Culturally Responsive Training
1.1 Mandatory cultural competency training for all staff Implemented · 2/2 pts
City Schools' Board Policy ADA requires that <cite index="186-1">every City Schools employee and partner operate from and are accountable to the racial equity standards set forth in this policy</cite>, with staff required to <cite index="186-1">explore an understanding of their own racial identity</cite> and the CEO directed to <cite index="186-5">develop an annual plan for training and programming with a timeline to ensure full implementation</cite>. The Office of Equity has also <cite index="174-8">focused heavily on training for all levels of staff in schools and in the district's central office</cite>.
1.2 Mentorship programs for culturally diverse staff In-work · 1/2 pts
The Baltimore City Teaching Residency includes a <cite index="74-3">Black Educator Excellence Cohort</cite> described as <cite index="74-9">an affinity group for Black educators to build community and foster mentorships</cite>, but a district staffer acknowledged the broader <cite index="69-7">city's mentorship program 'lost some steam' in 2020</cite>, so it is not confirmed as consistently applied district-wide.
1.3 Culturally relevant PD resources in staff learning In-work · 1/2 pts
The <cite index="172-5">Office offers a 2-day Introduction to Racial Equity Seminar as an entry point for staff members to begin engaging with the district's equity work</cite>, and the REACH Fellowship exists for district staff, but these are described as entry-level/cohort-based rather than comprehensive mandatory resources for all staff.
1.4 Regular feedback/measurement on training effectiveness Not Implemented · 0/2 pts
No public documentation was found describing a system for regularly measuring the effectiveness of cultural competency/equity training specifically.
Clear & Consistent Policies
2.1 Student code of conduct (clear expectations) Implemented · 2/2 pts
The Code of Conduct <cite index="7-2,7-3">lays out expectations for the positive management of student behavior and the responses when a student acts inappropriately...including definitions of disciplinary responses, student and parent rights with respect to suspensions, and descriptions of levels of intervention</cite>, applied district-wide under Board Policy JKA.
2.2 Regular policy reviews/updates Implemented · 2/2 pts
The Student Code of Conduct <cite index="141-3">is distributed by City Schools to school communities annually, is developed and annually updated with feedback from parents/guardians, students, teachers, and administrators</cite>, and the district holds public <cite index="139-3,139-4">virtual feedback sessions to share your thoughts on key topics like bullying, cell phone use, dress code, and more</cite>.
2.3 Staff training on consistent application Implemented · 2/2 pts
Board regulation GBEBB-RA requires <cite index="134-3,134-4">Principals and district office department heads shall inform staff about the provisions of the policy...Notification shall include distribution of an Employee Code of Conduct...and training</cite>, and staff are told to <cite index="135-1">Expect to receive training</cite> on discipline; standardized forms are also used district-wide per Policy JKA.
2.4 Centralized documentation of incidents/outcomes Implemented · 2/2 pts
Policy JKA requires <cite index="133-9,133-10">the CEO/designee shall make an annual report to the Board by November 1...This report will include trend data by violation and the number of out-of-school suspensions of City Schools students by grade, race and ethnicity, gender, and disability</cite>, and <cite index="141-9">forms for the disciplinary process have been developed and standardized for use throughout City Schools</cite>.
Restorative Justice Practices
3.1 Restorative circles/conferences to repair harm Implemented · 2/2 pts
<cite index="15-6,15-7">the district CEO and the Board of School Commissioners pledged to make Baltimore City Schools a restorative practice district. In 2017, City Schools released its Blueprint for Success, which adopts restorative practices across the district</cite>, with documented expansion and a <cite index="17-5">44% drop in suspensions between 2017 and 2022 (Maryland State Department of Education)</cite>.
3.2 Staff training in restorative practices Implemented · 2/2 pts
Training has been extensive and ongoing: <cite index="12-9">a training for about 4,000 city educators on how to integrate restorative practices into remote learning</cite>, and <cite index="15-8">many central office staff, including school social workers, the entire Baltimore City School Police force, and Family and Community Engagement Liaisons, have participated in training focused on restorative practices</cite>.
3.3 Curriculum integrates conflict-resolution skills Implemented · 2/2 pts
Board Policy JKA formally defines <cite index="141-1,141-2">Conflict Resolution – Conflict resolution empowers students to take responsibility for peacefully resolving conflicts...engage in activities that promote problem-solving skills and techniques</cite>, and a district-created <cite index="13-6,13-7">Restorative Practices Lesson Plan Guide...created by Baltimore City RP teachers...to assist you in easily integrating restorative circles into your classroom teaching</cite> is used in schools.
3.4 Peer mediation program In-work · 1/2 pts
Peer mediation exists in multiple schools (e.g., <cite index="76-10">162 peer mediators in Baltimore Curriculum Project schools</cite> and <cite index="77-6">the Mediation Clinic has supported peer mediation programs in Baltimore City</cite>), but it is run through school-specific partnerships rather than confirmed as a universal, district-mandated program.
Bias Awareness & Mitigation
4.1 Implicit bias training for staff Implemented · 2/2 pts
Policy explicitly commits City Schools to <cite index="187-5">take proactive steps to identify and redress implicit biases and structural and institutional barriers</cite>, operationalized through an annual CEO training plan per Policy ADA.
4.2 Processes to review discipline data for disparities Implemented · 2/2 pts
Policy JKA mandates annual disaggregated reporting <cite index="133-10">by grade, race and ethnicity, gender, and disability</cite>, and the district's <cite index="130-7,130-8">CEO and Core Program Team engaged in sessions to analyze disaggregated data, held discussions on racial equity...A Director of Equity was hired in November 2018</cite>.
4.3 Cultural competence checks in hiring Implemented · 2/2 pts
The Equity Policy framework includes <cite index="147-1">City Schools recruits and develops aspiring school leaders through our Equity Centered Pipeline</cite> with <cite index="147-4">Principal Review Teams...interview, classroom observation and feedback, document review, and candidate presentations</cite>, and candidates <cite index="147-6">attended City Schools' Introduction to Racial Equity Seminar (IRES)</cite>.
4.4 Diverse perspectives & materials in curriculum Implemented · 2/2 pts
Proposed revisions to curriculum policy explicitly <cite index="145-5">would require 'whether the curriculum is culturally responsive...nationally and within the Baltimore City community' reviewing and adopting curriculum resources</cite>, developed with input from the <cite index="145-5">City Schools' Equity Advisory Committee (EAC)</cite>.
Culturally Relevant Curriculum
5.1 Curriculum materials reflect student backgrounds Implemented · 2/2 pts
<cite index="61-2,61-3">In 2019, Baltimore City Public Schools piloted an ambitious new social studies curriculum, BMore Me...grounded in the idea that leaning into young people's sense</cite> of identity, written by City Schools teachers and rooted in Baltimore's cultural, political, and economic history.
5.2 Teacher PD on integrating diverse perspectives In-work · 1/2 pts
BMore Me was <cite index="61-5">written by City Schools teachers and launched in 2019 for middle- and high-schoolers</cite>, implying teacher-involved development, and the Equity Policy names 'Building Staff Capacity for Equity-based Teaching' as a goal, but no comprehensive mandatory PD program on diverse-perspective integration was confirmed.
5.3 Community collaboration for supplemental resources Implemented · 2/2 pts
Curriculum revisions incorporate community/committee feedback, e.g. Equity Advisory Committee input on including <cite index="145-5">the contributions of the Black</cite> community, and historical use of the <cite index="59-3">Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History and Culture's curriculum</cite> as a supplemental resource.
5.4 Culturally specific courses/electives Implemented · 2/2 pts
<cite index="60-6">Baltimore Polytechnic Institute is one of 60 public schools participating in a nationwide pilot for Advanced Placement in African American Studies</cite>, created in response to student demand led by the school's Black Student Union.
Community Engagement & Collaboration
6.1 Regular meetings with parents & community leaders Implemented · 2/2 pts
Board policy requires that <cite index="94-2">the Board will consult regularly, but not less than quarterly with the Parent and Community Advisory Board ('PCAB')</cite>, and schools maintain regular School Family Council (SFC) meetings open to the public.
6.2 Partnerships with local orgs for student/family support Implemented · 2/2 pts
<cite index="92-4">There are 154 Community Schools in Baltimore City, which is 97% of all District schools</cite>, functioning as hubs that <cite index="92-5">establish and leverage strategic community partnerships to promote student achievement and the overall well-being of students, families, educators</cite>.
6.3 Advisory committees with community representation Implemented · 2/2 pts
Multiple standing advisory bodies include community members: the <cite index="40-2">City Schools' Equity Advisory Committee brings together parents/guardians, students, staff, and community partners</cite>, alongside the Parent and Community Advisory Board and Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee.
6.4 Outreach to ensure all families are informed/involved Implemented · 2/2 pts
The district operates a dedicated engagement office and commits that <cite index="91-9">City Schools will provide information in a language they understand for parents/guardians and family...including interpretation of meetings</cite>, plus the FACE Fellowship training schools on family partnership strategies.
Professional Development on Equity & Inclusion
7.1 Ongoing anti-bias/equity training In-work · 1/2 pts
Ongoing equity training exists via the REACH Fellowship (<cite index="183-7">Roughly 26 district office staff have completed or started the program, which launched in 2018</cite>) and IRES seminars, but participation is cohort-based rather than confirmed as universal ongoing training for all staff.
7.2 Workshops on culturally responsive teaching In-work · 1/2 pts
Teachers helped develop the culturally responsive BMore Me curriculum, and the Equity Policy calls for 'Building Staff Capacity for Equity-based Teaching,' but a specific recurring workshop series on culturally responsive teaching for all staff was not confirmed.
7.3 Equity topics in staff meetings/PD In-work · 1/2 pts
Equity is embedded in district priorities (Policy ADA requires annual equity training planning) and schools participate in events like <cite index="99-2">International Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Day</cite>, but regular equity-specific agenda items in routine staff meetings were not explicitly documented.
7.4 Participation in equity-focused conferences Not Implemented · 0/2 pts
No public documentation was found confirming district support for staff attendance at external equity-focused conferences.
Mental Health & Trauma-Informed Practices
8.1 Collaboration with mental-health professionals Implemented · 2/2 pts
<cite index="55-2,55-3">City Schools' Expanded School Behavioral Health Program (ESBH) is helping make that a reality at Vivien T. Thomas - and at 131 other schools across the district. Launched in 1989, ESBH brings mental health therapists, counselors and practitioners into schools</cite>, partnering with Johns Hopkins, University of Maryland, and other clinical organizations.
8.2 Safe, supportive spaces (mindfulness/sensory) In-work · 1/2 pts
Select schools have calming spaces: <cite index="170-7">Holistic Life has yoga and mindfulness programs in 14 Baltimore schools, with schoolwide initiatives at Coleman Elementary and Patterson High</cite>, but this is a partner-run program in a subset of schools, not confirmed as district-wide.
8.3 Trauma-informed staff training Implemented · 2/2 pts
<cite index="159-7,159-8">in February 2016, every Baltimore City School dedicated a professional development day to trauma-informed training by holding an all-day session...City Schools will be utilizing a train-the-trainer, 'climate leads' model</cite>, and the district received a federal grant to <cite index="158-5">provide training on trauma-informed practices to almost 4,500 school staff in the district</cite>.
8.4 Partnerships to expand mental-health services Implemented · 2/2 pts
<cite index="51-3,51-5">City Schools is excited to partner with Hazel Health, which is available to support every student's mental well-being without any out-of-pocket costs...every student can access high-quality care from home at no cost</cite>, alongside ESBH partners like Johns Hopkins Bayview and Associated Catholic Charities.
Data Collection & Analysis
9.1 Disaggregated discipline data system Implemented · 2/2 pts
Policy requires <cite index="133-9,133-10">an annual report to the Board by November 1...includ[ing] trend data by violation and the number of out-of-school suspensions...by grade, race and ethnicity, gender, and disability</cite>, constituting a disaggregated data system.
9.2 Regular audits of discipline practices In-work · 1/2 pts
State-mandated CCEIS monitoring reviews <cite index="35-9">Comprehensive Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CCEIS) Disproportionate Discipline</cite> for the district, and an external NAACP report audited discipline of Black girls in City Schools, but a regular internal district audit cadence beyond state mandates was not clearly confirmed.
9.3 Data-informed interventions/adjustments Implemented · 2/2 pts
The district's equity and climate work is explicitly data-driven: the <cite index="130-7">CEO and the Core Program Team engaged in sessions to analyze disaggregated data...and proposed recommendations for next steps</cite>, and restorative practices expansion was informed by implementation reports.
9.4 Transparent reporting to stakeholders Implemented · 2/2 pts
Beyond the mandated annual Board discipline report, the district publishes <cite index="121-1,121-2">Full Reports for the surveys included in this presentation...on the Baltimore City Schools website under Stakeholder Feedback</cite>, providing public transparency.
Student Voice & Leadership
10.1 Student advisory councils/leadership groups Implemented · 2/2 pts
Multiple formal student leadership bodies exist, including the <cite index="39-9,39-10">Associated Student Congress of Baltimore City, an elected body that oversees all student government associations...and a 32-member Youth Leadership Advisory Council which advises the CEO</cite>.
10.2 Student feedback informs policy/procedures Implemented · 2/2 pts
Students have direct input channels, e.g. <cite index="41-5">the SGA developed a 'Student Voice Committee' who collects students' suggestions and concerns...and presents them monthly to administrators</cite>, and the CEO Student Cabinet regularly advises the CEO on district decisions.
10.3 Students facilitate restorative processes In-work · 1/2 pts
<cite index="80-5">At City Springs and across our network of six BCP schools, more than 100 trained students, called Peer Mediators, now lead peer circles, facilitate conversations</cite>, but this is documented within a specific charter network rather than confirmed district-wide.
10.4 Student-led peer education Implemented · 2/2 pts
Beyond peer mediation, student-led peer education is evident in SGA-run events, e.g. <cite index="41-6">At the Academy for Career and College Exploration in Hampden, SGA reps host a monthly student-led event</cite>, alongside peer mediator-led lessons on conflict resolution.
Equitable Access to Support Services
11.1 Counseling & mental-health access for all Implemented · 2/2 pts
Mental health access is extended broadly: <cite index="51-5">every student can access high-quality care from home at no cost to their family</cite> via Hazel Health, complemented by ESBH's presence in 131+ schools.
11.2 Targeted academic support (e.g., tutoring) Implemented · 2/2 pts
<cite index="107-1,107-2">Baltimore City Public Schools manages two tutoring programs...literacy program serves over 1,000 K-2 students across 14 schools, while its K-12</cite> external program serves additional students, plus math tutoring partnerships with UMBC, Morgan State, and Johns Hopkins.
11.3 Community partnerships expand services Implemented · 2/2 pts
Community Schools strategy explicitly <cite index="92-5">establish and leverage strategic community partnerships to promote student achievement and the overall well-being of students, families, educators, and our district</cite>, reaching 97% of schools.
11.4 Systems to remove access barriers Implemented · 2/2 pts
The district commits to <cite index="91-9">provide information in a language they understand for parents/guardians and family...including interpretation of meetings</cite>, and removes certification barriers for diverse paraeducators via programs like BTIP, which <cite index="73-7">was created to remove barriers and provide the personalized support teachers need to successfully complete their certification</cite>.
Continuous Evaluation & Improvement
12.1 Standing committee/task force for discipline equity Implemented · 2/2 pts
A <cite index="130-9">Strategic Equity Taskforce was formed in January 2019</cite> and continues as the ongoing Equity Advisory Committee, which <cite index="144-1">support[s] and lead[s] racial equity within City Schools</cite> including discipline-related policy feedback.
12.2 Surveys/focus groups (students, families, staff) Implemented · 2/2 pts
The district fields <cite index="119-4">School climate surveys...districtwide by City Schools in January and February of each year...a different version of the survey is given to students, parents, and school staff</cite>, with published results.
12.3 Benchmarking vs. state/national comparators Implemented · 2/2 pts
The district explicitly benchmarks against peers, e.g. <cite index="126-10">Baltimore City has significantly fewer arrests than other MD districts</cite>, and tracks suspension trends against statewide MSDE data as cited in restorative practices reporting.
12.4 PD & reflective practice culture Implemented · 2/2 pts
The district conducts a structured reflective-practice cycle including a <cite index="192-5">School Effectiveness Review (a 2.5 day site visit that includes classroom observations)</cite> as part of its Annual Review of Schools, used to continuously inform school improvement and staff development.
Extra Credit
EC1 District-wide Restorative Practices transformation with measurable outcomes Implemented · 2/2 pts
Beyond simply adopting restorative practices, the district tracked and published outcome data showing <cite index="17-5">a 44% drop in suspensions between 2017 and 2022 (Maryland State Department of Education)</cite> and trained the entire School Police force in restorative approaches, contributing to steep declines in student arrests.
EC2 BMore Me - a student-centered, teacher-written culturally responsive social studies curriculum Implemented · 2/2 pts
Developed directly <cite index="61-8">in response to the students' demands: more equitable resources and more Black history and literature in Baltimore's schools</cite>, BMore Me represents a notably innovative, locally co-created approach to culturally relevant curriculum design.
EC3 Free at-home teletherapy for every student via Hazel Health partnership Implemented · 2/2 pts
The district provides universal, no-cost access to mental telehealth: <cite index="51-5">with guardian consent, every student can access high-quality care from home at no cost to their family</cite>, an unusually comprehensive equitable-access model for student mental health.
EC4 Community School Strategy covering 97% of district schools Implemented · 2/2 pts
With <cite index="92-4">154 Community Schools in Baltimore City, which is 97% of all District schools</cite>, the district has achieved an unusually high saturation of the wraparound-services community-school model compared to most peer districts.
EC5 Immigration-related 'Know Your Rights' protocol training led by the Office of Equity In-work · 1/2 pts
The Office of Equity has developed mandatory protocols protecting immigrant students, having <cite index="190-5">trained more than 800 school-based and central-office staff and regularly update[d] protocols to reflect legal and operational changes</cite>, an innovative equity-driven student-protection practice.
