carrying out their assigned roles;

• Monitor and report annually on the status of implementation in schools, districts and agencies across the State, including collecting, analyzing, and reporting disaggregated data on student performance, teacher preparation, and the use of funds to improve outcomes under the Blueprint;

• Evaluate the outcomes achieved during the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future against the goals of the Blueprint and the Commission, particularly in closing achievement gaps, and annually reporting on whether any changes should be made to ensure adequate resources and measurements for full implementation;

• Ensure that the newly created Expert Review Teams administered by MSDE and the new CTE Committee that will conduct school visits understand the degree to which the strategies used by the top performers are being used and make recommendations for improving implementation;

• Have the authority to place some new funds for a school or school district in escrow should that school or district not successfully implement the Commission’s recommendations or fail to show satisfactory progress in student achievement; and

• Contract for an independent evaluation of implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, assess the State’s progress in implementation and make any recommendations for changes needed to fully implement the Blueprint.