Photo from Christian Rhodes Christian Rhodes, formerly a government relations specialist for the Maryland State Education Association, was appointed as the education policy adviser to County Executive Rushern L. Baker III earlier this month.

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Retaining quality educators and improving outside perception of the Prince George’s County school system are two of Christian Rhodes’ priorities as the county executive’s new education policy adviser.

“We have to do a better job of rebranding our county school system and also [of] raising expectations of our teachers, our principals... of county government to support our school system, of parents, of our students,” Rhodes said.

Despite incremental improvements, Prince George’s has consistently ranked near the bottom of the state in standardized test scores, according to data from the state department of education.

As an adviser to County Executive Rushern L. Baker (D), Rhodes, formerly a government relations specialist with the Maryland State Education Association, is tasked with translating policy into priorities and innovative programs as well as fostering collaboration between the Prince George’s County government and the school board.

Rhodes, 28, said he will help to facilitate work on a “comprehensive and effective budget [that] funds innovative ideas” while aligning county agencies to support the school system.

“It’s important to understand who the experts are in education,” said Rhodes, a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who now lives in Camp Springs. “It’s less about trying to implement ideas but about working with [schools Superintendent William R.] Hite [Jr.] and the board of education to prioritize the initiatives and ideas they have.”

Rhodes’ experience as an advocate for teachers will be helpful in his new role relaying Baker’s vision for county education, said school board chairwoman Verjeana M. Jacobs.

“[Rhodes] has been a reform-minded person around education,” Jacobs said.

Rhodes began work as the education policy adviser earlier this month. Baker said appointing an energetic person — one who understands kindergarten through high school education and how counties lobby the state for resources — to this high-level position reflects his emphasis on education.

Phil Lee, the executive director of the Kettering Civic Association and an education activist, said Rhodes has his work cut out for him in trying to unite Baker, the school board and the County Council around a shared vision for education in Prince George’s.

“He almost would have to be the Wizard of Oz to bring those three branches of government together,” Lee said.

But if Rhodes’ work as a liaison between the county’s governing bodies can help to make some of Hite’s ideas for improving the school system a reality, Lee said, it could encourage Hite, whose three years as superintendent make him the county’s longest-serving leaders since Iris T. Metts’ controversial four years as head of the system from 1999 to 2003, to stay in Prince George’s after his contract ends in June 2013.

“We need to hold on to this superintendent who appears to know what this school system needs, and he needs support,” Lee said.

abrownback@gazette.net