News

Salary Enhancements for NBCTs Working at a Low Performing School (2024-2025)

This message provides HCPSS staff with an annual update about the Low Performing Schools identified for the 2024-2025 school year and the impact of these changes on National Board Certified (NBC) teachers. Learn more about Maryland’s Blueprint for the Future and the NBC teacher pay increase.

What are the Low Performing Schools for the 2024-2025 school year?

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) created two categories of Low Performing School identification: 

State Defined (Required) - schools identified as 1-star and 2-star schools in 2019 and 2022 accountability. HCPSS had no State Defined schools in 2022-2023 & 2023-2024. 
Local Flexibility (Optional) - bottom 10% of local schools in the state accountability system. At the March 24, 2022 BOE meeting, the Board voted to designate all of the Local Flexibility schools below for the incentive pay.

The HCPSS schools designated as locally Low Performing Schools for the 2024-2025 school year are:

Cradlerock Elementary School (Continued Local Flexibility)
Harper’s Choice Middle School (State Defined)
Lake Elkhorn Middle School (State Defined)
Oakland Mills Middle School (Continued Local Flexibility)
Wilde Lake Middle School (Continued Local Flexibility
Long Reach High School (New Local Flexibility)
Oakland Mills High School (Continued Local Flexibility)
Homewood Center (Continued Local Flexibility)

How Does This Impact HCPSS Staff?

Swansfield Elementary School is no longer identified as a Low Performing School for the 2024-2025 school year. HCPSS NBCT staff, in eligible roles, at Swansfield Elementary School:

Continue receiving the $7,000 incentive pay if they are currently eligible in 2023-2024.
Not receive the $7,000 incentive pay if they achieve NBCT status as of December 2024.
Not receive the $7,000 incentive pay if they transfer into the school or are hired by the school during the 2024-2025 school year.

Background on NBC Teacher Salary Increase

The Blueprint increases the salary by $10,000 of National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) who are actively teaching in Maryland public schools. For the purpose of identifying which NBCTs will receive the $10,000 income supplement, Maryland House Bill 1300 (p. 122) defines “teacher” as “a certified public school employee who is primarily responsible and accountable for teaching students in the class.”

NBCTs staying or moving to a Low Performing School will receive an additional $7,000 added to their salary. As long as they stay at that school, an NBCT will continue to earn the salary increase, even if the school shows improvement and is no longer identified as a low performing school. A new list of possible schools for designation will be provided each year by MSDE. The HCPSS Board of Education will then make decisions on which schools will be designated as low performing.

While HCPSS honors and supports the Blueprint distinction and incentives to recruit NBCTs to work in low performing schools, NBCT certification isn’t the only distinction that determines teacher mastery or responsiveness to students and community. For this purpose and aligned with provisions in the teacher contract and HCPSS policy, staff selection remains a school-based decision. NBCTs who express an interest in transferring to an identified school will be considered along with all other transfer candidates and will not receive special consideration due to their NBCT status.

End of School Year Technology Reminders

Please review the following technology reminders:

Staff who will not be returning to work for HCPSS next school year:

Staff who are leaving and are assigned HCPSS devices, including laptops, cell phones and tablets, must return those devices to HCPSS by their last day of employment. Devices can be returned to the schools’ library media specialist or elementary technology teacher, or taken to the Logistics Center 9645 Gerwig Lane, Columbia, MD 21046, Monday - Friday from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30pm. Staff devices collected by offices or schools should be returned to the Technology Department. A staging > return ticket should be entered into the Web Help Desk indicating what devices are being returned and where they are being securely stored.
Staff who will not return for SY 2024-25 but will continue to work in a temporary capacity over the summer (summer programs) may return their device(s) at the conclusion of their temporary assignment.
Active Directory accounts will be suspended once a person no longer works for HCPSS. Staff who are leaving and wish to have copies of nonproprietary materials they created, in Google, O365 or another other application, must download those files prior to their last day of work. Access will not be provided after their account is suspended. They must not take proprietary or confidential information.

Staff Support Over the Summer

If issues arise with your HCPSS-issued technology over the summer, call 410-313-7004 or email techsupport@hcpss.org.
Store your assigned computer so that it will not be damaged, and take appropriate precautions to prevent damage, loss, or theft.

Multi-Factor Authentication Reminder

Staff who replace their mobile phone over the summer and use it for Duo MFA should use the directions under the heading “I lost, replaced, or don’t have my mobile device or security key…” to remove their old phone and add their new phone to MFA.

Other Technology

Staff and student desktop computers should remain connected to power and the network with their keyboards and mice attached. Please help us make the staff who are responsible for desktop computers aware. This ensures that any necessary maintenance work can be completed when applicable.
Printers and phones should not be unplugged and moved by staff over the summer. Please alert your staff members, including the custodial staff. Should a printer or phone need to be relocated to another location with an existing network connection, please contact Technology Support (techsupport@hcpss.org or 410-313-7004).

Questions may be directed to Technology Support at TechSupport@hcpss.org or 410-313-7004.