Today it’s Midday on Education, and Tom's Newsmaker guest is the president and CEO of the Baltimore City Public Schools, Dr. Sonja Santelises.

As yet another horrible mass shooting of students and staff in a Nashville school on Monday reminds us, school safety is a challenge faced by schools nationwide.And, in the first post-COVID assessment of schools by the MD state department of education, Baltimore City and Baltimore County students ranked among the lowest in the region. The percentage of students proficient in math in grades 3 through 8 dropped from 33% to 22% over the years of remote learning during the pandemic, although students demonstrated some overall progress in English proficiency.

To be sure, there are problems in our school system. But there are many gifted and dedicated teachers in our city’s schools, scores of involved and conscientious parents, and young people who are trying to achieve what they are capable of achieving.

The city'sBoard of School Commissionersappointed Dr. Sonja Santelises as CEO of City Public Schools in the spring of 2016; she took office on July 1 of that year. Last summer, she became the longest-serving city schools chief in the last 30 years.

Dr. Santelises joins us here in Studio A. She is with us for the hour. 

Today it’s Midday on Education, and Tom's <a href="https://www.wypr.org/tags/midday-newsmaker">Newsmaker </a>guest is the president and CEO of the <a href="https://www.baltimorecityschools.org/">Baltimore City Public Schools</a>, <a href="https://www.baltimorecityschools.org/ceo-sonja-santelises">Dr. Sonja Santelises</a>.
As yet another horrible <a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/what-we-know-about-the-nashville-christian-school-shooting-that-left-six-dead">mass shooting of students and staff in a Nashville school</a> on Monday reminds us, school safety is a challenge faced by schools nationwide.And, in the first post-COVID <a href="https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/Graphs/#/AtaGlance/Index/3/17/6/99/XXXX/2022">assessment of schools by the MD state department of </a><a href="https://reportcard.msde.maryland.gov/Graphs/#/AtaGlance/Index/3/17/6/30/XXXX/2022">education</a>, Baltimore City and Baltimore County students ranked among the lowest in the region. The percentage of students proficient in math in grades 3 through 8 dropped from 33% to 22% over the years of remote learning during the pandemic, although students demonstrated some overall progress in English proficiency.
To be sure, there are <a href="https://nces.ed.gov/Programs/Edge/ACSDashboard/2400090">problems in our school system</a>. But there are many gifted and dedicated teachers in our city’s schools, scores of involved and conscientious parents, and young people who are <a href="https://www.baltimorecityschools.org/district-overview">trying to achieve what they are capable of achieving</a>.
The city's <a href="https://www.baltimorecityschools.org/board-school-commissioners">Board of School Commissioners</a> appointed Dr. Sonja Santelises as CEO of <a href="https://twitter.com/BaltCitySchools">City Public Schools</a> in the spring of 2016; she took office on July 1 of that year. Last summer, she became the longest-serving city schools chief in the last 30 years.
<a href="https://twitter.com/SonjaSantelises">Dr. Santelises</a> joins us here in Studio A. She is with us for the hour.

Monday-Friday from noon-1:00, Tom Hall and his guests are talking about what's on your mind, and what matters most to Marylander's, the latest news, local and national politics, education and the environment, popular culture and the arts, sports and science, race and religion, movies and medicine. We welcome your questions and comments. E-mail us at midday@wypr.org

Monday-Friday from noon-1:00, Tom Hall and his guests are talking about what's on your mind, and what matters most to Marylander's, the latest news, local and national politics, education and the environment, popular culture and the arts, sports and science, race and religion, movies and medicine. We welcome your questions and comments. E-mail us at <a href="mailto:midday@wypr.org">midday@wypr.org</a>

Midday

Monday-Friday from noon-1:00, Tom Hall and his guests are talking about what's on your mind, and what matters most to Marylander's, the latest news, local and national politics, education and the environment, popular culture and the arts, sports and science, race and religion, movies and medicine.  We welcome your questions and comments. E-mail us at midday@wypr.org.

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