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Educators, students, families, and school communities drive progress: City Schools earns record number of 3-, 4-, and 5-star schools. Watch this feature on Charles Carroll Barrister Elementary, the only school in Maryland to improve by 2-star ratings on the 2026 Maryland Report Card.  

In data released by the Maryland State Department of Education, City Schools achieved its highest proportion of 3-, 4-, or 5- star schools on the 2026 Maryland School Report Card. More than half (53 percent) of the district's schools earned at least 3 stars for the first time since the Report Card's inception. Compared to a low of 25 percent in 2022, this marks continued post-pandemic recovery. The proportion of 3+-star schools more than doubled in just four years. 

Open Enrollment launched this week! Are you taking advantage of all that your City Schools’ benefits offer? Benefit carriers will remain the same for 2027, and there are no changes to your plan benefits. However, the Flexible Spending Account (FSA) must be elected each year. 

All leave-eligible employees within the BTU Teachers and PSRP chapters, CUB, L44, PSASA, and FOP who wish to maintain membership or join the Sick Leave Bank must elect to participate for the 2026-2027 school year. Using the UKG timekeeping system, staff can enroll now through Friday, November 6, 2026. Enrollments recorded after November 6 will not be processed.

The Sick Leave Bank gives employees the opportunity to apply for additional sick leave days due to an unexpected, long-term illness. In order to enroll in the Sick Leave Bank, you must agree to donate one of your accrued sick days. 

For any questions or concerns, please contact the Payroll Office at 443-642-3880 or payroll@bcps.k12.md.us.

City Schools is committed to helping employees plan for a secure financial future. As part of this commitment, City Schools has selected CoreBridge Financial as the single provider for its 403(b) and 457(b) supplemental retirement plans. To prepare staff for the effective launch on January 1, 2027, CoreBridge Financial will hold virtual information sessions to discuss available retirement plans, strategies that aid your retirement goals, and next steps. Sessions will occur on the following days:

Interested? Register and learn more using the link below.

The Office of Human Capital’s Career Advancement Team is planning upcoming opportunities to strengthen National Board Certification (NBC) preparation and candidate support, and we want your input!

We invite current and prospective NBC candidates, National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs), Professional Learning Facilitators (PLFs), and school leaders to complete a brief survey.

Your feedback will help us identify preferred dates, locations, learning topics, and supports to better meet the needs of City Schools educators.

Time to complete: 3–5 minutes

On October 15, Ms. Andrea Rodríguez, Community School Specialist at Fallstaff Elementary/Middle, was honored with the Educator of the Year Award during the Mayor’s Hispanic Heritage Awards celebration at Baltimore City Hall. Presented by the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MIMA), this recognition highlights her dedication to education, family engagement, and community empowerment.

For the past four years, Ms. Rodríguez has worked closely with students from pre-K through 8th grade, families, school staff, and community partners to strengthen relationships, connect families with essential resources, and create meaningful opportunities for the school community.

Three Baltimore City Public Schools educators—Hope Kimbrow, Tiarra Zollicoffer, and Melinda Bowersox—were honored with the prestigious MEGGY Award by the Maryland Educators of Gifted Students (MEGS). This annual recognition celebrates outstanding teachers and administrators who demonstrate extraordinary dedication to challenging, inspiring, and supporting gifted and talented learners across Maryland.

Congratulations to Hope, Tiarra, and Melinda for their leadership and commitment to helping every student reach their full potential! See the full list of Meggy recipients. 

The Singing Cardinals, the choir of ConneXions Academy: A Community Based Art School (ConneXions), brought home an international victory after traveling to Spain to compete in the Sing for Gold 2026 music competition. They won the Youth Choirs category and were named one of eight finalists for the World Choral Cup 2026, marking a major achievement for the school and its young performers.

Led by Brandon Booth, who founded and built the choir from scratch 12 years ago, the group was the only choir from the United States accepted into the competition.

Principal Candidates Only: Are you ready to take the next step in your leadership journey? City Schools, in partnership with Morgan State University, will host an Aspiring Leaders Workshop (AIM) series for aspiring principals.

The AIM series is designed to develop, support, and prepare candidates, building participants’ capacity to lead schools with vision, equity, and excellence.

AIM registration is now open until October 30th for Principal candidates only. Register today. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Sam Rather II.

School Board Insider — Get quick, clear updates on the work of the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners, with a focus on decisions that impact your day-to-day work. 

The October 21 meeting featured findings from the 100-Day Report, which responds to feedback gathered during CEO Dr. Jermaine Dawson’s listening tour across Baltimore City. The report highlights opportunities to strengthen district operations, educational outcomes, and community partnerships. 

The Board reviewed annual recommendations for several schools. Recommendations to close Dallas F. Nicholas, Sr., Elementary School and Renaissance Academy were rescinded. Other proposals include adding kindergarten at Sharp-Leadenhall and renewing the charters for KIPP Harmony Academy and Baltimore International Academy West.

The Board plans to discuss the recommendations further in November, with a vote expected in January.

Board Engagement

Would you like a School Board Commissioner to visit your school? Tell us what you would like a commissioner to see, learn about, or experience during a visit, and we will follow up. Complete the short survey. 

Upcoming Board Meetings

Review our latest edition of CONNECT, our newsletter for families, for a complete list of opportunities and news.

Are you a parent navigating the world of middle and high school choices for your child? Join Live Baltimore and the Fund For Educational Excellence for a free virtual workshop on the middle/high school choice process.

Schools 101: Understanding Middle/High School Choice is taking place on Thursday, November 12, 2026, at 8 p.m. The session is designed to give families the tools and knowledge needed to confidently navigate their student's next educational step.

Join us for Family University, which centers the strength of our community. All of our workshops are family-created and family-led. Attend four of the five workshop topics to graduate from Family University!

Courting Art Baltimore 2027, in partnership with Arts Every Day, is an art contest open to all City Schools high school students. Participants have the opportunity to display their artwork at the Eastside District Courthouse and win scholarships for higher education.

Why participate?

Submissions are due March 12. Learn about submission guidelines.

After 100 days spent listening to students, families, educators, and community members, Baltimore City Public Schools CEO Dr. Jermaine Dawson hosted an event at Graceland Park/O'Donnell Heights Elementary/Middle School. To bring the community’s voices to life, Dr. Dawson unveiled a visual installation featuring hundreds of handwritten words on sticky notes representing the community's aspirations collected from the First 100 Days Listening Tour and school visits. The installation serves as a tangible reflection of the voices, ideas, and experiences that will inform the district’s work moving forward.