Baltimore County’s new schools superintendent must be bold
It’s no surprise that the decision to name Myriam Yarbrough the next superintendent of Baltimore County Public Schools drew a standing ovation at Tuesday’s school board meeting.
This was a vote for stability, experience and sound judgment after so much turnover at the top — Yarbrough will be the fourth person named to the post in six years — as well as disenchantment with some of the outsiders who previously filled that role.
Yarbrough has not only served as the system’s deputy superintendent, she got her start as a BCPS teacher 27 years ago. Of the four finalists for the job, she was the best known and trusted, her association with outgoing Superintendent Darryl L. Williams, who brought her back on board from Montgomery County in 2020, notwithstanding. She assumes this challenging post at a potentially decisive moment in county history.
By any traditional measure — standardized test scores presenting the most obvious yardstick — the Baltimore County Public School System is underperforming. The state’s annual report card shows BCPS scores are below the state average. Not simply below traditional high-flyers like Montgomery or Howard counties, but behind most of Central Maryland.
Whether it’s reading, math or science, and particularly in elementary and middle schools, Baltimore County lagged in the percentage of students achieving proficiency. Harford, Carroll, Howard, Anne Arundel, all generally did better (although Baltimore County’s test scores at the high school level were more competitive, according to Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program data).
And the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t help matters with some of the school system’s decline following both statewide and national trends. BCPS lost several thousand enrolled students as some families switched to home schooling or private school alternatives. And then there’s also been widespread concern about disruptive student behavior.
Even so, the new superintendent will take office this summer with some advantages, too. First, it’s become obvious that the school board is not the chaotic mess it was just a few years ago, with about half the board openly warring with the other.
The search for a new superintendent was conducted without the theatrics of the past thanks in large part to turnover from the last election and new appointees. Second, insiders say, Yarbrough has already demonstrated superior communications skills and outreach, which were lacking during the Williams’ years.
She also appears to have the backing of County Executive John “Johnny O” Olszewski Jr., a former educator himself, and that’s no small advantage as counties deal with the financial demands of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reforms.
And it surely will not hurt a school system where the plurality of students are African American to continue to have a top leader that reflects that demographic.
Role models count, and as a Black woman, Yarbrough is in a position to have real impact — much as Verletta White, the former interim superintendent might have, had she been given the post in 2018 instead of having her appointment blocked by the state superintendent. Last month, White who now serves as superintendent in Roanoke, Virginia, was named that state’s “Superintendent of the Year.” Ouch.
Our advice to Yarbrough? Don’t be shy. She must reach out and engage with the community, empower her educators, focus on the basics and fight for her budget. Baltimore County is one of the state’s largest, most diverse and geographically sprawling systems, with both high-achieving schools and poor performers. It’s vital that she demonstrate to stakeholders that she understands their needs and has a plan to address them.
Her predecessor lacked a certain “fire in the belly” and gave the impression he was winding up a career, not seeking to make his mark in Baltimore County. Parents, teachers and even students can recognize passion for excellence when they see it — and a lack of it when they don’t.