Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell, who is in his fifth year leading Maryland’s fourth largest school district, tonight was named the 2027 Superintendent of the Year by the Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM). The award is presented annually to a Maryland superintendent who demonstrates excellence in educational leadership, communication, professionalism, and community involvement. It is voted on by public school superintendents across the state.
“This is a very humbling moment for me because none of us gets into this work to receive awards,” said Dr. Bedell, who was presented with the honor at PSSAM’s annual meeting. “What we have been able to accomplish over my first four years as Superintendent has happened because of passionate and dedicated people at every level of our school district and a Board of Education that has supported our vision to be a school community where everyone can belong, grow, and succeed. I am proud of what we’ve done and look forward to doing more in the coming years.”
Dr. Bedell was first appointed as Superintendent in Anne Arundel County Public Schools in June 2022 after serving as Superintendent in Kansas City Public Schools for six years. During his first four years in AACPS, Dr. Bedell has overseen the district’s emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic, two phases of comprehensive redistricting, and increases in test scores and access to advanced coursework by all students. He has also worked to establish and enhance relationships with employees, families, community members and business partners through regular opportunities to interact and discuss issues facing the school district.
Over his first four years, Dr. Bedell has also overseen:
increases in student proficiency on the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program tests in both English Language Arts and math at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.
a drop in the number of schools earning 1 or 2 out of 5 stars on the Maryland Report Card from 13 in the 2022-23 school year to five in the 2025-26 school year.
increases on both the educator and student climate surveys administered by the Maryland State Department of Education.
compensation increases of more than 28 percent for employees since the 2022-23 school year.
the creation of the Office of Mentoring Services, which coordinates mentoring programs with more than 750 mentors providing positive influences to more than 1,500 students. The innovative initiative is being used as a model by other Maryland school districts.
the prioritization of PSAT and SAT expansion across the district so that assessments are used as tools of equity rather than exclusion. AACPS offers students the PSAT 8/9, PSAT 10, and PSAT-NMSQT and SAT free of charge during the school day.
a 55.7 percent increase in the number of Advanced Placement test takers, to 8,343 in the 2025-26 school year; and a 91.2 percent increase in the number of AP exams scoring a 3 or higher, to 10,797 in the 2025-26 school year.
a near tripling of the number of students enrolled in dual enrollment programs across the district. More than 2,400 students took part in such programs in the 2025-26 school year.
the implementation of high-quality instructional materials (Reveal Math and Core Knowledge Language Arts) at the elementary level.
increases in attendance rates at the elementary, middle, and high school levels and accompanying decreases in chronic absenteeism at all three levels: 7.5 percentage points in high school; 7.1 points in elementary school; and 4.2 points in middle school.
a dramatic reduction in classroom teacher vacancies, which stood at 283 in his first year but fell to 16 on the first day of school in the current year.
the onset of an alternative vehicle program that has curbed bus driver vacancies and built a bench of substitute drivers for the first time since the pandemic, resulting in far more reliable transportation of students to school.
“Dr. Bedell has been absolutely relentless in his efforts to improve academic outcomes for all of our students regardless of their circumstances or situations,” Board of Education President Gloria Dent said. “The impact of the work he and his team have done in collaboration with our Board is clear in the data, and it is the reason our Board unanimously appointed him four years ago and unanimously reappointed him last February.”
As the state honoree, Dr. Bedell will now compete for the School Superintendents Association’s National Superintendent of the Year award. That announcement will be made in February.
“Dr. Bedell’s leadership within PSSAM reflects his commitment to supporting his colleagues and strengthening public education across Maryland,” said Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director of PSSAM. “We are proud and excited to have him represent our state and his fellow superintendents on the national stage.”