BALTIMORE — Weeks ahead of the start of the school year, the Baltimore City school district released what its calling a recovery plan, outlining ways to improve the way students learn, how to track their progress and adding more options for things like courses and sports over the next several years.
The school district said the 52-page plan, called Reconnect, Restore, Reimagine, was put together with input from thousands of students, families, staff and teachers.
Some of the focal points of the report include developing personalized learning plans for each student, giving extra learning time and tutoring to those who fall behind or are chronically absent, and having more course options like Advanced Placement, or AP courses, and Fine Arts.
The plan also covers other aspects of the school day like more sports offerings through clubs and clinics as well as better access to mental health services and counselors.
The timing of this report comes as some parents have started to protest over what they consider to be short-comings of the school district.
They are demanding changes such as replacing School CEO Dr. Sonja Santelises and creating a school board with elected members instead of appointed ones.
Last week, those parents told WMAR-2 News they’re considering legal action if the changes don’t happen.
"The one job the school district has is to educate the children. That’s not happening. That’s not an opinion. The facts, the statistics, the numbers say that’s not happening and the children are paying the price for it," said Shannon Wright of Urban Engagement.
Baltimore City schools responded to those demands by saying "City Schools respect the right of members of our community to be heard."
The school district is holding a virtual town hall meeting about the plan Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. It will be live streamed on Facebook and Twitter.
