In just 66 days on the job, interim Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) Superintendent Shawn Joseph has identified top priorities, including special education and multilingual learners; mathematics and literacy; and chronic absenteeism. He is also interested in expanding internships and providing more resources for dual enrollment students. 

“What I’m working to do is making sure parents have the tools that you need to be able to help hold us accountable across the system,” Joseph told about 200 students, parents and educators at a listening session held on Sept. 29 at Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School, in Beltsville.

Organizers said it was the largest listening session Joseph has held since joining the school district. He was previously an assistant professor of educational leadership, administration and policy at Howard University. Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy announced his appointment in June. Joseph had served PGCPS as a deputy superintendent from 2014 to 2016.

Parents attending the listening session asked questions about transparency, easier access for obtaining background checks for volunteers, funding for English Language Proficiency (ELP) assessments and charter schools, protections for whistleblowers, and grading policies and proficiency benchmarks. 

Jamel Lattimore said his daughter was disenrolled from Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School against the family’s wishes while she was on emergency medical leave. “I’m trying to understand… how is that possible?” he pleaded. Joseph promised to look into the issue. 

Joseph also fielded frustration from Alicia Renee, a mom who said her child was denied FAPE, or Free Appropriate Public Education, a federal requirement for eligible children with disabilities. 

“Why are those responsible for retaliation, denial of FAPE and systemic violations still in positions of power? Why are families forced to file state complaints just to get what their children are legally entitled to?” Renee asked.

She demanded accountability from Joseph, who talked her through the chain of command, acknowledging that his own tenure is subject to the Maryland State Board of Education.

Tiffini Andorful, PGCPS school board member representing District 1, moderated the session and said in an interview after the meeting that she has been impressed by Joseph so far.

“Already, he’s bringing a wealth of knowledge, a sense of direction. He’s working phenomenally with the board, so I’m only optimistic.”

Andorful said Joseph is working to address the district’s largest issues, which include teacher vacancies and a school bus driver shortage. (Information about these issues is posted on the district’s website at pgcps.org. New data on student academic growth will be uploaded to the site by the Oct. 28 board meeting, Joseph said.)

Joseph highlighted statistics that address the fact that Prince George’s County’s schools lag behind those in other Maryland districts. He said the county, which is predominantly Black and 40% immigrant, ranks better when compared to jurisdictions with similar demographics. 

In response to a question about parental access to their child’s records, Joseph noted that the current system is insufficient. “We must revisit our family engagement policy, because I don’t think it’s as strong as it could be,” he said, adding that he would like to push for parents and principals to approach this issue as a shared responsibility. 

A number of parents were impressed with Joseph’s willingness to listen. 

“Compared to previous leadership, it felt very transparent tonight, and he’s making progress,” said Paula Rojas, board member of CMIT Academy North Elementary’s PTO. She asked the superintendent about funding for charter schools. In response, Joseph assured her that he is meeting with school leaders and considering a funding model similar to Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ approach. 

A high school ELP teacher expressed concern about funding, given his program’s reliance on federal allocations. The district as a whole lost 8% of its funding due to federal cuts, Joseph said, adding that ELP was a small but important focus. At several points throughout the evening, Joseph described bilingualism as a superpower that needs to be fostered. The presentation itself was multilingual, thanks to a live translator and sign language interpreters.

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