New Maryland state schools superintendent Dr. Carey Wright sets priorities for term

BALTIMORE -- Dr. Carey Wright, Maryland's new state superintendent of schools, laid her our priorities for the next four years. 

The state school board last week voted unanimously to appoint Wright for the position.

She had been serving as an interim replacement superintendent until she was selected after months of interviews with dozens of applicants.

Wright replaced Mohammed Choudhury who elected not to seek another term.

"I'm just a firm believer that accountability drives behavior," Wright said.

Wright said on Monday that the state's low student literacy and math scores need to be improved.

"That, to me, is the top priority is how do we change the trajectory of student achievement so it's heading in the right direction, because, right now, it's not," Wright said.

Wright says professional development for teachers will be prioritized.

Assessments released last summer showed a 47% overall proficiency rate in English language arts and 23% in math.

The most recent scores are up from the post-pandemic lows, but down over the past decade.

"They have been a continual drop in both ELA and mathematics," Wright said.

Wright also said an Assessment and Accountability Task Force will meet in May.

"Without really sitting down with people and talking about it and really getting to the nitty gritty, we're not going to be able to solve all these problems," Wright said.

Wright is from Maryland but spent nearly a decade as Mississippi's state superintendent.

Her four-year term will start July first, with a starting salary of $360,000.

Wright also said she's sat down with many of the state's superintendents to address challenges implementing the blueprint for Maryland's future, which changes how funding is allocated to local districts.

"Without really sitting down with people and talking about it and really getting to the nitty gritty, we're not going to be able to solve all these problems," Wright said. "The only way we're going to get better is if we're honest about where we are."