Maryland State Department of Education Welcomes New Superintendent of Schools

Mr. Mohammed Choudhury officially assumed the office of Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, responsible for leading the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) and the State’s education policy through the implementation of the Blueprint for Education and emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Previously serving as Associate Superintendent and Chief Strategy, Talent and Innovation Officer for the San Antonio Independent School District, he brings his steadfast commitment to equity, innovation and excellence in public education to Maryland. During his initial transition period, Mr. Choudhury plans to build upon the solid foundation established by his predecessor Dr. Karen B. Salmon and the MSDE team through engagement, listening and learning.

"Maryland’s admirable dedication and foundation for ensuring the success of every student and bridging gaps in education are initiatives that I am excited to spearhead. 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. I am thrilled to officially embrace the role of State Superintendent of Schools today and our collective good work ahead,” said Mr. Choudhury.

On May 27, the Maryland State Board of Education (Board) unanimously appointed Mr. Mohammed Choudhury as the next Maryland State Superintendent of Schools. The appointment occurred following a rigorous and multi-phased national search, closely guided by community and stakeholder input. Mr. Choudhury’s visionary leadership, and experience integrating transformative policies and groundbreaking practices, which have surpassed expectations and raised the national standard, distinguished him from other solid leaders.

“Mohammed Choudhury is nationally recognized for his groundbreaking work and leadership on education reform. We welcome him to our State and look forward to working with him to ensure that every Maryland child has access to a world class education,” said Governor Larry Hogan. 

“During our search for Maryland’s next Superintendent of Schools, the ideal candidate was someone who was passionate not only about education, but children. It was someone who could build on Maryland’s past successes and boldly transform Maryland education to meet the challenges of the future,” said Board President Clarence Crawford. “Mr. Choudhury encompasses those traits and more with his refreshing ideas, unique perspective, and his engaging high-energy approach. We are fortunate to have Maryland’s chief education officer be someone who prioritizes diversity and values the input of others. I am confident in Mr. Choudhury’s ability to elevate the Maryland school experience for all students and continue the state’s national impact on education.”

Tirelessly working to increase opportunities and improve achievement rates for students disproportionately affected by systemic barriers, Choudhury is recognized for co-leading the transformation of San Antonio’s large school system, where 90% of students are economically-disadvantaged. He developed a new system to combat inequity in the San Antonio Independent School district – boosting the district from one of the lowest performing to the fastest-improving in Texas.

Choudhury cites the following initiatives as the driving forces for this success: implementing an innovative poverty tracker to assess and address student needs in the district’s poorest communities; expanding options for families by launching innovative, high-performing school models that serve all students; and recruiting and retaining master teachers at chronically underperforming schools. San Antonio’s success has helped transform the way Texas examines poverty and funds public schools with Choudhury’s work scaled to benefit more than 5.4 million students across the state.

Warm welcomes to Mr. Choudhury include:

“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. 

“PSSAM has always had a strong partnership with the State Superintendent and we are eager to begin our work with Mr. Choudhury as we face a challenging, but exciting year ahead. We are encouraged by Mr. Choudhury’s reputation as a creative and innovative leader, and on behalf of Maryland’s 24 superintendents we look forward to supporting his vision for our public schools,” said Dr. Patricia Saelens, Public Schools Superintendents’ Association of Maryland President.

“I join my Maryland public education colleagues in extending a warm welcome to Superintendent Choudhury,” noted Tammy Fraley, president of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE). “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.”