ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Wes Moore this week visited the Nancy S. Grasmick State Education Building in Baltimore to meet with Interim State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey Wright, State Board of Education leadership, and Maryland State Department of Education employees. The visit to the agency’s headquarters marked the first by a governor in more than a decade.
“We owe it to Marylanders to provide a world-class education to every child, no matter their background or zip code,” said Governor Moore. “Everyone has a role to play in this work, from our state employees to our students to our educators to our families. I’m grateful for all of the public servants at the Maryland State Department of Education, who will help us make Maryland’s schools the best in the country.”
During the visit, Governor Moore listened to first-hand accounts from State employees about the agency’s work to implement the transformative Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, enhance child care support for working Marylanders, and strengthen literacy instruction across the state (PDF).
Maryland has more than 1,400 public schools, 24 school systems, and 6,800 childcare providers who serve all of the state’s 23 counties and Baltimore City. The department works collaboratively with the State Board of Education and stakeholders to ensure the promise of an excellent and equitable education for all students, especially those who have been historically underserved. Through a dedicated team of 1,438 educators, specialists, and administrators serving pre-kindergarten through 12th grade across every academic content area, the Maryland State Department of Education touches all aspects of public education.
“Students throughout Maryland will reap the benefits of the governor’s investment in public education and the Child Care Scholarship program is a great success story for our State,” said Interim Superintendent Dr. Carey Wright. “We are improving educational opportunities through the Blueprint, serving more children and more families with the support of more child care providers. These are the types of investments that show massive returns.”
The Moore-Miller Administration’s FY 2025 budget invests heavily in public education, from increasing Blueprint formula programs by 3.7 percent; to increasing Child Care Scholarship program funding by $270 million; to increasing pre-K through 12th grade funding by more than 5 percent. The administration is committed to investment in creating world-class public education and historic child care affordability as major drivers of Maryland’s economic development.
The State Board and Maryland State Department of Education will continue to partner with the Blueprint Accountability and Implementation Board to ensure that the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future advances the quality outcomes for Maryland students. Under the governor’s FY 2025 capital budget, a $97 million renovation of the Grasmick Building is set to begin in July 2025 to modernize operations within the 217,700 square foot structure, constructed in 1911.
