In 1992, the State Superintendent appointed a Maryland Task Force on Education That Is Multicultural, comprised of representatives from 24 school systems and the Maryland State Department of Education. The Task Force was formed for the purpose of rewriting the Ethnic and Cultural Minorities Regulation originally adopted in 1970 and amended in 1979 and 1989. The Ethnic & Cultural Minorities Regulation was repealed in 1993, and the Education That is Multicultural (ETM) Regulations were adopted in 1993 and amended in 1994. The Task Force met until 1996 to assist local school systems.

In 1997, the State Superintendent reorganized the Task Force as the Maryland State Education That Is Multicultural (ETM) Advisory Council. This council, with representation from each Maryland school system, MSDE, higher education, and the Maryland Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education, has met monthly and developed policies, recommendations, procedures, and resources to assist educators in the implementation of Education That Is Multicultural. Listed below are the major activities of the ETM Council in 1997-98.

1. Developed protocols for assessing the status of system-wide and school-wide implementation of education that is multicultural (ETM) programs in Maryland

2. Developed guidelines and a format for Local School System Annual Progress Reports on Education That Is Multicultural

3. Developed an instrument for MSDE to use in providing feedback to local school systems on their five-year ETM plans

4. Developed guidelines for FTM preservice and inservice course for use by local school systems and Maryland colleges of education

5. Compiled and distributed to all Maryland public schools Multicultural Connections, an annotated resource directory for educators listing national and state resources related to education that is multicultural

6. Developed an instructional materials evaluation form and guidelines for local school systems to use in assessing the multicultural appropriateness of instructional materials

7. Provided technical assistance to local school systems on ETM plan development

8. Compiled statewide disaggregated data related to student achievement

9. Prepared a Report on the Status of Implementation of Education That Is Multicultural in Maryland. This report includes summaries of activities implemented in each school system

10. Prepared a Report on the Status of Minority Student Achievement in Maryland.

1. Publication of a document highlighting exemplary and promising state and local programs and practices related to ETM and enhancing minority student achievement

2. Assistance to local school systems with the preparation of new five-year ETM plans to be submitted in 1999

3. Recognition of Maryland educators and community organizations who have made outstanding contributions to enhancing education that is multicultural and minority student achievement

4. Development of a comprehensive Education That Is Multicultural Course to offer for use throughout the state