Q&A: How is the Blueprint for Maryland's Future changing Washington County?

The nearly $4 billion a year Blueprint for Maryland's Future was passed in 2021, and from salary increases to additional dual-enrollment courses, it's bringing changes to Washington County Public Schools.

The blueprint is a statewide law providing additional funds to schools across the state with numerous goals, including improving literacy and mathematical skills, adding personnel to help behavioral isssues and addressing teacher shortages in each county.

But Gary Willow, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction, said the district was already in the process of implementing many of the initiatives even before the blueprint — but he said the law enhances and formalizes the process.

In the 2024 blueprint implementation plan, the school system identified the county's three greatest challenges: funding, staffing and academics in the plan.

So, what's changing in the county school system, and what should students and teachers expect to see?

How is funding allocated under blueprint?

The blueprint requires counties to use a weighted formula to determine where the money can be distributed. This formula is based primarily off a per-pupil dollar amount determined by the state, the number of students in the county that need extra resources and other programs that provide money to the district.

The blueprint also requires that 75% of the county school budget is invested directly into students, which includes anything from staffing to the expense of the building to materials. Both of these components could shift the way staffing and resources are allocated throughout the county based on the need and number of students at each school.

Willow said he doesn't envision these shifts affecting class numbers this coming school year.

"I think it's a possibility, but I think it might be too early to tell," Willow said. "That's probably another year or two out."

Willow said WCPS hired more supplemental staff to support teachers in the classroom, with 17 added this past year. Because of this, Willow said staff-student ratio might be more accurate in determining classroom support than just student class numbers.

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Career and college readiness for high schoolers

Dual-enrollment courses allow students to enroll in community college courses while still completing their high school diplomas. Under the blueprint, county school systems are required to pay for their students' course fees.

Students can take Hagerstown Community College courses through the early college degree program . Under this program, WCPS pays for students to attend the college full time for their junior and senior years. The school system is now the largest tuition payer for HCC according to its president, Jim Klauber.

Willow said the school system had dual credit courses implemented prior to the blueprint, but many more are available for students and now, they are free of cost for interested students.

There are also more career technical courses available for students, including HVAC, plumbing and electrical courses. Willow said that, like the dual-credit courses, these opportunities existed before the blueprint was implemented but have expanded since 2021.

"We had them prior to blueprint, but there's been a look at industry-recognized credentials and a need for career-related pieces," Willow said. "Those trades have really made a comeback."

What's the deal with Pre-K?

Washington County already offers free universal pre-kindergarten for 4-year-olds in alignment with the blueprint and hopes to implement a wider pre-K program for 3-year-olds next year, said Willow.

While the pre-K program was already a priority prior to blueprint, 4-year-old pre-K is held in every elementary school as well as North Hagerstown High School and Boyd J. Michael, III Technical High School. Information on registration can be found here .

Most of the classes for 3-year-olds will be placed with the school system's partners, including child-care groups across the county, said Willow. The blueprint prefers that there is a 50/50 split between pre-K offered in schools and pre-K offered through community partners. Because 4-year-old pre-K is widely available in county schools, Willow anticipates many of the programs for 3-year-olds will be held throughout the community.

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Salaries for teachers are going up, but how much?

A significant measure in the plan requires all counties to have a starting salary of $60,000 by July 2026. Currently, the starting salary for a first-year teacher in Washington County is $59,295, and national board-certified teachers can receive an additional $10,000.

These salary increases are just one factor in addressing the nationwide teacher shortage, said Willow. WCPS is also working on retaining teachers, and is recruiting current students into the profession through the Teacher Academy of Maryland, which is in four district high schools, and the reading tutor apprenticeship program.

"We have reading tutors that are high school students that have been hired by WCPS," Willow said. "They go to their high school in the morning for the most part and then they leave early and work in our elementary schools and tutor our elementary students in literacy."

This program is an introduction for many students to the profession, said Willow.

Teacher planning time

The blueprint requires changes in both the amount of planning time teachers are getting and the way teachers are planning. Willow said the district is in the beginning stages of reworking professional development and collaborative planning time for teachers.

"At the secondary level, while we're not where we need to be, there is a little bit more planning time," Willow said. "There are more opportunities for collaborative planning, meaning content-like teachers working together on a weekly basis to design lessons and co-plan, but also to do professional development as needed."

Carving out planning time for elementary teachers has been more difficult because of the differences in schedules between elementary school and middle and high school, according to Willow.

The Washington County Board of Education recently approved a memorandum of understanding with the Washington County Teachers Association to allow teachers and the district to discuss the needs and possible changes that could be implemented.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Q&A: How is the Blueprint for Maryland's Future changing Washington County?