What Is the Meaning of Teacher Tenure in the State of Maryland?

Maryland Statutes

In 2010, when the state of Maryland proposed to raise the experience requirements for teachers to be awarded tenure from two years to three years, the Baltimore Sun reported that the majority of the states require three years of satisfactory experience before a teacher was awarded tenure. The Maryland General Assembly enacted the changes into law in May 2010, extending experience requirements to three years for teachers to be considered for tenure. The legislation also requires that non-tenured teachers undergo an annual evaluation by the local board of education and a mentor be assigned to a non-tenured teacher who fails to meet established standards.

The Education Reform Act of 2010, which changed the length of the probationary period, applies only to Maryland educators hired on or after July 1, 2010. In addition, Maryland teachers must undergo an evaluation process outlined by the Maryland State Board of Education and a three-year probationary period before being considered for tenure. Should the teacher require an extended leave of absence during the initial three-year period, the probationary period is extended by the amount of time the teacher is away from the job.

The Maryland State Department of Education states that teacher certification "is the process to verify that each educator required to hold a certificate has the qualifications and appropriate training to execute his/her professional responsibilities." There are several ways to obtain teacher certification in Maryland, including through education or approved experience in another state. In addition, Maryland's state laws give the authority of setting standards for tenure to each local school board across the state. Once granted, Maryland teachers are required to keep teaching certificates up-to-date to maintain tenure status.

According to the National Council on Teacher Quality, in a study undertaken to evaluate Baltimore City Public Schools, the council concluded that as is common all across the United States, teacher tenure in the Baltimore public school system is generally granted after the prerequisite amount of experience is gained and not on the "teacher's demonstrated effectiveness."