Here’s What We Won Thanks to YOU!

We made it happen! Thanks to members in every county, MSEA’s campaign to FIX the FUND went far beyond schoolhouse walls — and could now mean an additional $500 million annually for our schools.

Legislators agreed nearly unanimously: Maryland needs to right the murky promise made in 2008 that state casino revenues that went into the Education Trust Fund would supplement education funding. Instead, nearly $2 billion of that funding has been redirected elsewhere by Gov. O’Malley and Gov. Hogan. Now we can make sure those funds will help eliminate the $2.9 billion funding shortage in our schools.

But the legislation passed in April is just the first step in our Maryland Promise campaign. Now, a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November, if passed, will guarantee that any money in the Education Trust Fund will enrich school funding above and beyond the state’s current school funding formula.

The next step is to make sure voters know to vote YES on the ballot mea- sure on November 6 so we can permanently Fix the Fund.

How many years of experience working in public schools do you think Gov. Hogan’s appointees to the Maryland State Board of Education (SBOE) have? ZERO.

Instead, the Board has been stocked with private and charter school proponents carrying Betsy DeVos’ agenda.

Now — finally — the SBOE will give educators seats at the table. Two educators will be added to the Board, providing new voices of reason and experience. They’ll be chosen from a list generated by MSEA and the Baltimore Teachers Union.

Strong unions mean a strong voice for educators. It’s that simple.

Welcoming new educators into the profession and sharing what your union does is a vital gateway to keeping your local and state associations strong.

Now your union has protected access to new employees so that the power of collective bargaining, access to representation, and the benefits of membership can be fully explained.