Maryland is launching a statewide hiring campaign to bring more than 60 instructional coaches into public schools, following the approval of $14.2 million in funding to support the initiative.
State Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey M. Wright announced the effort Monday, which will focus on expanding literacy and math coaching across local school systems beginning this fall. The Maryland State Department of Education will recruit, hire, train, and deploy 52 school-based literacy coaches, five regional literacy coaches, and four regional mathematics coaches.
Of those positions, 35 literacy coaches will be assigned to schools statewide. Another 17 literacy coaches, along with one regional literacy coach, will support an expanded literacy coaching pilot program in Prince George’s County Public Schools, which will continue to receive philanthropic support.
The coaching program was established by the Maryland General Assembly in 2025 and is designed to provide ongoing, job-embedded support for teachers, with the goal of improving student outcomes and strengthening educator retention.
Officials say coaches will work directly with teachers on a weekly basis, offering feedback and helping refine instructional strategies in the classroom.
Dr. Wright, who previously served as Mississippi’s state superintendent and is widely credited with improving literacy outcomes there, emphasized the role coaching can play in professional growth.
“Coaching works as well for teachers as it does for athletes,” Wright said. “When teachers have access to strong, high-quality instructional coaching, students win.”
The state will prioritize placement of coaches based on several factors, including third-grade MCAP performance in English language arts and math over the past three years, the percentage of conditionally licensed teachers, and outcomes for special education students and multilingual learners.
Job postings for the new positions are now available through the Maryland State Department of Education.
