Our Work in the Field: Maryland
NCIL staff and expert coaches are working with several state education agencies and the local education agencies they identify to provide intensive technical assistance.
Our work with Maryland State Department of Education, St. Mary’s County Public Schools, and Decoding Dyslexia Maryland focuses on universal screening to identify students at risk for reading difficulties, including dyslexia.
Our Goals
- Build state and local school district capacity related to knowledge and implementation of a universal screening process for reading and dyslexia risk, including technical adequacy evidence, administration of measures, and data-based decision making for a multi-tiered system of support for reading.
- Provide support to Maryland State Department of Education and local school districts to implement state legislation and related recommendations by the Task Force to Implement a Dyslexia Education Program for students with reading difficulties, including dyslexia beginning in 2019-2020.
Technical Assistance
Training on the technical adequacy and decisions that can be made from universal screening measures for dyslexia and early reading skill (in progress).
Training on administration of district-adopted universal screening measures for grades PreK-2 and procedures for data-based decision making across the year (in progress).
About Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE)
Under the leadership of the State Superintendent of Schools and guidance from the Maryland State Board of Education, MSDE develops and implements standards and policy for education programs from pre-kindergarten through high school.
Meet the MSDE Team
Marcella Franczkowski
Assistant State Superintendent, Maryland State Department of Education
Carmen Brown
Branch Chief, Interagency and Collaboration Branch Division of Early Intervention and Special Education Services Maryland State Department of Education
Jennifer Ralston
English Language Arts Specialist, Maryland State Department of Education
About St. Mary’s County Public Schools (SMCPS)
SMCPS is a suburban and rural school district in St. Mary’s County in southern Maryland that serves 18,067 students.
Meet the SMCPS Team
J. Scott Smith, Ph.D.
Superintendent, St. Mary’s County Public Schools
Cortney Dvorak
Supervisor of Elementary English/Language Arts and Reading Instruction: Grades K-5, St. Mary’s County Public Schools
About Decoding Dyslexia Maryland (DDMD)
Decoding Dyslexia Maryland is a parent-led, grassroots movement driven by families concerned about reading instruction and interventions for all students, including those with dyslexia, in Maryland Public Schools.
Meet the DDMD Team
Laura Schultz
State Leader, Decoding Dyslexia Maryland
Karleen Spitulnik
State Leader, Decoding Dyslexia Maryland
Meet Our Team
Kelli Cummings, Ph.D
Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, Higher Education, and Special Education University of Maryland
Lillian Duran, Ph.D
Associate Professor, Department of Special Education and Clinical Sciences University of Oregon
Nancy J. Nelson Ph.D.
PD and TA Strand Lead, NCIL
Scott K. Baker Ph.D.
PD and TA Strand Co-Lead, NCIL
The research reported here is funded by awards to the National Center on Improving Literacy from the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, in partnership with the Office of Special Education Programs (Award #: S283D160003). The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of OESE, OSEP, or the U.S. Department of Education. Copyright © 2024 National Center on Improving Literacy. https://www.improvingliteracy.org