Howard County Board of Education announces retirement of Superintendent Michael Martirano
BALTIMORE -- Howard County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano will retire at the beginning of next year, according to the Howard County Board of Education.
Martirano will retire on Jan. 10, 2024. He leaves after addressing a myriad of bus service issues that left some Howard County students without transportation to their schools.
At the beginning of the school year, thousands of Howard County students were grappling with school bus problems. The school buses were getting delayed due to insufficient route timing and traffic delays, which created a domino effect.
School officials said in October that they had addressed most of the issues tied to California-based contractor Zum Transportation.
The Maryland School Bus Contractors Association was openly critical of the bus service debacle, alleging in a statement that the bus company had failed to live up to its responsibilities to the students and families it was hired to serve.
"What is happening in Howard County should be a lesson to systems across the State," Steve Nelson, the president of the association, said in the statement. "Large out of state contractors make promises that in many cases they cannot keep."
The Board of Education noted that during his time as superintendent, Martirano played "a pivotal role" in advancing the district's mission of providing quality education to every student and had served the Howard County Public School System with "unwavering dedication."
"He inherited a system in chaos and led it to a place of stability and prominence," the board said in a statement. "He provided critical courage, stability, and adaptability in leading HCPSS throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Under Dr. Martirano's leadership, HCPSS has achieved numerous milestones, including eliminating its nearly 50-million-dollar health fund deficit and increasing the graduation rate of every student group since taking the helm."
Martirano said in a statement to staff and families that it had been an honor and a pleasure to serve them.
"What will remain with me forever is how grateful I am for all the school system teachers and staff who have continually led with kindness and compassion throughout my tenure and are driven to always do right by children," Martirano said. "The interactions I have daily demonstrate this impact and the strong foundation I will be leaving behind. My heart is full of gratitude."
The Board of Education plans to conduct a nationwide search for someone to replace Martirano.
Next month, board members will select an interim superintendent to fill Martirano's shoes for the remainder of the 2023-2024 school year.