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Professional Practice

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10 Ways Public Education in Finland and Singapore Is Different Than in the U.S.

Photo: The Atlantic, October 1, 2015. 1. In Finland, law mandates that for every 45 minutes of instruction, students get 15 minutes of play. U.S. kids get less than 30 minutes per day. 2. College is free in Finland — even master’s and doctoral programs. 3. Teachers are highly respected and are paid better in Finland and Singapore. […]
School Funding

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Where’s All That Casino Money?

In 2011, casinos contributed $50 million to the Education Trust Fund; in 2013, $284 million; in 2015, $350 million. Projections for last year are $500 million — in total, $2 billion since 2011. If you’ve been wondering about the influx of casino cash lawmakers promised when casino gambling passed in Maryland, you’re not alone. Talk about school […]
School Funding

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The Tipping Point: Solving the Staffing and Salary Crisis in Maryland Schools

What does $2.9 billion in annual underfunding in our schools look like? A slow-building — but now impossible to ignore — crisis of inadequate staffing levels and educator pay that has direct consequences on the quality of teaching and learning, especially in high-poverty schools. After major progress on both staffing and pay following the state’s last revision of the […]
School Funding

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OPPORTUNITY • EQUITY • PAY

Dramatic salary increases leading to parity between teachers and professionals with similar educational backgrounds. Living wages for ESP. Increased time for planning and collaboration. A locally-negotiated career ladder that gives educators an opportunity to make administrator-level pay without leaving classrooms. Expanded pre-kindergarten, career-technical education, and community schools. We could see these transformational changes in our […]
School Funding

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Betty Weller: Kirwan Gives Us a Unique Opportunity to Face Pervasive Inequities

James Baldwin said that “not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it’s faced.” We know that there are massive inequities in our schools — by socioeconomic status, by neighborhood, and by race. We see these gaps in opportunities result in gaps in achievement. In its review of Maryland school funding, […]
School Funding

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Student Poverty? Class Size? We’re On It.

This is our moment — if we are to be successful in our work influencing the recommendations of the commission to right the $3 billion annual funding deficit that our schools face, we need to educate each other, our communities, and our representatives in Annapolis. Meet Liz, Ronnie, Dwayne, Betty, Jeff, and Vernon — six MSEA activists who are […]
School Funding

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Betty Weller: We’re Making the Connections on School Funding, Student Services, and Student Success

Betty Weller, MSEA President I’ve been travelling the state over the last month to meet with members and talk about the opportunity we have to improve school funding through the recommendations of the Kirwan Commission. This is a chance to improve the future success of our schools and the resources available to students and educators. […]
Legal Questions

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Bargaining Your Contract — Your Right and Duty

In Maryland, education employees work under their negotiated contracts, which are written jointly by their union and board of education. At the bargaining table, teams from each side discuss and debate employee and employer issues and concerns that affect both sides. The outcome of the negotiations become the conditions that make up your daily work […]

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Working Together — Allegany County Educators and Community Stakeholders

Photo: Hamtalk.org Educators and community members gathered in Allegany County on November 9 for a discussion about public education sponsored and organized by the Allegany County Education Association. ACEA is a merged local association that represents teachers, services providers, and education support professionals. Led by ACEA, a panel of educators and civic stakeholders — including representatives from […]
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