PRESS RELEASE: Maryland READS Statement on Governor’s Budget Announcement
Download the PDF press release HERE
Maryland has taken important and commendable steps since 2021 through the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and the adoption of Science of Reading–aligned reforms. These investments reflect bold leadership and a shared commitment to our children. Yet the data are clear: progress alone is not enough. We have not yet achieved the statewide improvement in reading proficiency that Maryland’s students deserve.
One essential element has been missing from our education playbook—a fully funded, statewide literacy coaching program, a proven model that coaching is what turns good literacy policy into lasting results. This is the Blueprint Boost. It is the “secret sauce” that ensures strong policy and significant investments actually change classroom practice and student outcomes. Without consistent, job-embedded coaching, even the best reforms will struggle to produce results.
As our recent report, Maryland’s Opportunity to Lead Through Literacy Coaching, makes clear, states like Mississippi have shown what is possible when teacher training is paired with sustained coaching. Dedicated literacy coaches turn ambition into action and reform into results. Maryland READS commends the General Assembly for establishing the Academic Excellence Program last year to launch a statewide coaching program. Today, Trish Brennan-Gac, the Executive Director of Maryland READS offers this comment on the Governor’s Budget. “Governor Moore has been clear that his goal is for Maryland to have the best schools in the country for every student in our state. If we are serious about that goal, we must be serious about investing in the supports that make strong reading outcomes possible. We applaud his decision to include an initial downpayment of $10.9 million to jumpstart the Academic Excellence Program.” This is a critical step forward—but it is only the beginning of the work ahead.
The stakes could not be higher. Our recent State of Reading in Maryland report found that just seven districts improved 4th-grade reading proficiency, while 17 declined—leaving more than 94,000 Maryland students across just three grades unable to read proficiently. These are not abstract numbers. They represent children whose futures, confidence, and opportunities are at risk.
A statewide literacy coaching program is the single most powerful action Maryland can take to accelerate reading achievement. “Coaches are everywhere we see success – for students, parents, business leaders, as well as professional athletes. Teachers—who carry the weight of transforming our education system—deserve the same level of support,” said Trish Brennan-Gac, Executive Director of Maryland READS.
Here is the challenge before us: in times of budget pressure, it is tempting to pull back from foundational investments—but those are precisely the moments when leadership matters most. Literacy coaching is not an add-on or a luxury; it is the infrastructure that makes every other investment work. If we want the Blueprint to fulfill its promise to produce the best schools in the country for Maryland’s children, we must protect and strengthen the supports that translate dollars into outcomes.
By investing in statewide literacy coaching, Maryland signals that reading proficiency is not optional, progress is not accidental, and equity is not negotiable. We are encouraged by this important step—and we urge state leaders to stay the course until every Maryland child can read, thrive, and succeed.
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