The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners has agreed to a second one-year contract extension with Dr. Sonja Santelises to serve as chief executive officer of Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools) through June 2026.
The Board appointed Dr. Santelises as CEO in 2017. The extension will begin on July 1, 2025, and end on June 30, 2026. She is the longest-serving CEO in City Schools since 1946 – 78 years ago.
The contract extension provides City Schools continuity amid a trajectory of growth indicated by increases in literacy and math scores that are outpacing Maryland overall, a growing graduation rate, kindergarten readiness for students who attend City Schools programs that outperform the state, a stable budget, strategic investments in school buildings, and increased opportunities in fine arts, gifted and advanced learning, Advanced Placement and wholeness programs.
In addition, Dr. Santelises is a two-time finalist for the Council of the Great City Schools’ Urban Educator of the Year, its highest honor for superintendents across the country. She was first honored in 2020, and again in October 2024. Also, she was a 2023 honoree as one of Maryland’s Most Admired CEOs by The Daily Record.
“My desire, focus, and drive remain to ensure every Baltimore City student graduates prepared for higher education and a family-sustaining career. Much has been accomplished during the last eight years, but more successes are ahead. I am pleased that the Board shares my desire to see that work through,” said Dr. Santelises. “All along, I have been focused on doing what is right for children and families.”
Recent highlights of City Schools include:
Maryland School Report Card - The proportion of 3-, 4-, and 5-star schools in City Schools increased from 25 percent to 35 percent. The progress included 19 schools that advanced from one star to two stars, while two campuses - Baltimore School for the Arts and Baltimore Polytechnic Institute - earned the maximum of five stars.
City Schools’ increases in proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA) on the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) tests outpaced the state of Maryland across all grades in every year of Dr. Santelises’ tenure -- before and after the pandemic. Since Dr. Santelises’ first full year (SY16-17) City Schools literacy proficiency has grown by 12.4 percentage points, outpacing the state’s 6.6-percentage point growth during that same period.
Throughout Dr. Santelises’ tenure, the increase in ELA scores in Grades 6 - 8 has been especially notable. From the year prior to her tenure until SY23-24, the district’s middle school students achieved a 106% percent increase versus a 24% percent increase statewide.
The Board of School Commissioners adopted a system-wide Equity Policy in 2019 to implement an equity framework to remedy systemic issues that affect students of color in Baltimore.
In the past ten years, five City Schools’ Teachers of the Year have gone on to become the Maryland Teacher of the Year -- more than any other district in the state. Four more City Schools’ Teachers of the Year were finalists for Maryland Teacher of the Year.
Student wholeness - We are expanding middle school athletics offerings so students can explore and experience a range of sports before high school. Increased funding will be available for schools to hire more fine arts teachers, purchase supplies and equipment, and expand their fine arts offerings.
We have built partnerships with a wide range of philanthropic and corporate organizations including the Gates Foundation, the Wallace Foundation, UnderArmour, Heart of America, the Baltimore Ravens, KaBoom and many more resulting in over $75 million in financial and in-kind donations to support Dr. Santelises’ priorities.
Since the 2018-19 school year, we’ve gone from 50 community schools to 155 during the 2023-24 school year, with a dedicated community school coordinator at each school.
City Schools has built or renovated 27 school facilities since 2016.