April 9, 2025 Staff and Community Update: Board of Education Chair Jane Lichter and Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers Address OIGE Report
Team BCPS—
Last night, during the Board of Education meeting, Board Chair Jane Lichter and Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers addressed the inaccurate reports and news stories regarding the superintendent’s residency. Chair Lichter affirmed that Dr. Rogers has met the residency obligations as outlined in her contract and that she has maintained residency in Baltimore County since September 2024.
You can read the Chair’s report here, and her message is also included below.
Watch: Board Chair’s Report
Board Chair’s Report
The Board met in closed session this evening to discuss the findings in the April 1st report we received from the Office of the Inspector General for Education (OIGE), as well as to address allegations and misinformation that have circulated in the media since the report's release. As this is a personnel matter, it was appropriately addressed in closed session, in accordance with the Open Meetings Act.
During the session, Dr. Rogers responded to all questions from Board of Education members and provided factual clarifications to counter inaccurate narratives that have emerged. The Board also received advice from our attorney regarding contract and other legal issues, which is likewise an appropriate topic for closed session discussion.
Dr. Rogers’ contract, which began in July 2023, required her to establish residency in Baltimore County by June 30, 2024. In advance of this deadline, she verbally requested an extension from then Board leadership. Board leadership, because of logistical issues related to her move, approved the request, and the Board Chair signed the necessary expense documentation associated with her relocation.
Dr. Rogers completed her move into Baltimore County on September 14, 2024, and has maintained her residency since then. The contract does not require her to live alone, to have her name on a lease, or to reside at the location every single day. It simply requires that she maintain residency in Baltimore County, which she has done.
The OIGE’s report concluded without making any findings of a contract violation, let alone any wrongdoing on the part of Dr. Rogers, and it has been formally closed. The report indicated that this is a contractual matter falling within the purview of the Board and Superintendent. The report also offered three recommendations for internal consideration, which we will take under advisement.
The residency clause in Dr. Rogers’ contract is intended to reflect the importance of community engagement. Since assuming her role, Dr. Rogers has made community involvement a priority. She has hosted numerous town halls, including:
- Meet and Greets (32) – Opportunities for the community to share thoughts and ideas directly with the Superintendent -11 opportunities for the public and 21 stakeholder engagements
- Community Conversations (11) – Community feedback sessions with Superintendent regarding BCPS progress and areas for improvement focused on safety, climate and school operations
- Curriculum Nights (4) – Informational sessions on the instructional programs at all grade levels
- Special Education Nights (3) – Dedicated forums to engage families of students with special needs
- Budget Input Sessions (9) – Public input opportunities on the development of the annual operating budget
- Council of PTAs Leadership Roundtable (10) - Monthly meetings to engage directly with BCPS PTA Board and school PTA presidents
All 69 of these events have been personally led by Dr. Rogers, allowing her to listen to, engage with, and better understand the community she serves.
In addition to these efforts, Dr. Rogers regularly visits schools, interacts with students, stakeholders and staff. Dr. Rogers has gone to Annapolis and Washington DC 19 times on behalf of Team BCPS during the last year and a half. During this legislative session that just ended, Dr. Rogers went to Annapolis 9 times, for a total of 12 meetings and testified twice in front of the legislature. She has emerged as a statewide leader and advocate for Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS). She not only attends monthly principal leadership meetings, but she also facilitates her own tailored sessions with school administrators—a first for BCPS Superintendents.
We have no doubt that Dr. Rogers is invested in Baltimore County. Our shared goal must remain centered on student achievement. Dr. Rogers’ leadership has already begun to shift the academic trajectory of our school system. After years of decline, multiple data points presented in BOE meetings suggest that the downward trend has halted. Early signs of improvement are evident, including:
- BCPS had the highest percentage of improvement in reducing chronic absenteeism (-6.29%) in the state of Maryland. This improvement is across all levels, zones and student groups.
- The graduation rate for the Class of 2024 increased by nearly one percentage point to 85.4% -nearly double the amount of improvement from the previous year’s rate and the dropout rate decreased for BCPS students.
- 38 BCPS schools received an increase in their overall Star Rating in the MSDE report card. BCPS has the greatest number of 5 Star schools, the highest rated high school and two of the highest rated elementary schools in Maryland.
While we acknowledge there is still a long journey ahead, we are moving in the right direction. We must continue to focus our collective efforts on supporting students and ensuring that every child in Baltimore County has the opportunity to thrive.
Superintendent’s Report
Dr. Rogers highlighted the information provided in the April 3 message to Team BCPS and spoke to the documented evidence of facts that directly refute the inaccurate claims regarding her residency. She reaffirmed her commitment to Team BCPS and the shared vision for moving the system forward.
Watch: Superintendent Dr. Myriam’s Rogers Report
