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The Prince George鈥檚 County Board of Education has seen many changes over the years.
It has consisted solely of political appointees, it has been all-elected, and it has been 鈥� and is currently 鈥� a hybrid, made up of both elected and appointed members.
Following a turbulent year, it appears the wheels of change are about to spin again.
A task force empaneled to explore potential changes in the structure of the school board has tentatively recommended doing away with the board鈥檚 four appointed members.
If the recommendation is adopted, the current board 鈥� made up of nine elected and four appointed members, along with a student member who votes on some matters 鈥� would be replaced with a new all-elected board. It would consist of nine members elected by district and a student chosen by their peers.
Members should be limited to two four-year terms, according to the task force.
In addition, the board would elect its own chair and vice-chair. Currently the chair is appointed by the county executive.
County Executive Angela D. Alsobrooks (D) created the task force last year in the wake of a tumultuous set of meetings that saw the board鈥檚 factions battle repeatedly. Those聽聽鈥� primarily between chair Juanita D. Miller and a progressive bloc 鈥� led to the filing of numerous ethics complaints. Multiple board attorneys resigned.
Among the other recommendations announced last week:
- An increase in school board salaries, from the current $18,000 per year to $27,000.
- An increase in the board chair鈥檚 salary, from $19,000 to $32,000 annually.
- A requirement that board members attend educational conferences and engage in professional development.
- A requirement that members engage in 鈥渟elf-evaluation鈥� and 鈥渁ccountability.鈥�
The task force鈥檚 recommendations will be the subject of聽.
During the 2018 campaign, candidate Alsobrooks urged a return to an all-elected board.
鈥淚 still feel that,鈥� she said on Friday. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e looking at best practices from around the country. We thought that this was an intelligent way to move forward.鈥�
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 break the school board,鈥� she added. 鈥淭his has been an issue that has been with us for so long.鈥�
Alsobrooks said she expects to receive the task force鈥檚 final report in February. Any changes to the structure of the school board would require state legislation. The executive said she will ask the Prince George鈥檚 delegation to craft a bill to advance those concepts she supports.
Sean T. Coleman, chair of the task force and a Bowie State University professor who teaches educational leadership, stressed that the recommendations announced this week are 鈥渙nly preliminary,鈥� and he encouraged the public to participate in next week鈥檚 hearing.
鈥淲hile we will report out some potential, preliminary recommendations, they are up for adjustments or revision or refinement,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s well as everything else that is on the chopping block or discussion block.鈥�
