Derick Brown

This document outlines the annual Special Education Staffing Plan for Cecil County Public Schools for School Fiscal Year 2026, aligning with the district's broader Strategic Plan. It details the process for developing, monitoring, and evaluating staffing to ensure compliance with Federal and State requirements, and to provide Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) for students with disabilities. Key strategic components include budget alignment, staffing patterns based on student needs, continuous professional learning, and accountability mechanisms for caseload management and plan effectiveness.

The meeting focused primarily on receiving feedback regarding the Fiscal Year 2026 budgets, both operating and capital improvement. Key operating budget discussion points included a review of the strategic plan and system challenges, FTE staff and enrollment data, increased class sizes, and the commitment to avoid position cuts despite potential reductions in state contribution. For the capital improvement budget, discussions covered the reassignment of CIP money from an elementary school roof project to an HVAC project at another school. Subsequent discussions addressed the phasing out of ESSER funding, concerns over increased student populations needing compensatory education, special education services, and multilingual support, the impact of decreased total enrollment, and the expiration of grant-funded tutor positions.

The meeting centered on the implementation of the new Maryland State Department of Education's (MSDE) Math Policy within Cecil County Public Schools (CCPS). Presenters provided an overview of the comprehensive plan, focusing on curriculum, teacher development, and student support. Key discussion points included the CCPS Strategic Plan, mathematics vision statements, the dynamic CCPS Comprehensive Math Plan components, sample math exercises emphasizing deep mathematical thinking, the MSDE Policy standards, the adoption timeline, and High School Pathways. Committee members engaged in a comprehensive discussion covering professional development for teachers, expanding student math sense, the Illustrative Math (IM) curriculum versus Envision, math assessments, course offerings reflecting different pathways, departmentalizing math in elementary grades, and supports for parents.

The Comprehensive Mathematics Plan for Cecil County Public Schools aims to ensure all PK-12 students have equitable access to high-quality mathematics instruction, aligned to the PK-12 Math Policy and the Revised Maryland College and Career Readiness Standards. It is structured around four interconnected components: Assessment, Equitable Instruction & Student Supports, Family & Community Engagement, and Professional Learning & Leadership. The plan is designed to promote college and career readiness for every student, improve student achievement, foster positive math identities, and build educator capacity, with long-term proficiency targets extending through 2034.

The Maryland PreK-12 Mathematics Policy aims to significantly improve mathematics teaching, learning, and achievement from early childhood through secondary grades. It prioritizes equitable access to rigorous, high-quality mathematics education for all students, aligning with The Blueprint for Maryland's Future. Key strategic pillars include advancing numeracy through consistent and effective instruction, ensuring equitable access and opportunities via Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and acceleration, implementing a revised College and Career Readiness math standard progression with integrated algebra and diverse secondary pathways, providing comprehensive support for educators through professional learning and coaching, and establishing robust assessment and accountability measures. The policy seeks to ensure all students are mathematically college and career ready by the end of 10th grade and have multiple pathways to explore advanced mathematics.