The State Board of Education appoints the State Superintendent of
Schools for a four-year term. He directs the State Department of
Education and executes the policy and enforces the regulations
adopted by the Board (Code 1957, Art. 77, sees. 37-39). The State
Department of Education consists of the State Superintendent of
Schools and the professional staff employed by the Board to assist
him. The Department has six divisions.

Division of Instruction

The Division of Instruction provides leadership in planning and
supervising education for children and adults in the public schopis
of the State. Among the specific aids it supplies are courses of study
which it plans in cooperation with teachers, certain types of visual
aids, and workshop and consultant service. It also plans programs
for the handicapped and assists with their education (Code 1957,
Art. 77, sees. 26, 40-42, 241-42).

Division of Vocational Education

The Division of Vocational Education supervises the vocational
curricula of the public schools: home economics, agriculture, and
industrial arts. In addition, the Division renders educational services
to industry. The Federal funds granted to the State for these
purposes are allocated through the Division (Code 1957, Art. 77,
sees. 285-88).

Division of Finance and Research

The finance section of this Division prepares the annual State public
school budget. It maintains budget and accounting records and dis-
tributes funds made available to the local school system by the State
and Federal governments. In addition, this unit provides auditing
services and fiscal advice to the State teachers colleges.

The research section compiles all statistical records necessary for
the efficient administration of the public school system. These records
provide a guide to the services rendered by the Department in the
planning, construction, staffing, supervision, and administration of
the public schools. In addition, the research section conducts statistical
studies as they are requested by the State Board of Education or the
State Superintendent of Schools.

Division of Certification and Accreditation

The Division of Certification and Accreditation accredits all Mary-
land schools and colleges, public and private, and certifies their
professional and academic staffs. It provides leadership in teacher
education, licenses and inspects Maryland trade and vocational
schools, supervises the school lunch program, and administers high
school equivalence examinations (Code 1957, Art. 77, sees 25, 41,
99-107).

Division of Library Extension

400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore I

The Division of Library Extension, established within the State
Department of Education by the General Assembly of 1945, exercises
supervision over school libraries and county libraries operating under
the State-Aid Act of 1945. The Division provides direct service of