Maryland Education Section 4-309

      (a)      (1)      On or before June 1, 2002, the Chief Executive Officer shall submit a 5-year comprehensive master plan to the Board for its review, modification, and final approval.

            (2)      On or before August 30, 2002, the Board shall approve and commence implementation of the master plan.

            (3)      Following approval of the master plan or by July 30, 2002, whichever is earlier, the master plan shall be submitted to the State Board and to the State Superintendent for their review and approval.

            (4)      The Chief Executive Officer or designee shall consult with parents, teachers, students, representatives of the business community, and educational instruction and administration experts during the course of the development of the master plan.

            (5)      (i)      The master plan shall be updated annually and submitted to the State Board and the State Superintendent for review and approval on or before August 15 of each year.

                  (ii)      The Chief Executive Officer shall submit with the update required under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph a detailed summary of how the Baltimore City Public School System's current year approved budget and increases in expenditures over the prior year are consistent with the master plan.

                  (iii)      By October 1 of each year, the Chief Executive Officer shall supplement the update with a summary of how the Baltimore City Public School System's actual prior year budget and additional expenditures in the prior year's budget aligned with the master plan.

            (6)      Notwithstanding any other provision of law or regulation, the master plan requirement shall be the sole master plan required of the Baltimore City Public School System.

      (b)      The master plan shall provide for the improvement of:

            (1)      Student achievement in the Baltimore City public schools; and

            (2)      The management and accountability of the Baltimore City Public School System.

      (c)      The master plan shall identify the actions necessary to:

            (1)      Incorporate the key recommendations of the 1992 Towers Perrin/Cresap Management Study report, the 1994 and 1995 MGT of America, Inc. reports, and the report on the December, 2001 final evaluation of the City-State Partnership prepared by Westat;

            (2)      Address both the compliance efforts as well as the system's efforts to achieve full organizational and instructional integration of special education and general education including the quality indicators that will be used to evaluate the extent of integration and its impact on student performance;

            (3)      Provide a balanced and efficient allocation of qualified staff to support the necessary educational and managerial functions of the school system and include in an annual status report on the implementation of the master plan a qualitative and fiscal analysis of the staffing of key central and area office functions;

            (4)      Provide effective curriculum and instructional programs for the Baltimore City Public School System including the development and dissemination of:

                  (i)      A citywide curriculum framework reflecting State learning outcomes, including Maryland School Performance Program standards, and an appropriate developmental sequence for students;

                  (ii)      An effective program that involves school-based practitioners including teachers, mentors, master teachers, and instructional support teachers, as well as the exclusive employee organization representatives in the design and implementation of high quality, differentiated professional development activities derived from analysis of student performance needs and that complies with the National Staff Development Council Standards for content, context, and process; and

                  (iii)      An effective educational program for meeting the needs of students at risk of educational failure;

            (5)      Review the requirement of a demonstrated student achievement portfolio for the performance-based evaluation system for teachers and principals and incorporate design modifications that will enhance teacher and principal investment in the evaluation instrument;

            (6)      Provide effective management information systems for the Baltimore City Public School System, including the capacity to accurately track student enrollment, attendance, academic records, discipline records, and compliance with the provisions of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;

            (7)      Provide an effective financial management and budgeting system for the Baltimore City Public School System to ensure the maximization and appropriate utilization of all available resources;

            (8)      Provide effective hiring and assignment of teachers and staff;

            (9)      Develop an effective system of providing instructional materials and support services;

            (10)      Develop and evaluate model school reform initiatives;

            (11)      Develop a process with timelines to govern the distribution of student test data to area executive officers and to principals, as well as the central office resources that will be provided to school level practitioners to validate and analyze the student test data;

            (12)      Provide appropriate methods for student assessment and remediation;

            (13)      Develop and implement a student code of discipline as required in § 7-306 of this article;

            (14)      Incorporate the school system's facilities master plan including information about projects currently underway as well as those planned pursuant to the capital improvement program and update this information annually as the master plan is updated;

            (15)      Develop a program to train principals and assistant principals in methods of increasing parental involvement at the school level, including strategies for connecting parents to the instructional program of the school and for measuring the level of parental involvement through meaningful indicators;

            (16)      Include measurable outcomes and time lines for the implementation and evaluation of the reforms made in accordance with the master plan and the reporting of this information to the Governor, the Mayor of Baltimore City, and, in accordance with § 2-1246 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly;

            (17)      Improve the status of schools that are subject to a State reconstitution notice;

            (18)      Develop an effective system of teacher input regarding implementation of school reform initiatives, curriculum, instruction, and professional development that includes active and ongoing consultation with classroom teachers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels; and

            (19)      Institute a formal procedure by which the directors of each of the school system's mentoring programs, including React, Blum, and Peer Mentoring, will provide semi-annual reports to the Board and senior management concerning the perspectives of the mentoring programs.