Governor Larry Hogan Announces Commitment to P-TECH Model Schools in Maryland

Students Graduate with High School Diplomas, Associate Degrees, First in Line for Employment

BALTIMORE, MD - Governor Larry Hogan, joined by Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake; Stanley Litow, president of the IBM International Foundation; Dr. Gregory Thornton, CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools; and Johns Hopkins University President Ronald Daniels, today announced his commitment to launch up to four P-TECH 9-14 schools in Maryland to help better prepare students for college and entry into the job market.

The P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High School) education model, co-developed by IBM, is an innovative, nationally recognized approach that blends high school, college, and work experience in one. P-TECH schools offer students an integrated six-year education program that combines high school, college, and workplace skills required for 21st-century jobs. Graduates from Maryland’s P-TECH schools will earn their high school diploma and a two-year postsecondary degree in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) from an accredited community college. These students will also benefit from career experience and mentorship in the workplace and will be first in line for skilled jobs upon graduation through partnerships with private sector participants.

"Every single child in Maryland deserves a world-class education, regardless of what neighborhood they happen to grow up in," said Governor Hogan. "By blending high school, college, and workplace experience, P-TECH students will gain in-demand skills that employers need in the 21st century, and employers will gain a steady pipeline of skilled professionals. This is a truly innovative approach to improving education in disadvantaged areas, and it is my hope that two of the P-TECH schools will be located in Baltimore City."

"In urban centers like Baltimore, we know that growing technology companies are creating jobs and opportunities, but if our youth are not prepared with the necessary skills, these jobs will pass them by and they will be left behind," said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. "The need for better training opportunities is particularly true for young people in some of our communities that are frequently not seen as a source for tech hires. The P-TECH model can help bridge that gap and open entire new pathways for long-term career success."

"I thank Governor Hogan for his strong leadership in bringing this innovative transformation of high school to Maryland and high-need districts like Baltimore," said Stanley S. Litow, IBM vice president of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs and president of the IBM International Foundation. "We devised P-TECH to address the nation’s skills crisis, and to do so for all students, not just those who are most likely to succeed, and it is already fulfilling its promise by increasing college completion rates and seeing its graduates obtain high-wage jobs. We’re committed to helping grow P-TECH, and helping Maryland youth secure a meaningful future. Nothing is more critical to Maryland’s economic success."

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), in consultation with the Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC), will issue a request for proposals (RFP) to create up to four P-TECH schools in both urban and rural areas of the State. The Maryland business community, including IBM, Johns Hopkins, and Kaiser Permanente, is interested in building partnerships with local school districts and community colleges to make P-TECH schools a reality. These first four schools could become the model that will be replicated in all areas of the State.

Modeled after the nationally-recognized P-TECH schools created by IBM and partners, these innovative public schools go beyond traditional high school, providing students with college degrees and the opportunity to enter the workforce with in-demand skills that employers need. There are no tests or screening required for admission. The curriculum at each P-TECH school is aligned to skills that employers are looking for, combining academic rigor with career focus. Students are paired with mentors from the business community and can gain practical workplace experience with skills-based, paid internships. IBM will support and partner with Maryland leaders, educators, and industry to develop a statewide plan to help grow P-TECH schools in Maryland.

"P-TECH fosters the kinds of partnerships that open transformational opportunities to our students," said Johns Hopkins President Ronald J. Daniels. "The number of public- and private-sector leaders who have aligned to bring this model to Maryland shows P-TECH's great promise for our city, our state – and most of all, our students."