It's been a while - 17 years - since Maryland chose a new Superintendent of Schools. Since there has been a good bit of talk about the "politicizing" of the process, I thought it might be instructive to look at what took place the last time leadership changed at the top of MSDE.
Based on news clips and sources from that time, here's the story:
It's 1989. Governor William Donald Schaefer is annoyed. Dr. Joseph Shilling has been named Superintendent by the Maryland State Board of Education, replacing David Hornbeck, who resigned after 12 years.
"Mr. Schaefer, who had other candidates in mind, was furious with the school board for promoting Dr. Shilling from deputy superintendent to superintendent." (Baltimore Sun, 12/22/91)
The Board had bypassed his choice, Dr. Nancy Grasmick - "... part of a relatively small circle of trusted friends of the governor. Her husband, developer Louis J. Grasmick, is one of Mr. Schaefer's closest advisers and supporters." (Sun, 9/3/91)
"The governor was so furious he at first refused to invite Dr. Shilling to cabinet meetings." (Sun, 5/23/91)
But upon taking office, Dr. Shilling surprised people. Although he was described as "as a low-key deputy," he began an aggressive effort to boost school accountability: "... rushing to implement the Maryland School Performance Program - a state plan to revise school curriculums, make test scores and school information public through annual report cards, and more comprehensive testing programs ... As part of the five-year reform plan, individual school information will be released for the first time, including test scores, attendance and demographic reviews." (Sun, 5/23/91)
However, despite these reforms, Governor Schaefer continued to seek Dr. Shilling's removal, still angered by the Board's actions: "The snub prompted the governor to expand the state board and fill it with his own candidates." (Sun, 9/4/91)
Legislators fought the Governor's effort to "add four members to the 9-member school board and shorten the members' terms, in addition to removing the board's ability to choose its own president," (Post, 12/13/88) to allow Schaefer to handpick its leader. His actions were "decried by some lawmakers as politically motivated." (Education Week, 3/15/89).
Ultimately, Governor Schaefer mostly succeeded - packing the state board by increasing its membership from 9 to 12 members. Then he made his move, letting Dr. Shilling know it was time to move on. Shilling quietly bowed out.
Dr. Shilling's sudden resignation led to this May 23, 1991 headline in the Sun: "Shilling surprises local officials; County school leaders puzzled by state superintendent's resignation." The article continued: "Many teachers and administrators wondered who would replace Shilling and questioned why he left one of the state's top-ranking jobs to head Queen Anne's school system - one of the state's smallest, with only 5,400 students," and just eight schools.
Another article in that paper provided some explanation: "The governor, who fumed over his exclusion from the search that brought Dr. Shilling, expects to be 'cooperatively' involved this time, said a spokeswoman, Page Boinest. Mr. Schaefer is scheduled to meet with Mr. [Robert C. Embry Jr., School Board Chair] next week, she said." (Sun, 5/23/91)
Weeks later, on September 3, 1991, a Sun headline telegraphed what was next: "Mrs. Grasmick likely pick for top Md. schools post." Dr. Grasmick, who at the time was serving on the Governor's staff as the head of his Office of Children, Youth and Families, told the reporters what would happen next: "Mrs. Grasmick said last night that she had Gov. William Donald Schaefer's support in her move from one Cabinet-level position to another."
The next day's Sun finished the tale: "Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick succeeds Dr. Joseph L. Shilling, who resigned in May to become superintendent of Queen Anne's County... Dr. Grasmick also was the first choice of Gov. William Donald Schaefer several years ago when another board instead named Dr. Shilling." (Sun, 9/4/91)
So that's what happened the last time Maryland got a new Superintendent of Schools in 1991. I'm shocked, shocked...
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
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