Michael Browne

Michael Browne was a fifth-grade teacher for seven years before becoming assistant principal,
and later principal, of Pocomoke Elementary School. Pocomoke is a small-town school serving
387 students, around 70 percent of whom receive free or reduced-price meals — the highest rate
in the county. For the first three years of his five-year tenure, Pocomoke was recognized by the
state of Maryland as a Superlative Highest Performing Rewards School for being a high
achieving school with Title I status. Browne credits academic growth at Pocomoke to the
school’s adoption of data-driven instruction, which he supports through targeted professional
development, distributed leadership, and effectively facilitated assessment and communication.
To support the school community in understanding and adapting to changes in mathematics
standards, Browne introduced several initiatives that have led to further growth, including lead
teacher mentorship at every grade level, family “math nights,” and a fully-funded Digital
Learning Lab that brings 21st century tools and resources to the curriculum. In the 2015-2016
school year, just 21 percent of students were receiving Tier 1 instruction in math at the beginning
of the school year. By the end of the year, that number had risen to 97 percent. Browne holds an
Ed.D, an M.Ed. in Counseling, and an M.Ed. in Administration from Wilmington University, as
well as a B.S. in Elementary Education from West Chester University.