?“To have the best schools in the country, we need to have the best educators in the country. Longfields Elementary has shown that when we invest in educators and provide instructional coaching, we both improve student outcomes and increase teacher retention,” said Gov. Moore. “I am here to learn how we can build the best educator workforce in the nation, because when we uplift our educators and our students, Maryland wins.”

Instructional coaching provides subject-matter expertise and guidance to support the practice of teaching. Coaching promotes both high-quality instruction and educator development, in addition to improving student outcomes—particularly for underserved students. The Academic Excellence Program, part of the Moore-Miller Administration’s Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act signed into law last month, is a proposed strategy based on instructional coaching to improve literacy and math scores in Maryland public schools.

“Strong, high-quality instructional coaching can transform student achievement,” said Maryland State Department of Education Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey M. Wright. “The Academic Excellence Program provides the opportunity to set the standard for exemplary teacher support statewide.”

Longfields Elementary’s growth in academic achievement has been driven by instructional coaching in English language arts and mathematics. Between 2022 and 2024, academic proficiency rate increases at the school were among the largest in the school system, with 8.4 and 11.3 percentage point increases in English language arts and mathematics respectively.

“The success at Longfields Elementary underscores what’s possible when we invest in community schools and in coaching that directly supports teachers and students,” said Prince George’s County Public Schools Superintendent Millard House II. “By building trust, modeling best practices and fostering innovation, we’re seeing teachers feel valued and empowered to help every student succeed.”

Longfields Elementary is also a community school, having received its community school designation in 2022. Community schools receive annual grants to support student populations with a high concentration of poverty. In addition to providing a traditional academic curriculum for students, community schools also provide wraparound support services for underserved students and their families, strengthening communities by more holistically addressing their needs.

“We’re seeing real gains in both academic achievement and school culture — and it’s a team effort,” said Longfields Elementary School Principal Carmen Bell. “Our educators, coaches and central office teams are working together to analyze data, share strategies and push forward to support every student.”