Rachel McCusker Elected to State Board
Teacher Member Begins Four-Year Term on SBOE
Teachers re-elected Carroll County music teacher Rachel McCusker to a second term on the Maryland State Board of Education in a statewide election open to all teachers with an active certificate. McCusker cited these critical issues as topics in her new four-year term:
Pandemic Recovery “We need to set new, realistic goals for student achievement and acceleration and fearlessly shine a light on the inequities which have been exacerbated by the extraordinary events of the last two years. Then we have to enact proven, common-sense strategies to move every student forward.”
Recruitment/Retention “I believe we are facing an historic exodus from education-related careers. The political attacks, the vitriolic rhetoric on social media, the workload, the decrease in autonomy, and the lack of competitive pay have led to a critical shortage and the effects could be devastating.”
Mental Health “Student suicide rates are up dramatically, drug use and overdose rates are up, school shootings are on the rise, violent behaviors in school are increasing, and the number of children who experienced severe trauma during the pandemic may never be known. We need the comprehensive support the Blueprint offers knowing that until children feel safe from trauma, they will not have the bandwidth to learn to their potential.”
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future “The Blueprint provides specific strategies, requirements, and legislated deadlines for implementation. I plan to be heavily involved in the board’s strategic plan addressing implementation.”
MSDE’s Culture Shift “Superintendent Choudhury is addressing the entire operational framework of MSDE under the supervision of the board. It must be a primary focus of the board to repair its relationship with stakeholders so that we have the community support and input needed to address the myriad of crucial issues facing education right now.”