The Howard County public school system has lost one of its greatest equity champions to Prince George's County.

Jacqueline F. Brown, director of academic reform, worked her last day Friday.

"I'm just floored," said Sandra H. French, Howard County Board of Education vice chairman.

"Jackie Brown has been such and inspiration to all of us, such a very strong advocate for all children, especially children of minority backgrounds. ... I'll miss her greatly."

Brown said yesterday that she could not reveal what she will be doing in Prince George's, though an announcement was expected today.

She came to Howard County as a human relations coordinator in 1992, shortly after the Maryland Commission on Human Relations criticized the school system for taking a "head in the sand" approach to race relations. Many believe that Brown single-handedly opened administrators' eyes.

"[People] wanted to address the issue but didn't know how. There's always the fear of offending," French said. "She helped us. ... The board now has a minority belief statement, and I give her full credit for getting that moving."

During her tenure, Brown served in the superintendent's executive Cabinet and on the school system's Strategic Leadership Council.

She created a five-part instructional program for designing, applying and evaluating teaching methods for low-performing students, and she kept the school system up to date on the latest research.

"That was the value that she added," said Kimberly Statham, associate superintendent for curriculum and instruction. "Right now, we're making sure that we don't lose that."

Statham said the school system has not yet made any strides toward finding a successor.

Brown, who has lived in Prince George's for 31 years and has a vested interest there, said the move is a step up in her career and that she could not turn it down.

"It was hard to say goodbye," she said. "I've had a family of wonderful educators and friends [in Howard] for 11 years."

This year, Brown had been slated to take the Prince George's superintendent position from Iris T. Metts, who was in a bitter power struggle with the former Board of Education, which fired her.

But Gov. Parris N. Glendening stepped in and dismantled the elected board, replacing it with nine appointed members, who chose to give Metts another chance and a one-year contract announced in June.

Howard W. Stone Jr., the appointed Prince George's school board vice chairman, said members have a search under way for Metts' replacement when her contract expires. Brown was on the short list of candidates, but now Stone says he does not know what to think.

"This is the first I've heard [of the move]," Stone said. "[Brown] was a candidate before, but I don't know if she still is or if she's even interested."

This month, Brown was appointed to the transition team education committee of Prince George's Executive-elect Jack B. Johnson. She said her role there is to "shape a clear template about the direction the county needs to be going in."

Natalie Woodson, Howard County NAACP Education Committee chairman, said Brown is the best person for that task.

"All components of her are about improving the academic achievement of students," Woodson said.

Brown said she has faith Howard County will get along fine without her, but she is proud of her legacy.

"It's been said, and I think it's true, that the one thing people could always depend on me for is to keep the dialogue going and to talk about the things folks were uncomfortable talking about," Brown said. "Nobody's head is in the sand anymore."