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 pride in their schools, concern about real challenges, and a shared desire to move from "pockets of excellence" to a system where every child has access to high expectations, strong instruction, and safe, supportive learning environments.

Dr. Heiser’s 100-Day Framework: Four Pillars

At each event, Dr. Heiser grounded the conversation in four pillars guiding his entry plan:

1) Academic Excellence

Focus on performance data, strong "Tier 1" instruction, literacy/reading, and expanding access to advanced academics and magnet opportunities.

2) Operational Readiness & Financial Sustainability

Schools ready for Day 1, responsible management of construction and facilities, and navigating a difficult budget environment with a clear "return on investment" mindset.

3) Talent Identification

Improve morale, strengthen recruitment and retention, build a leadership pipeline, and address shortages in critical roles (teachers, bus drivers, psychologists, therapists).

4) Community Engagement

Listening tours, transparent communication, and partnerships that go beyond volunteering—bringing families, businesses, and nonprofits into purposeful collaboration.

What I Heard: The Most Consistent Themes Across Events

1) A Strong Call for Balance: Technology, Literacy, and Instructional Tools

From Pine Grove to Warren to Relay, families and educators repeatedly raised concerns about screen time and the "one-size-fits-all" approach to 1:1 devices. Many asked for more paper-and-pencil learning—especially for foundational literacy and math.

At Pine Grove, there was significant skepticism about the Amira AI program, including technical glitches, privacy concerns, and limited value for proficient readers.

Educators also noted the loss of trusted tools like BrainPOP, DreamBox, and PebbleGo, describing key resources as "stripped to the bone."

Technology & Instructional Tools — Common Requests

• Less screen time / more hands-on learning (Warren, Relay, Randallstown)

• Restore instructional databases/programs (Pine Grove, Randallstown)

• Review AI tools for efficacy + privacy (Pine Grove)

• Bring back paper/pencil options (Randallstown, Warren)

  
  

2) Staffing, Retention, and Morale: "We’re Running Bare Bones"

Staffing concerns were constant—and specific.

At Randallstown, stakeholders described a special education staffing crisis and pointed to the impact of March 2025 cuts (reported as ~20%) affecting school psychologists and therapists, contributing to the loss of experienced staff.

At Pine Grove, related service providers described burnout, and a retired teacher raised a practical fix: streamline the substitute vetting process and consider grandfathering in retired BCPS staff to help address shortages.

At Relay, families noted that staffing ratios can look fine "on paper," while core classes still exceed 40 students due to how staffing is counted.

Staffing pain points mentioned most often

• Special education supports (OT/PT/SLPs/psychologists): shortages, burnout, due process concerns

• Teacher retention: veteran departures, new teacher burnout

• Substitute coverage: vetting process too slow/laborious

• Leadership stability: principal turnover undermining progress

  
  

3) Special Education: A Repeated, Urgent Concern

At Randallstown and Patapsco especially, families and staff described special education as an area needing immediate attention: stronger inclusion supports, better IEP team training, clearer communication from central office, fewer barriers for families navigating the process, and better outcomes for students with disabilities.

This wasn’t framed as a niche issue—it was framed as a system-wide measure of whether BCPS is meeting its promise to every student.

4) Facilities, Overcrowding, and Operational Integrity

Facilities came up in every region, often tied to equity.

At Pine Grove, one striking data point was shared: Overlea High School reportedly at 151% capacity, alongside broader concerns about the lack of permanent relief for the northeast region.

At Randallstown, community members raised concerns about aging buildings and contractor accountability, including reports of long-standing issues like gas leaks and sewage problems.

At Warren and Relay, families asked for "TLC" for aging buildings and more equitable access to arts and vocational opportunities beyond magnet programs.

Facilities & operations — what people want

• Overcrowding relief (including Overlea HS reported at 151% capacity)

• Safe, functional buildings (aging infrastructure; reported leaks/sewage issues)

• Equity in capital planning (consistent standards + needs-based investment)

• Accountability for contractors (ROI and performance expectations)

  
  

5) Excellence, Equity, and Accountability: Defining the Standard

A powerful thread across events was the desire for a shared definition of excellence—paired with an equity lens.

At Pine Grove, attendees called for a unified standard so students in under-resourced schools have the same expectations and opportunities as students in higher-resourced communities.

At Randallstown, Dr. Heiser acknowledged that "excellence can look different," and committed to applying an equity lens to budgeting and capital projects.

This is the tension BCPS must navigate well: consistent expectations and fair resource allocation based on student needs.

Dr. Heiser’s "Non-Negotiables"

• School climate: Every student treated with dignity and fairness.

• Learning environments: Buildings clean, prepared, and inviting.

• Preparation: Adults prepared for instruction—resisting the tendency to lower standards when tired or under-resourced.

  
  

Q&A Moments That Stuck With Me

The "Fiscal Cliff" and ROI

Dr. Heiser acknowledged that many cuts were driven by limited financial "levers." He committed to reviewing ROI on programs that were cut, but did not promise immediate restoration.

Communication vs. Social Media "Noise"

There was frustration about misinformation online. Dr. Heiser emphasized trusting official communications while acknowledging he can’t control the internet.

Student Belonging and Safety

At Relay, Dr. Heiser was direct: protecting students—including transgender students—is a safety and belonging issue, not a political debate. At Warren, concerns about immigrant student safety were met with the message that every student must feel they belong in the school family.

Policy Reviews Raised by the Community

• Grading policies (including COVID-era deadlines)

• Testing overload crowding out instruction

• Consistent visitation policies

• Cell phone expectations

• Start times and scheduling (including interest in semesterized block scheduling)

  
  

Where We Go From Here

These six events weren’t just introductions—they were a real-time needs assessment. The community is asking for stronger literacy and Tier 1 instruction, a smarter balance on technology, urgent stabilization in special education staffing and supports, transparent budgeting tied to student outcomes, facilities equity and overcrowding relief, and consistent policies that still allow for needs-based investment.

I’m grateful to everyone who showed up, spoke up, and shared real experiences. Listening is the first step. Now the work is turning these themes into measurable action—so every student in Baltimore County can learn in a safe, supportive environment with high expectations and real opportunity.