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Maryland Wins Big on ESSA Thanks to the Protect Our Schools Act

Photo © Stephen Cherry In September, the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) submitted our state’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan for federal approval. The U.S. Department of Education (USDE) replied in December with a list of plan provisions that in their judgment did not comply with ESSA. The Protect Our Schools Act — passed last year […]
School Funding

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Washington’s Dysfunction Impacting Maryland’s Budget and Economy

The federal government casts a long shadow on Maryland’s budget and economy. THIS WEEK IN ANNAPOLIS Washington DC’s Shadow Over Annapolis From the federal tax bill to the federal shutdown, what happens in Congress has a direct impact on Maryland’s economy and budget. The Comptroller’s Office issued a detailed review of the effects of federal tax […]
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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 […]
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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. […]
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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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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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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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Another Year, Another Hogan Budget with Education Cuts

Fiscal Year 2019 Maryland Budget (photo credit: Erin Cox, Baltimore Sun) THIS WEEK IN ANNAPOLIS More Hogan Education Cuts Education and trees: that’s what Gov. Hogan cuts. This Wednesday, the governor released the fourth and final budget proposal of his term and continued his record of slashing funding for important education programs. Using his power […]
School Funding

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The Kirwan Commission Delivers a Preliminary Report

The sun rises over the State House on opening day of the General Assembly Session OPENING DAY IN ANNAPOLIS The 438th Maryland General Assembly session convened at noon on Wednesday, January 10, 2018. This is the final year of a four-year term for all delegates and senators and an election year for the 188 members of […]
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