Dr. Grasmick cited the work of Barbara Dezmon, chairman of
the AIMMS steering committee, as instrumental in creating
lasting partnerships with organizations and companies, such as
Harcourt Achieve, that further the work of AIMMS.
MSDE BULLETIN
Vol. 15, No. 8 – May 18, 2004
HARCOURT ACHIEVE MAKES BIG BOOK
DONATION TO BENEFIT AIMMS PROGRAM
Educational publisher Harcourt Achieve announced last week
a donation of nearly 8,000 books to aid the Achievement
Initiative for Maryland Minority Students (AIMMS).
Harcourt issued its announcement at an assembly at
Woodmoor Elementary School in Baltimore County, attended
by hundreds of students, parents, and education and elected
officials.
Harcourt Achieve publishes under the Rigby and SteckVaughn imprints. The donation includes books from popular
Rigby and Steck-Vaughn product lines “spanning from
fictional mysteries and science fiction to nonfiction science
topics,” said Elfreda Massie, vice president of strategic
alliances for Harcourt Achieve.
“Harcourt Achieve uses a slogan ‘Learning that Changes
Lives.’ Everyone attending this event – legislators,
administrators, and teachers – also change lives every day as
they support the education process at home, in the school and
in the legislature. In today’s world of No Child Left Behind,
we need to make sure that we improve achievement among all
students, especially minority and poor students,” said Tim
McEwen, President and CEO of Harcourt Achieve.
“This is an important donation,” Massie added. “As a publisher
of learning solutions, resources and services that play a key
role in achieving successful educational milestones, we
support the groundbreaking work of AIMMS and its goals –
that no minority or poor children be left behind when it comes
to getting an education.”
“I established the AIMMS Council and Steering Committee to
assist the Maryland State Department of Education and local
school systems in eliminating academic barriers and improving
achievement among minority and poor students,” said State
Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick. “AIMMS has
conducted extensive research and data analysis on the gap in
achievement among minority and socio-economicallydisadvantaged students, and has established programs, such as
the annual Excellence in Minority Awards to showcase best
practices by educators, community groups, and students in
bridging the achievement gap.”
“Harcourt’s donation will place age-appropriate books directly
in the hands of children as we move closer to the summer
months when research shows students, but especially minority
and poor students, lag behind their counterparts,” Dr.
Grasmick said.
Harcourt Achieve has partnered with AIMMS for several years
as a sponsor of the Excellence in Minority Achievement
Awards. The books will be provided free-of-charge to one
school in each of Maryland’s 24 local school systems that has
significant numbers of low socio-economic and/or minority
students as identified by AIMMS.
The complete list of schools receiving books is available at
http://www.marylandpublicschools.org/MSDE/pressrelease_de
tails/05_14_2004.htm 
PRESIDENT BUSH TOUTS FEDERAL READING
INITIATIVES IN VISIT TO MARYLAND
President Bush made his Reading First education program the
centerpiece of a visit to Maryland last week.
In remarks at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, the
President restated his core belief that every child can learn, and
that his programs provide a pathway to achieving that goal.
“We need to raise the bar and raise the standards,” President
Bush said. “It means that when you walk into a classroom of
so-called hard to educate, you don’t quit.”
Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr., Lieutenant Governor Michael
S. Steele, and State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S.
Grasmick were part of the invited audience gathered in NIH’s
Natcher Auditorium for the President’s remarks.
President Bush said that federal education initiatives are
designed to prompt improvement, but he noted that his
administration is not interested in taking over schools – in
Maryland or anyplace else. He noted that Governor Ehrlich,
Lieutenant Governor Steele, along with Dr. Grasmick, “are
plenty capable” of continuing to improve Maryland education.
The Bush Adminstration’s $1.8 billion Reading First Initiative,
being directed by Reid Lyon, is a broad, scientifically based
education program that involves all 50 states. Maryland last
fall received a $65.8 million, six-year grant from the program.
President Bush said the program, now involving 3,600 schools
nationwide, uses a series of assessment to help make certain
that all children can read by third grade.
(more)
PRESIDENT BUSH TOUTS FEDERAL READING
INITIATIVES IN VISIT TO MARYLAND (Cont.)
“I’ve heard every excuse in the book why not to measure,”
President Bush noted. “But if you can’t measure, how do you
know?”
The President’s appearance at NIH was part of a
“conversation” on education initiatives, and involved Dr.
Lyon, as well as select educators from around the country.
Reading First is part of the Bush Administration’s No Child
Left Behind focus. By assessing students and disaggregating
data at the school, system, and state levels, failing students are
less likely to fall through the cracks, the President said.
“This act is called the No Child Left Behind Act because we
want to make sure that no child is left behind,” he explained.
“Not, it’s okay that some get left behind. That’s not the spirit
of the law.” 
STATE BOARD PLANS HEARING ON
PROPOSED CHANGES TO GRADUATION
The Maryland State Board of Education has issued a reminder
that the State Board will hold a public hearing on the proposed
High School Graduation Requirements on Tuesday, May 25,
2004, starting at 1 p.m. at the State Education Building, 7th
Floor Board Room, Baltimore, Maryland.
Persons wishing to testify must call Joyce Smith at 410-7670467 by 4:30 p.m., Friday, May 21, 2004, to sign up to testify.
Sign up will be on a first-come, first-served basis. Each person
will be given three minutes to present testimony. The hearing
will conclude at 6 p.m. or earlier depending on the number of
persons registered to give testimony.
In addition to oral testimony, the State Board continues to
accept written comments on the proposed regulations. Written
comments should be sent to Dr. Ronald Peiffer, Deputy State
Superintendent, Office for Academic Policy, Maryland State
Department of Education, 200 West Baltimore Street,
Baltimore, Maryland 21201-2595, or faxed to 410-333-2275,
or e-mailed to rpeiffer@msde.state.md.us. These comments
must be received no later than 5 p.m., Friday, May 28. 
MD STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
HONORS 586 SCHOOLS WITH AWARDS, FUNDS
The Maryland State Department of Education is recognizing
586 elementary, middle, and high schools in the State for
making gains in student academic performance. The awards
program, now a requirement of the federal No Child Left
Behind Act (NCLB), recognizes schools for the overall
achievement of their students on the 2003 Maryland School
Assessment and for improving the performance of special
populations from 2002 to 2003. Special populations, identified
under NCLB, include race/ethnicity, special education, limited
English proficient, and those receiving free or reduced price
meals.
Title I elementary and middle schools will share about
$450,000 from State Title I funds, with each receiving $4,000.
Non-Title I elementary and middle schools will share $1.2
million in State funds, with each receiving just over $2,900.
High schools will receive certificates only. Neither federal
Title I funds nor State funds, in accordance with State
legislation passed in 1996, can be used for high schools, and
State funds have not been appropriated for the future.
“We applaud the efforts of our staff and our students. These
schools deserve to be recognized for raising the achievement
levels of all our students through good instructional practices,”
said State Superintendent of Schools Nancy S. Grasmick. “We
will be developing partnerships during the coming year so that
the community can join us in recognizing the achievement of
our schools.”
About 25 percent of the schools are being recognized for
overall achievement and 25 percent for showing improvement
among all subgroups. Some schools demonstrated achievement
in both areas. The financial awards can be used for activities
and equipment to improve student performance, but cannot be
used for staff bonuses or salaries. The School Improvement
Team in each school decides how the funds can best benefit
the school.
The Maryland School Performance Recognition Program was
created by the Maryland General Assembly in 1996 as a way
to recognize schools for their students’ achievement on the
Maryland School Performance Assessment Program. The
program, which publicly recognizes the work of teachers,
principals, parents, and community members in helping to
improve student learning, has been modified slightly to make it
compatible with the federal No Child Left Behind Act and to
recognize the achievement of more schools. 

MSDE BULLETIN
COMMUNICATIONS
AND STRATEGIC PLANNING OFFICE
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
On the web: www.marylandpublicschools.org
Nancy S. Grasmick, State Superintendent of Schools
Ronald A. Peiffer, Deputy State Superintendent
Bill Reinhard, Editor
MSDE-TV Video: http://media.msde.state.md.us/index.html