Shawn Joseph named Prince George’s County Public Schools superintendent

LARGO, MD. - Prince George’s County Public Schools has named Dr. Shawn Joseph as its new superintendent, officially handing him leadership of Maryland’s second-largest school district following a months-long national search.

County Executive Aisha Braveboy announced the decision during a public briefing in Largo on Monday, saying state officials presented three finalists for the role. Braveboy did not disclose the other candidates, citing confidentiality requirements tied to the search process.

The backstory:

Joseph has been serving as interim superintendent over the past year, guiding the district through a period of transition following the departure of former superintendent Millard House, according to previous FOX 5 D.C. reporting. 

Officials credited him with helping stabilize the school system during the briefing, pointing to reduced teacher vacancies, improved labor relations and progress during a difficult budget cycle.

What they're saying:

In his remarks after being named to the permanent role, Joseph said the district must now focus on strengthening student achievement.

"The next chapter cannot be built on celebration alone," Joseph said. "We must raise achievement. We must strengthen literacy and math. We must improve outcomes for students receiving special education services and multilingual services. We must deepen trust with families."

He also addressed ongoing concerns about school safety, acknowledging that while the district has seen improvements in incidents involving fights and weapons, challenges remain in a system serving more than 130,000 students.

Joseph said his new strategic plan will be released by July 1 and will prioritize reading, math and what he called "academic acceleration" across the district.

Before becoming interim superintendent, Joseph held leadership roles in school systems in Tennessee and Delaware, bringing more than three decades of experience in education administration, according to previous reporting. 

What's next:

The Prince George’s County Board of Education must still approve his contract, with final approval required from the Maryland state superintendent before he officially takes on the role permanently.