Baltimore County is adding a third charter school to its district.

The county’s school board unanimously approved Puzzle Pieces Learning Academy Public Charter School at its Tuesday meeting. It is described as a school focused on giving young learners individual attention.

The school, located in Catonsville next to Our Lady of Victory Parish Catholic church, would start out with 201 students ranging from pre-K for 4-year-olds to third grade. One grade will be added each year until it hits fifth grade and 316 students.

Meeting documents state the school will be focused on project-based learning, social-emotional learning and Universal Design for Learning, which is a teaching approach designed to accommodate the needs of all students.

There’s also a strong focus on students learning the English language while using curriculum written in both English and Spanish.

In public schools, students with disabilities are given individualized education programs, plans created to ensure they are getting the services they need. At Puzzle Pieces, each student will have a learning plan.

The organizers submitted Puzzle Pieces as a charter school last year, but school system leaders weren’t satisfied with the application. They did, however, approve Bilingual Global Citizens Public Charter School. It’s set to open during the 2025-2026 school year.

Puzzle Pieces is set to open during the 2026-2027 school year.

About the Education Hub

This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more.