Baltimore City Public Schools

Baltimore, Maryland

Number of Students: 80,600

Number of Schools: 171

In 2016, Baltimore City Public Schools began outlining a “Blueprint for Success” based on feedback from hundreds of students, families, staff members and community stakeholders. The result? Three key focus areas for the 2017-2018 school year: student wholeness, literacy, and staff leadership. The overarching goal was to prepare young people for success in college, careers, and the community, both within Baltimore and in cities throughout the world. The blueprint clearly outlined expectations for everyone in the school community, including expectations for school staff and teachers, families and district leadership. All schools were expected to develop student’s five core SEL competencies (as defined by CASEL), implement a professional development plan for educators, and create a safe space in the school for students to visit for additional social, emotional or academic support. All staff were expected to participate in professional development to develop a better understanding of the CASEL framework. District staff were tasked with developing a plan for implementing restorative practices districtwide and providing appropriate funding to support key student wholeness initiatives.

For more information, contact Baltimore City Schools, Prevention and Intervention/Restorative Practice Coordinator, Erik Bandzak.  

**Note: Baltimore City Public Schools currently utilizes Move This World’s social emotional learning programs and has been a partner since 2012.