Earlier this month the University of Maryland College of Education has named former MCPS superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight as its inaugural Dean’s Fellow and Superintendent in Residence, effective August 23. The decision was met with mixed reactions, with some supportive of the hiring and others against it to the point of a petition being created asking the university to reverse its decision to hire McKnight. Moderately MOCO reported this evening that McKnight’s salary is “$150,000 for a 9 month appointment.”
Dr. Monifa McKnight and the Montgomery County Board of Education (BOE) mutually agreed to separate on February 2, 2024 after controversies arose during her tenure as superintendent. A $1.3 million separation agreement “that includes $1,183,250 in wages, $30,000 in attorney fees, $20,225 in deferred compensation, $18,525 for a tax sheltered annual annuity plan and $48,000 for an annual annuity” was paid to McKnight, according to Montgomery Perspective.
According to the University of Maryland, the new position has been created “to help strengthen partnerships between the college and PK-12 schools across the state.”
Per the University of Maryland’s Office of the Dean: “In this new role, McKnight will support the development and implementation of special projects aligned with the College of Education’s strategic plan. She will focus on growing student engagement across academic programs and building partnerships across PK-20 to support student learning and school transformation. She will help strengthen the college’s relationships with school partners and state leaders, generate creative ideas and strategies to expand their educator pathway program and collaborate on existing partnerships that drive school improvement and reform.
“We are delighted to have Dr. McKnight join our college,” said Dean Kimberly Griffin. “She is a seasoned educator and leader whose extensive experience and commitment to education equity will prove valuable as we move fearlessly forward to transform education for good.” McKnight brings more than 25 years of experience in school administration and instructional leadership. She previously served as the superintendent and deputy superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), the largest district in Maryland, where she provided strategic vision and oversaw the education of more than 160,000 students. She led the complex transition to hybrid and full-time in-person learning and implemented operational structures and instructional strategies designed to meet students’ needs post-pandemic.