Committed to Baltimore. Powered by purpose. Focused on the future.
This 2025-26 school year marks a milestone for the Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) — our 30th anniversary. As I reflect on all we’ve built together, I keep coming back to this: BCP has never been just about running schools. It’s always been about something bigger—about giving every child, regardless of zip code, access to the kind of public education that truly works.
Over the course of the year, we’ll be lifting up the people and practices that have defined our journey. But first, I want to start where it all began—with a small group of educators, a big idea, and an unwavering commitment to kids.
Our Beginning: Rooted in Research and Purpose
Dr. Berkeley working with BCP students.
For the first five months, our founding team, led by Dr. Muriel Berkeley and funded by the Abell Foundation, didn’t jump into classrooms. Instead, they studied. They read books, articles, and research papers. They visited schools across the country that were getting real results, attended conferences, and talked with dozens of teachers and principals.
Their guiding question: What works, and how do we bring it home to Baltimore?
The answer, again and again, was Direct Instruction (DI)—a structured, research-based teaching model designed to close gaps and build mastery. It became the foundation of our academic program and has remained central to our identity ever since.
Why Direct Instruction?
Direct Instruction isn’t flashy. It’s not a trend. It’s a time-tested, proven approach that works for all students we serve. As Shep Barbash wrote in his book, Clear Teaching, DI “is rocket fuel for the gifted,” and it has a long and extremely well-established track record of effectiveness for our most vulnerable learners. It gives teachers the tools and structure to deliver clear, purposeful lessons. It builds skills step-by-step, checks for understanding constantly, and moves on when students are ready.
And more importantly, it delivers results.
Year after year, our reading growth data on the NWEA MAP assessment tells a powerful story: our students are consistently making progress at or above the 50th percentile nationally.
This means that our students aren’t just keeping pace — they’re matching or exceeding the average growth of students across the country. It’s evidence that the structure, clarity, and high expectations of Direct Instruction help every learner move forward, regardless of where they start.
For BCP, these results reaffirm what we see every day in our classrooms: engaged students, confident readers, and a teaching approach that turns potential into achievement.
Watch DI in action at BCP school, Wolfe Street Academy.
Read more about BCP’s history with DI.
Since those early days, BCP has grown from a grant-funded implementor of a reading program into Maryland’s largest neighborhood charter operator. Today, we serve thousands of students across the city in our six charter schools:
- City Springs Elementary / Middle School
- Frederick Elementary School
- Govans Elementary School
- Hampstead Hill Academy
- Pimlico Elementary / Middle School
- Wolfe Street Academy
Nationally Recognized for Direct Instruction Excellence
On July 24, 2025, BCP was honored by the National Institute for Direct Instruction (NIFDI) with the Inaugural Silver Star Schools Award. This national recognition celebrates schools and networks that have maintained a long-term commitment to DI with fidelity, and we’re proud to be among the first three recipients. BCP is one of three organizations in the country to receive this impressive award.
It’s a moment of pride not just for us, but for every teacher who’s ever stood at the front of a classroom, script in hand, determined to reach every child.
That night, I stood at the podium at the NIFDI conference in Eugene, Oregon, before 45 BCP colleagues and a room full of national educators, and accepted the award with deep gratitude. I shared with the audience how the incomparable Muriel Berkeley started BCP and was tasked with bringing the best reading program to Baltimore. She did her research, and it led her inevitably to DI, and we’ve been going strong ever since.
NIFDI has been a big part of our success over the past three decades, of course. Another big piece is our extraordinary teachers who are now principals, assistant principals, and instructional coaches who recognize what a gift DI is to our teachers and students – and who are developing the next generation of educational leaders.
Growing Forward
Of course, BCP has never stood still. Over the last 30 years, we’ve added other best practices to our schools, like Restorative Practices, the community school model, and more. We’ve built a community of educators that support each other, work in tandem with our strong community partners, and continue to push ourselves to do better for our students, our families, and our city.
But our foundation hasn’t changed. We’re still grounded in what works. We’re still fiercely focused on equity. And we’re still committed to the idea that with the right tools, all kids can succeed.
A Year to Celebrate — and Reflect
This 30th anniversary is about more than looking back. It’s about honoring our roots and using them to fuel our future. It’s about lifting up the stories of the students, educators, and families who inspire us every day.
It’s about reminding ourselves—and our city—why we do this work. Teaching our students is the best work there is, the most fun, and the most important.
We believe in Baltimore’s children. We believe in public education. And we believe in results. Here’s to the next chapter.
Committed to Baltimore. Powered by purpose. Focused on the future.
