Every Vote Matters in High-Stakes Election
And other legislative updates in this month’s Up the Street
THIS MONTH IN ANNAPOLIS
Basic Rights, Freedoms on Ballot Tuesday
As Election Day nears, the stakes keep rising for those seeking to defend public education, personal freedoms, healthcare rights, and voting rights. Those values are on Maryland ballots in the election that will determine the next U.S. president, U.S. House and Senate representation, leaders of local school boards, and the future of reproductive health rights.
In the Maryland race that could decide the balance of power in the U.S. Senate, former President Barack Obama has joined a chorus of national leaders endorsing Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks. Many former Larry Hogan voters are also joining the push to support Alsobrooks. With the election just four days away, Alsobrooks holds a double digit lead over Hogan, according to several recent polls, but every vote will make a difference. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) recruited Hogan, with an aim to flip the Senate to Republican control. Senate Democrats need Alsobrooks to join them in a battle to protect our freedoms—freedom to vote, freedom to elect who governs in our name—and our students.
Women’s safety and rights are central to the open 6th congressional district, where educator-recommended Democrat April McClain Delaney (D) is in a statistically tied race against Republican former state Delegate Neil Parrott, a MAGA Trump supporter who voted for weaker domestic violence laws when he represented western Maryland in the House of Delegates, denied the results of the 2020 election, and repeatedly voted against increasing school funding as a state delegate.
Donald Trump and the same anti-public education extremists and election deniers who spread lies in 2020 and helped incite the January 6 attack on the Capitol are actively spreading lies to sow doubts about this year’s presidential election so they can contest the results—and attempt to overturn the will of the people—if they lose.
We have seen this before. When they lose, they try to use false claims, frivolous lawsuits, and, worse, threats and violence to undermine what voters decide at the ballot box. In reality, voters decide who wins when they cast their ballots. If you haven’t yet, be sure to vote on Election Day this Tuesday—and if you need to find educator-recommended candidates for local offices including school board, visit www.MDAppleBallot.com.
New Literacy Policy Includes Some MSEA-Recommended Changes
Improved by feedback from MSEA and other stakeholders, a new literacy policy for K-12 public schools has been adopted to ensure students have supports to learn to read. On October 22, the State Board of Education (SBOE) adopted a fourth version of the policy, which was first introduced in June. It originally mandated retention of third graders who did not read at grade level. In the adopted policy, as MSEA recommended, retention is the last resort. Struggling students must receive layers of supports, and parental consent is required before a child is held back from fourth grade. More than 1,500 comments preceded the final version, including from many educators. MSEA Vice President Nikki Woodward told state board members that the adopted policy is a good place to start to meet student needs, and more needs to be done to ensure educators have the supports and time they need to implement the science of reading and strategies included in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future to help students.
AIB Begins to Approve Local School District Implementation Plans
With statewide implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future funding and programs under way, approval of 24 local education agency (LEA) Blueprint implementation plans is ongoing. Garrett and Saint Mary’s counties’ plans have received approval from the Blueprint’s Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB), and the remaining 22 LEAs have until November 12 to submit revisions needed for AIB approval. The AIB, which received plan updates at its October 24 meeting, expects to approve additional plans at its November 21 meeting. LEAs without approved plans by December 1 receive a warning that 25% of new Blueprint funding may be withheld for this fiscal year. The AIB has consistently stated that its goal is to assist all LEAs so that their plans can be approved and full funding will be distributed.
NEWS AND NOTES
Educator Shortage Meets Pay Gap: Maryland Ranks 13th in Pay Penalty for Teachers
While legislation like the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future is improving educators’ pay, Maryland has the unenviable 13th highest pay penalty for teachers. Based on 2023 data from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), teachers who live in Maryland earn 72 cents on the dollar compared to other professionals with the same education levels, a 27.8% pay gap. Among neighboring states and the District of Columbia, only Virginia has a bigger gap (32%), paying teachers 68 cents on the dollar. The pay gap is less in the District of Columbia (20.7%), Pennsylvania (18.1%), and West Virginia (20.5%).
Biden Advances Gun Safety to Protect Students; Research Finds Policies Work
The ongoing effort to reduce gun violence has again received support from the Biden Administration. President Biden issued an executive order designed to help prevent gun violence and make safety protocols less traumatizing . On the state level, MSEA was active in helping pass legislation last year to create standards and best practices for active shooter drills to minimize their negative impacts to the school community. President Biden’s order comes as undetectable, so-called “ghost” guns—produced by 3-D printing techniques create unique threats and following the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down regulations on bump stocks that create rapid-firing weapons comparable to military machine guns. Biden’s order subjects ghost guns and bump stocks to more regulations and seeks to improve school-based active shooter drills. “Keeping students and educators, including teachers and other school personnel, safe from gun violence in their schools is a top priority for my Administration,” Biden said in the order. Multiple agencies will collaborate to prevent threats, and to examine safety drills’ effectiveness and potential for trauma. Vice President Kamala Harris shares Biden’s commitment to gun safety, but former President Trump has not supported strengthening gun safety legislation, and a Trump Administration could rescind Biden’s order.
Evidence exists that intentional and accidental shootings are less likely to occur where background checks and gun safety laws are in place, according to a Rand Corporation report. It also found that homicides are more likely where stand-your-ground laws and automatic rights to carry concealed weapons are in place.
September Sports Betting Sets Record; Sports, Casinos Deliver $59 Million to Education
In September, sports betting set a record and contributed $9.4 million to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Fund. Sports betting in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 has brought in $21.2 million, compared to $9.1 million in the first quarter of FY2024. Casino gambling revenues in September generated $49.5 million for the Education Trust Fund, a 3.5% increase compared to September a year ago.
CAMPAIGN 2024
Hogan Campaign Dogged by Bad Press around Trump Endorsement of Hogan, Campaign Finance Violation, and Conflicts of Interest
Republican Senate Candidate Larry Hogan has faced a wave of bad press in the closing days of the campaign season. CNN reported this week that Hogan “touted an endorsement from Donald Trump in a private donor call…after repeatedly stating that he did not want Trump’s endorsement.” Reports have accused Hogan’s campaign of benefitting from Maryland’s Future super PAC funneling money directly to the campaign in violation of campaign finance laws that prohibit PACs from coordinating with candidates directly. Additionally, Time magazine has brought to light some of Hogan’s apparent conflicts of interest as governor, when he had the power to steer lucrative state contracts to businesses that had worked with his company. He cast a vote as one of three members of the Board of Public Works that authorized the state contracts to build affordable housing.