Challenges remain for new Prince George’s County schools chief

Shawn Joseph is well aware of the challenges ahead as he takes on the top job for Prince George’s County Public Schools.

Students are getting better at math and reading, but a majority are still struggling to reach proficiency. Students with disabilities still need more support.

He’ll need to foster a productive working relationship with the county’s unions and school board, a previously tense dynamic that’s stood in the way of success for his predecessors.

And the school system just faced a $150 million structural deficit, leaving little wiggle room for Joseph as he seeks to help kids accelerate their growth, especially in a school system where more than 1 in 4 students are learning English.

“You can’t do everything well with limited resources,” said Joseph, who has been serving as the interim superintendent for nearly a year. “But what we do, we must do well.”

Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy announced Monday that Joseph, 51, was her pick to lead the county’s public schools. Next, the chair of the school board will negotiate his contract, the school board would vote on whether to approve it during a public meeting expected later this month and then the state superintendent would approve the final appointment.

If all goes smoothly, Joseph will be the school system’s third superintendent in three years.

In her 2023 retirement announcement, former superintendent Monica Goldson referenced divisions within the county school board that she said blocked progress. She had taken over on an interim basis in July 2018 and a year later, was selected as the permanent leader.

Joseph’s predecessor, Millard House II, resigned from his role following a vote of no confidence from the county’s teachers union.

Joseph said he wants to deepen trust with families and the community, some of whom are already weary of him.

They’ve pointed to concerns about his tenure at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools, including criticism of his handling of sexual misconduct allegations. During one March 2019 school board meeting in Nashville, Joseph pushed back on the accusations. He created a presentation detailing how he felt betrayed by board members and he quoted Tupac: “‘I ain’t mad at cha.” He added: “In due time, everybody tends to get what they deserve.”

The school board there ultimately voted 5-3 to terminate his contract early.

In past statements, Joseph has denied any wrongdoing during his tenure in Nashville, pointing to improved reading scores, expanded gifted and talented instruction, reduced suspensions, and increased investment in mental health support. He was also the district’s first Black superintendent and has said people “were not used to seeing a Black man exercise leadership in a dynamic way.”

Erick Huth, who was the president of the Metropolitan Nashville Education Association during Joseph’s tenure, said he attributes the “abrupt end” of Joseph’s post to poor relationships with the school board.

“His heart is in the right place, but his real challenge is listening to people and understanding the political lay of the land,” said Huth, who is now retired. But, he acknowledged that Joseph’s departure was seven years ago. “He was pretty young when he was with us so we change as we get older.”

On Monday, Braveboy praised Joseph for his work over the past year to unite the school system, county government, unions and community members around the shared goal of educating children.

When he stepped in as interim superintendent, she said, contract negotiations between the school system and teachers union were stalled.

Joseph and his team got to work, negotiating with the union to reach a new contract that raised starting salaries, streamlined the grading system and guaranteed safety plans for students showing aggressive behaviors.

Braveboy added that Joseph reduced teacher vacancies by 52% and created a 100-day plan that emphasized engaging families, employees, labor partners and other community members. He launched tools designed to show how students are performing at schools, monitor staffing levels, track relevant bills and follow real-time bus data.

In Prince George’s, Joseph has expanded tuition-free dual enrollment offerings where all high school students can take college courses at Prince George’s County Community College. And a new partnership with Bowie State University means that any senior with at least a 3.0 GPA is eligible for a “fast-track” admission with help completing financial aid applications.

Facing a historic budget deficit, Joseph said he was clear-eyed about what he did not want to cut: special education, mental health and teachers.

Instead, he reduced specialty classes that, while popular, had low participation, including some immersion programs and International Baccalaureate offerings.

Judith White, the district’s chief academic officer, referenced Joseph’s previous experience as the county’s deputy superintendent for teaching and learning as a strength. He held the role from 2014 to 2016.

She said he was able to quickly assess the budget deficit and coalesce the team around clear priorities.

“That laser focus has been refreshing,” she said. “It allows everyone to know what we’re going to attack in a very deliberate and authentic way.”

Prince George’s Educators’ Association President Donna Christy said the unions had a seat at the table throughout the budget process, helping the district identify where they could cut $150 million “without cutting jobs and laying anyone off, without defunding union contracts.”

“It was a lot of meetings, and it was exhausting,” she said. “But we were able to work together.”

Christy said she is already concerned for next year and told county council members the school system needs their help.

“It’s going to be an even tougher year next year,” she said, “because we’ve already cut to the bone.”

To those who are skeptical of him, Joseph said they should watch what he does in his role and look for results. If they don’t agree with his decisions, he encourages them to speak out.

“The job of the public is to hold us accountable,” he said in an interview Monday. “We don’t fear accountability, we embrace it.”

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