Mohammed Choudhury was welcomed by the Maryland State Department of Education on Friday as he officially began his role as Maryland State Superintendent of Schools.
It's State Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury's first day on the job. Join us in welcoming him to MSDE! #MarylandEducation #StrongStart #First100Days #EveryStudent @moh_choudhury pic.twitter.com/vHRWBpnRzc
— Maryland State Department of Education (@MdPublicSchools) July 1, 2021
Following the Board of Education’s unanimous vote in May, Choudhury replaced Former State Superintendent of Schools Karen B. Salmon who was appointed to the position in 2016 and retired this year. He will now lead MSDE and the State’s education policy through the implementation of the Blueprint for Education and emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to an MSDE press release.
“As Maryland embarks on the ten-year journey to implement the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, we need a transformational leader at the helm of MSDE, and I am hopeful we have found that in Superintendent Choudhury. His experience advancing educational equity and school integration efforts is the type of innovation that Maryland’s students deserve,” said Senate President Bill Ferguson.
Choudhury previously served as the Associate Superintendent and Chief Strategy, Talent and Innovation Officer for the San Antonio Independent School District. He’s stated that he’s committed to equity, innovation and excellence in public education.
He was chosen for his visionary leadership, experience integrating transformative policies and groundbreaking practices which surpassed expectations and raised the national standard. He was previously credited for helping the San Antonio Independent School District become “the fastest-improving large district in all of Texas,” according to a press release from May.
He worked to increase opportunities and improve achievement rates for students that were disproportionately impacted by systematic barriers. This led to his recognition for co-leading the transformation of San Antonio’s large school system where 90% of students are economically disadvantaged.
Choudhury is also credited for several initiatives including implementing an innovative poverty tracker to access and address student needs in the district’s poorest communities, expanding options for families through launching successful school models that serve all students and recruiting master teachers for chronically underperforming schools. His success in San Antonio has helped change the way Texas examines poverty and funds public schools which benefitted more than 5.4 million students across the state.
He plans to build upon the foundation set by Salmon and the MSDE team through engagement, listening and learning. He admires the state’s dedication to ensuring the success of every student and looks forward to spearheading initiatives to bridge gaps in education.
“With MSDE’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the unwavering commitment of the state’s leaders and an innovative mindset, we can continue to build upon a resilient foundation to achieve these goals and more,” said Choudhury. “I am thrilled to officially embrace the role of State Superintendent of Schools today and our collective good work ahead.”
Several people gave warm welcomes to Choudhury as he began his first day including Governor Larry Hogan, Public Schools Superintendents’ Association of Maryland President Patricia Saelens and President of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education Tammy Fraley.
“I join my Maryland public education colleagues in extending a warm welcome to Superintendent Choudhury,” said Fraley. “We look forward to working collaboratively with him and the State Board as the state recovers from the pandemic and the educational challenges it has brought about. Combining our member school districts’ commitment to excellence in education with Mr. Choudhury’s abilities as a groundbreaking leader known for his innovation, transformative initiatives, and commitment to equity, we, as a team, will make what seems impossible possible across the state of Maryland for years to come.”
