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MindPrint Learning: A One-Hour Assessment That Helps Keep Education Focused on Learning (Not Labels or Politics)
When a student is struggling—or even when they’re doing “fine” but working twice as hard as they should—adults often end up guessing. Is it attention? Reading? Motivation? Anxiety? A mismatch in teaching style? Too much screen time? Not enough challenge? The problem with guessing is that it can lead to the wrong supports, wasted time, and unnecessary frustration for students, families, and teachers. MindPrint Learning offers a more practical starting point: an educational too
6 days ago5 min read


Meet the Superintendent: Six Community Conversations, One Clear Direction for BCPS
Meet the Superintendent: Six Community Conversations, One Clear Direction for BCPS Over the last few weeks, Baltimore County Public Schools hosted six "Meet the Superintendent" events to introduce our new superintendent, Dr. Bill Heiser, and—more importantly—to listen. I attended and reviewed notes from five of the six sessions, and what stood out most was the tone: hopeful, candid, and deeply focused on what students need to thrive. Across every room, people showed up with p
Aug 124 min read


Wilson Reading System (WRS) as a Tier 3 Reading Intervention: Training, Fidelity, and Certification Pathways
All of the information in this post comes directly from the Wilson Reading System’s website: https://www.wilsonlanguage.com/programs/wilson-reading-system/ Wilson Reading System (WRS) and its effectiveness as a Tier 3 reading intervention The Wilson Reading System is an intensive, multisensory structured language (MSL) program designed for students (typically grades 2 and above) with persistent and significant word-level reading deficits who have not responded adequately to p
Aug 73 min read


Why Parents Are Pushing to Limit Screen Time and Digital Content in the Classroom
Over the past year, it’s become increasingly clear: more parents are speaking up about reducing screen time—both at home and at school. And while I think most people can agree that less screen time is generally healthier for kids (and honestly, for adults too), I believe the biggest driver behind this growing movement is something deeper than just “screens are bad.” At its core, this push is about academic excellence—and ensuring students are learning in ways that produce the
Aug 63 min read


The Rise of Classical Education: Why Parents Are Choosing This Timeless Approach for Their Children
Classical education is gaining momentum as more parents seek a meaningful, rigorous, and values-driven approach to their children’s learning. Unlike many modern educational trends, classical education draws from centuries-old traditions that emphasize critical thinking, language mastery, and a deep understanding of history and culture. This post explores what classical education is, why it is resurging, how it influences public school enrollment, and why public schools might
Jul 244 min read


When Parenting Meets the Public Eye: Taking My 13-Year-Old to a Morgan Wallen Concert
A few nights ago, I did something that felt simple, joyful, and honestly pretty “normal mom” in the moment: I took my 13-year-old son to see Morgan Wallen in concert. If you know my son, you know this part matters—Morgan Wallen is his favorite artist. Not “one of,” not “lately,” not “kind of.” Favorite. The kind of favorite where the songs are on repeat in the car, where lyrics become background noise to homework, where a kid lights up just hearing the first few notes. And th
Jul 235 min read


Govern Differently: Values-Based School Board Governance (Lessons from Aaron Salt)
At the School Boards for Academic Excellence Summer Conference 2026, executive vice president and guest speaker Aaron Salt shared a clear challenge for school boards: govern differently. In his book, Govern Differently, Salt argues that the most effective boards lead with values-based governance—staying anchored to a strong governance framework so decisions consistently serve student achievement. Governance isn’t about being important—it’s about being effective Salt’s central
Jul 233 min read


Why Knowledge-Rich Curriculum Matters—and What Districts Can Do Next
By: Maggie Litz Domanowski The conversation about reading achievement often gets reduced to ‘skills’—strategies students can apply to any text. But decades of evidence point to a different conclusion: reading comprehension depends heavily on what students know. A knowledge-rich curriculum is one of the most practical, scalable ways districts can improve outcomes—especially for students who have historically been denied consistent access to grade-level content. A leader in cur
Jul 173 min read


Boosting Parental Involvement in Public Schools: Effective Strategies and Tips
By: Maggie Litz Domanowski At the School Boards of Academic Excellence 2026 Summer Conference, I came away from Travis Thorne’s session with a clearer understanding that parent empowerment isn’t a “nice-to-have” add-on to school improvement—it’s a foundational strategy. Travis Thorne serves as the Vice President of Family at the Georgia Center for Opportunity (GCO), where he leads family-focused initiatives that strengthen parents, support children, and help families build pa
Jul 123 min read


Restoring Order and Respect in the Classroom: Key Takeaways from Daniel Buck
Who is Daniel Buck? Daniel Buck is a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), director of the Conservative Education Reform Network (CERN), and an affiliate of AEI’s James Q. Wilson Program in K–12 Education Studies. His work focuses on K–12 education, charter schooling, curriculum reform, and school safety and discipline. Before joining AEI, Buck served as a senior fellow at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, an assistant principal at Lake County Classical A
Jul 114 min read


Bringing Trust Back to Our Public Education System
By: Maggie Litz Domanowski I was recently asked my opinions on how we can build trust back in our public school systems—specifically between educators and parents. My answer starts with something simple, but powerful: Stop saying “they.” “They don’t have anything.” “They have no idea what they’re talking about.” “They are indoctrinating our kids.” “They get paid a full-year salary to do nine months of work.” They, they, they—always followed by something negative. Just stop
Jul 93 min read


The Woman on the Bus
Two women. Two buses. Two moments that should have ended with someone stepping in. In one story, a woman sat alone on public transit and was brutally murdered while people around her watched. In another, a photo circulates of a woman who appears deeply uncomfortable—seated alone while surrounded by men who look like masked extremists and white supremacists. The only documented response was a picture. The woman everyone watched When violence happens in public, we like to belie
Jul 62 min read


Central Office vs. School-Based Pay: What 2025 BCPS Salary Data Suggests
According to Govsalaries.com Using publicly available salary records can help communities understand how compensation is distributed across roles in a school system. The figures below summarize selected 2025 fiscal year salary data (including benefits, excluding hourly employees) for Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) as presented on GovSalaries.com. The goal here is descriptive: to highlight where pay appears concentrated and where large groups of school-based educators
Jun 103 min read


MEGA Means: Make Education Great Again
MEGA literally stands for Make Education Great Again—because a great education is the very foundation for anything you want to accomplish in life, and every child deserves one. When we talk about “great education,” we’re not talking about a slogan. We’re talking about the basics that shape a student’s entire future: strong reading and math skills, safe and supportive classrooms, teachers who are respected and equipped to teach, and schools that prepare students for college, c
May 282 min read


Why I think there should be more “moms” on the Board of Education—and fewer “professional educators”
I’m not saying this applies to every educator or every parent. But I am saying it absolutely applies to me. When I joined the Board, the only thing I cared about was our students. I wasn’t trying to “make nice” with my one and only hire, because I was never worried about whether they liked me—or what they could do for me. And I wasn’t focused on getting along with legislators for the same reason. I didn’t care about being liked. I cared about what we could do for students. My
May 122 min read


What It Means to Be Part of the BAB Club
Baltimore County Board of Education Member Maggie Litz Domanwski I want to start by saying this: the name “BAB Club” isn’t really my style. The words behind it aren’t words I’d normally choose. But sometimes a label sticks because it captures something real—something you can’t quite fit into a softer phrase without losing the strength of it. And what it captures, at its core, is a group of women who are done shrinking. Women who love their kids, love their communities, and lo
Apr 204 min read


Understanding Education Board Responsibilities: Education Oversight
When we think about the quality of education in our community, who ensures that schools are held accountable? Who monitors the policies, budgets, and overall direction of our school system? The answer lies in the work of your Baltimore County Board of Education. These members play a crucial role in shaping the educational landscape, ensuring transparency, and safeguarding the interests of students, educators, and taxpayers alike. In this post, I will walk you through the esse
Mar 264 min read


Education Advocacy
Education shapes the future. It is the foundation upon which communities build their success and resilience. In Baltimore County, the conversation around education advocacy is gaining momentum. Parents, educators, and voters alike are asking: How can we ensure our schools serve every student well? How do we improve transparency and fiscal responsibility in our school system? These questions are at the heart of all my efforts as a member of the Baltimore County Board of Educat
Feb 254 min read


The Crucial Role of Independent Oversight in Baltimore County Public Schools Budget Transparency
Public education is a cornerstone of any community, and the effective use of taxpayer dollars in schools is vital to student success. Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) operates with a budget that has grown significantly in recent years, yet student proficiency in key subjects remains a concern. This gap raises an important question: how can the public be sure that funds are managed responsibly and effectively? The introduction of independent oversight through Maryland’s
Feb 163 min read


BCPS Budget Transparency: A Comparison with Other Maryland Districts
As a member of the Baltimore County Board of Education, I have been closely examining our proposed FY2027 budget. Transparency in our budgeting process is essential, especially when it comes to how we allocate resources within the Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) system compared to other districts in Maryland. In this blog post, I will explore the budget transparency of BCPS, comparing it with the budgets of Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George's County P
Feb 94 min read
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