Shawn Joseph may be new in the role, but he’s no stranger to Prince George’s County Public Schools. Now serving as interim superintendent, Joseph is stepping into a familiar building with fresh focus—even if his contract only lasts a year.
Things moved fast. He was named to the position the same week the offer came. But he’s not easing into the job. He’s leaning on years of educational research and real-world experience to hit the ground running.
“Successful schools all have a few basics down,” Joseph said. “They’re safe, they’re clear on what matters in the classroom, and they work together to help students hit those standards.”
And while he doesn’t expect parents to become at-home reading teachers, he does believe they should step in when kids fall off track. “If your child is disrupting class, not eating, not doing homework—you should be part of the solution,” he said. “Parents need to be in this with us.”
Knowing he only has a year, Joseph’s looking to lock in some quick wins: safety, staffing, school buses, truancy, and—of course—academic performance.
“We might not solve everything overnight,” he said. “But if we can prove we’re doing better than last year? That’s real progress.”
Joseph also wants to push back against the idea that the district is failing. “A lot of folks don’t realize that African American students here are doing better than most across the country,” he said. “We’ve got kids going to top universities, joining the military, becoming firefighters and police officers—but we don’t share those stories nearly enough.”
As for whether he wants the job permanently. He’s not rushing it. “Right now, this feels like the dating phase,” he said. “I’m fully committed to the work.”
And if it doesn’t work out? He’s got a backup plan. “I’ve got my old job waiting for me,” he added. “We tell kids to dream big and prepare for options—I try to live that way, too.”
Why take the leap at all? Joseph said it came down to a gut decision. “I just felt like the timing was right. I prayed on it and thought, ‘What do you have to lose?’”
