Mark E. Covington
Running for school board in Howard County
Email: markecovington@icloud.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580393421256
How old will you be on Election Day (Nov. 3)?
63
Are you currently employed? If so, where, and what is your job title?
I am currently a small business owner.
What is the highest level of education that you completed, and where did you get that degree?
I have an Master of Education in School Administration and Supervision from Bowie State University.
Why are you running for the school board?
My decision to run for the school board is a natural extension of why I chose education as my career. I have always believed in the value of a well-educated society, both for individuals and for the community as a whole. I'm convinced that a strong, equitable public education system can help address many of the social challenges we face today. Running for the at-large seat on the Howard County Board of Education is simply the next step in my lifelong commitment to ensuring every student has the opportunity to shape their own future in a school system that is respectful, inclusive and supportive.
As a principal, one of my top priorities was giving teachers the tools and support they needed to meet their students' needs. That experience gave me a clear understanding of how to remove the obstacles that get in the way of schools functioning effectively. I've spent my career navigating the everyday realities of public education, and as the parent of two Howard County Public School System graduates, I've also experienced our school system from a family's perspective. Right now, our public schools are facing growing skepticism and criticism that I believe threatens the promise of public education for every child. I want to meet that challenge directly. If elected, I will be a steady, dedicated advocate for every student's success—academically, socially and emotionally. At the end of the day, this work has always been about the kids, and it always will be.
What makes you a good candidate for the board?
I have spent my entire career in public education working to ensure success for every student, and that breadth of experience is what makes me uniquely qualified to serve on the Howard County Board of Education. As a student, parent, teacher, principal and professor, I have developed the skills to quickly identify challenges and build practical solutions. My greatest strength is my ability to work collaboratively. As a teacher, I had my students help develop the social contract that governed our classroom. As a principal, I only implemented policy changes after my teachers had the chance to review and shape them. I've learned that meaningful, lasting change only happens when everyone involved feels a sense of ownership over it. I also bring a strong commitment to data-driven decision making. Working with people is inherently personal, and sometimes emotionally complex. I've found that data brings objectivity to the table for educators, parents and students alike, helping ensure we make the best possible decisions for our children.
What is the most important issue facing your school board and what would you do about it if elected?
Teacher retention and compensation is the most important issue facing our school board, and addressing it is essential to keeping the Howard County Public School System the strong, successful system our community expects. I argue that there isn't a shortage of teachers, but rather a shortage of educators willing to accept current compensation and working conditions. If elected, I would pursue several initiatives to address this: • Survey teachers and staff to identify the most effective ways to support and retain them. We must remove every obstacle that stands in the way of great instruction. • Review and adjust the teacher pay scale. A competitive starting salary is a good first step, but our full pay scale must remain competitive with neighboring districts. Otherwise, we risk training excellent teachers only to see them recruited away by other systems. • Strengthen recruitment partnerships with universities across the state. As the candidate pool shrinks, we need to work harder to attract new talent into our schools. • Expand mentorship for new teachers. Pairing first- and second-year teachers with experienced mentors helps prevent the burnout and isolation that often drive young educators from the profession. • Give school-based staff a voice in policy decisions. Policies most often fail because of poor design or poor implementation. Involving the educators who will carry out these policies leads to stronger, more effective outcomes. Retaining great teachers is the most effective way to solve our staffing challenges—and the best way to guarantee strong instruction for every student.
Please name a public leader you admire and explain why.
Rather than single out one individual, I'd like to speak to the leadership traits I believe are most effective, since so many people I admire share them. A true leader genuinely cares about the people they serve and the work they do on their behalf. They see the bigger picture and keep ego out of the decision-making process. The most effective leaders I've known value input from every stakeholder and research issues thoroughly before setting policy—understanding that their decisions affect real people, and that some choices, even good ones, may not please everyone. Strong communication is essential: effective leaders build trust through transparency, fairness and consistency in every action. Above all, the best leaders seek out collaboration, understanding that solutions where everyone benefits are worth the extra effort to find.
The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, passed by the General Assembly in 2021, is a 10-year plan that includes increased funding to support early childhood education, higher teacher starting pay, college/career-readiness standards for high school graduates, and expanded services to multilingual and impoverished families, among other goals. Since the Blueprint's implementation, test scores have increased modestly in many parts of the state, but some school officials complain about the costs and administrative burdens placed on them by the Blueprint. Please tell us your views on the Blueprint and how it is affecting your school district.
The funding required to meet the Blueprint's standards is a legitimate concern, and I don't dismiss it. At the same time, the Blueprint is a research-based initiative addressing challenges that have faced public education for decades. Little in this law is new to educational researchers—it largely codifies best practices that we already know improve outcomes for students. With that context, I support the Blueprint's core pillars and will work to see them implemented effectively here in Howard County.
Howard County Public School System is currently renovating a building to house a new pre-K site opening next school year—research consistently shows that strong early childhood programs are one of the most effective tools we have for closing equity gaps. Our teacher pay scale already meets the Blueprint's requirements, and competitive compensation for our classroom leaders is essential to retaining great teachers. County government and the school system continue working together to meet the Blueprint's other requirements while protecting the progress we've already made.
I recognize that this work involves real trade-offs and difficult decisions, and I take those concerns from school officials seriously. Still, I'm proud that Howard County is committed to research-based solutions that help our schools serve students well. Investing in the Blueprint means investing in both our students' success and our county's future.
Chronic absenteeism has been a problem in many schools since the Covid-19 pandemic. How big of a problem is absenteeism in your school district, and what if anything can the Board of Education do about it?
Chronic absenteeism is a serious problem, and Howard County is not immune to this national trend. A board member's role is to ensure attendance policies are clearly communicated to families and fairly enforced across our schools. That starts with understanding why students are missing class in the first place. Touring schools and attending community meetings gives board members direct insight into those root causes. Absenteeism is a true "it takes a village" issue—no single policy will solve it. Even the best attendance policy falls short if schools and families aren't sending the same message about why consistent attendance matters. Improving attendance requires open communication and shared effort between schools, parents and the community. If elected, I'm committed to strengthening that partnership so every student has the support they need to be in school and ready to learn.
Are you satisfied with your school district's policy on AI use by students? If so, why? If not, what would you suggest to improve the AI policy?
I believe Howard County Public School System currently has a reasonable AI policy in place, though I'll note that AI technology is evolving so quickly that it's genuinely difficult for any school system to keep pace. I'd like to see our focus shift from primarily policing cheating toward actively preparing students for a technology that is reshaping society. Many educational researchers are now focused on helping schools teach students to use AI safely and responsibly—including understanding its limitations and learning to recognize inaccurate, fabricated or manipulative content. The most effective way to reach that goal is training our school personnel so they, in turn, can guide students through this new landscape. AI's long-term impact on students is still largely unknown, and policymakers must stay vigilant, ready to adjust policy quickly if research reveals any risk of harm to our students.
Youth mental health has been a growing concern for years now. Do you think your school district has the resources and personnel in place to deal with this issue adequately? If not, what would you suggest to improve the situation?
A robust mental health support system is a missing piece of student success—if we want students to learn, we first must make sure they're able to focus and feel supported. Howard County Public School System has begun building out mental health resources, but this system needs to be significantly strengthened, and I believe it should be a top funding priority going forward. Current research clearly shows that screen time, particularly social media use, has had a real negative impact on anxiety and depression among young people. Knowing this, we have a responsibility to ensure our schools are prepared to support them. Practical steps include freeing up guidance counselors to focus more directly on students' emotional well-being, and making sure both students and families are fully aware of the mental health services already available to them.
Do you think there are circumstances when books should be removed from school libraries? If so, what kind of books should be removed, and who should make those decisions?
I believe a board member's role is to remove as many obstacles as possible from students' path to learning, and to support educators as they focus on instruction and inspiring young minds. To that end, students should have access to materials that trained educational professionals—our media and curriculum specialists—deem instructionally appropriate. Howard County Public School System has a well-established materials approval process that has served the county well for decades, along with a parent-initiated review process that gives families the opportunity to raise concerns about specific materials. I also believe strongly in protecting students' constitutional rights to access information. One family's concerns about a book should be addressed through our existing review process. A parent's right to guide their own child's reading does not extend to deciding what other families' children are allowed to read
