Prince George's County Executive appoints Shawn Joseph as permanent superintendent | The Locally Times
Joseph, who served as interim since July 2025, managed a $150 million budget deficit during the 2025-26 school year.
Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy appointed Shawn Joseph as the permanent superintendent of Prince George’s County Public Schools, effective June 1, 2026. Joseph held the interim superintendent position starting in July 2025, a period during which the district managed a $150 million budget deficit. ## Fiscal and Operational Performance The district balanced the $150 million deficit during the 2025-26 school year without teacher layoffs. District records indicate this process included finalizing three employee union contracts. The district also collected $20 million in state funding by enforcing a new districtwide immunization compliance requirement. Staffing data shows teacher vacancies decreased by 52% during the 2025-26 school year. Special education vacancies dropped from 242 positions to 80. The district reached a 96% bus driver fill rate and released a real-time bus tracking application for families. ## District Priorities Joseph will continue the five priorities established during his initial 100-day plan: literacy and mathematics achievement, student attendance, organizational development, college and career readiness, and support for special education and multilingual learners. The district created the & Performance Area, a unit providing resources to 24 schools selected for accelerated improvement. Public transparency measures include digital dashboards displaying student achievement, graduation rates, and staffing levels. The district expanded tuition-free Dual Enrollment, a program allowing high school students to earn college credit, and increased partnerships with higher education institutions to provide scholarships. ## Contract and Budget Details The district records do not specify the terms of Joseph’s permanent contract. While the district balanced the 2025-26 budget, the records do not detail the long-term plan to address structural budget challenges beyond the current fiscal year. ## Key Questions **How did the budget deficit affect teaching staff?** The district managed the $150 million deficit during the 2025-26 school year without implementing teacher layoffs. **What changes occurred in student transportation?** The district reached a 96% bus driver fill rate and released a real-time bus tracking application for families.