Dr. Shawn Joseph Appointed Permanent Superintendent
Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy today appointed Dr. Shawn Joseph as permanent Superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools.
Since stepping into the role of Interim Superintendent in July 2025, Dr. Joseph has provided steady leadership during a pivotal period for our school system. Over the past year, he has worked closely with students, families, educators, staff and community partners to strengthen trust, improve operations and advance a shared vision for student success.
Under Dr. Joseph’s leadership, PGCPS launched a comprehensive 100-day plan focused on academics, operations and accountability. He prioritized community engagement from the outset, hosting listening sessions and budget town halls that provided families, students, staff and community members with opportunities to help shape district priorities.
Working alongside stakeholders, Dr. Joseph established five district priorities centered on literacy and mathematics achievement, student attendance, organizational development, college and career readiness, and enhanced support for special education and multilingual learners.
Throughout the 2025–26 school year, PGCPS made meaningful progress across several key areas, including:
- Reducing teacher vacancies by 52%, including significant improvements in special education staffing.
- Navigating a historic $150 million structural deficit — the largest single-year budget adjustment in district history — while avoiding teacher layoffs.
- Finalizing three employee union contracts through a collaborative bargaining process.
- Restoring nearly $20 million in state funding through a districtwide immunization compliance initiative.
- Launching public dashboards that provide families and community members with access to student achievement, graduation, attendance and staffing data.
- Expanding tuition-free Dual Enrollment opportunities for students across all high schools.
- Strengthening partnerships with higher education institutions to increase college access and scholarship opportunities.
- Earning national recognition for school modernization efforts and leading the state and nation with a record 164 certified Maryland Green Schools.
- Improving transportation services, including achieving a 96% bus driver fill rate and launching a new real-time bus tracking app for families.
- Establishing the Innovation & Performance Area to offer targeted support and additional resources to 24 schools identified for accelerated improvement.
- Expanding communication and public engagement efforts through a budget education series, a new legislative tracking tool, weekly superintendent communications and regular media appearances designed to improve transparency and keep staff, families and the community informed.
As permanent superintendent, Dr. Joseph will lead the implementation of the district’s new three-year strategic plan, Forward by Design: Acceleration 2029, which focuses on accelerating student achievement, expanding opportunities, strengthening family partnerships, investing in employees and fostering a culture of excellence across the organization.
“Every child in every zip code deserves a transformative education — and here in Prince George’s County, the work of accelerating student progress and strengthening outcomes is already well underway,” Dr. Joseph said. “I am honored to serve as superintendent and look forward to continuing our work alongside families, staff and community partners to scale excellence across every school in our district.”
Dr. Joseph brings more than three decades of experience as a teacher, principal, district leader and superintendent. His career reflects a deep commitment to educational excellence, innovation and student achievement.
He holds a doctoral degree in educational administration and policy studies from George Washington University, a master’s degree in reading education from Johns Hopkins University, and a bachelor’s degree in English education from Lincoln University, the nation’s first degree-granting HBCU.
Dr. Joseph’s appointment follows a months-long superintendent search process led by the PGCPS Superintendent Search Committee, which included one member of the State Board appointed by the State Superintendent and two residents of Prince George’s County, appointed by the Governor. Working with search firm PoliHire, the committee engaged the community through a survey that generated more than 4,200 responses and helped shape the leadership profile for the district’s next superintendent.
Families, students, staff and community members identified the importance of a leader who is community-centered and transparent, operationally strong, fiscally responsible, focused on student achievement and committed to building a positive organizational culture. After candidate evaluations, the committee recommended three finalists to County Executive Aisha Braveboy for consideration.
Following County Executive Braveboy’s selection, The Board of Education is scheduled to vote on Dr. Joseph’s contract in June, with final confirmation by the Maryland State Superintendent of Schools to follow.