Nelson Hernandez and Daniel de Vise:

Deasy has vowed to raise the county’s test scores, which have increased in recent years, by reallocating staff to the system’s worst-performing schools, bolstering teacher recruitment and retention, improving parental participation, and giving children more opportunities and better training to participate in Advanced Placement courses.
“You need not be concerned about the level of gravity in which we take it,” Deasy told the board. “You need to be concerned about the celebration when we meet our goals.”