the twelve data based areas for assessed
student knowledge and student
participation. This is significantly lower
than statewide performance levels. The
inability of Baltimore City Schools to
achieve satisfactory performance levels is of
particular concern because the City receives
approximately 20 percent of the total State
education aid.

The General Assembly therefore supports the
efforts of the Baltimore City Public School
System to implement the recommendations
of an independent management study of the
Baltimore City Public Schools. The General
Assembly notes that the Baltimore City
Public School System is the only local
educational agency in Maryland to
participate in an extensive management
study and that the problems of Baltimore
City are not unlike those faced by most
urban school systems. The Department of
Fiscal Services has recommended that the
Maryland State Department of Education
(MSDE) take a more active role in
monitoring the effectiveness of school
reform efforts such as the one in Baltimore
City. The General Assembly concurs with
this recommendation, and further agrees
that MSDE should monitor, evaluate and
comment upon any significant reform
efforts undertaken by Maryland school
systems.

In order to assist in the implementation of the
recommendations contained in the
management study prepared by Towers
Perrin/Cresap, the Baltimore City Public
School System and the Maryland State
Department of Education shall enter into a
three year agreement to monitor and
evaluate the implementation of the
recommendations. The General Assembly is
particularly interested in seeing the
Baltimore City Public School System adopt
recommendations to implement a system
wide personnel evaluation program for
teachers, principals and administrators

- 423 -

WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

Ch. 8