Legislators, Governor Agree on Budget; Further School Funding and Blueprint Details Emerge

And other legislative updates in this week’s Up the Street

THIS WEEK IN ANNAPOLIS

At dozens of Maryland schools on Wednesday, educators, students, parents, and community allies were among the tens of thousands nationwide who participated in NEA’s Walk-In to Protect Our Students and Families, raising awareness about the damage the Trump Administration is doing.

Legislators, Governor Agree on Budget; Further School Funding and Blueprint Details Emerge

On Thursday, Senate and House leadership and Gov. Moore jointly announced they have come to agreement on a fiscal year 2026 state budget, using additional cuts and new revenue to solve a $3.3 billion deficit. Later on Thursday, the House Appropriations Committee passed the budget, House Bill 350/Senate Bill 319, and Appropriations and Ways and Means passed the Budget Reconciliation Financing Act (BRFA), House Bill 352/Senate Bill 321. The full House is scheduled to take up those spending plans next week.

The legislative session began with a need to close a $3 billion gap, and, subsequently, actions by the Trump Administration forced lawmakers and Moore to prepare for additional economic hardships. Trump’s assault on the federal workforce alone threatens the state economy, since Maryland is home to 160,000 federal workers.

The deal would lead to the enactment of a fairer tax code where the wealthiest are asked to do more and the working class see no change or a decrease to their income taxes. According to Gov. Moore and the Department of Budget and Management, more than 90% of Marylanders will see no increase or a reduction in their tax bill. Two new tax brackets will be added: one for earners who make between $500,000 and $1 million, and another for those who make above $1 million. Additional key provisions include:

While further details on education funding will be reconciled and finalized as legislators continue work on House Bill 504/Senate Bill 429, the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, the budget deal includes $19 million for Grow Your Own (GYO) programs. MSEA has strongly supported GYO as a pathway to addressing educator shortages and as a means to support education support professionals who choose to become teachers.  

On Friday, further developments emerged as Senate Budget and Taxation Committee Chair Guy Guzzone (D-Howard) and committee members largely agreed with the direction if not the exact language of the House version of HB504. They voted to reverse the bill’s proposed freeze to community school funding, and held harmless funding for students in poverty, multilingual learners and special education programs that would have seen cuts to expected increases due to a delay in collaborative time implementation. Differences must be resolved between the House version, which recommends a higher per pupil foundation amount and $40 million for the Consortium for Coordinated Community Supports, while the Budget and Taxation Committee favored funding the Consortium at $70 million (in FY26; $100 million thereafter) and a lower per pupil foundation amount. The foundation amount difference is tied to the House leaving the foundation amount untouched despite pausing collaborative time implementation for a year; the Senate paused collaborative time implementation for four years and did not fund the foundation amount component for collaborative time in each of those years. Next, on Monday the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee will take up policy aspects of HB504, including GYO programs, possible participation in the interstate teacher compact, and more.

Continued advocacy for education funding will be important now that the Senate is considering the Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act. Click here to urge your senators to do the right thing, and to thank your delegates for protecting funding for our schools.

Revenue Options for Locals Build Strength to Fund Education

House Bill 23, sponsored by Delegate Kris Fair (D-Frederick), gives counties greater authority to raise revenue to fund priorities like education. With MSEA’s support, HB23 is now in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. The bill would allow counties flexibility to set taxing policy that works for their communities. This enabling legislation gives local leaders another tool when crafting local tax policy and could help raise additional funds for priorities like public education.

Controlling Cell Phones in Class Nearer to Law

Responding to educator and public consternation, legislators introduced several bills this session to address the use of cell phones in schools. On Monday, Senate Bill 130 passed the Senate unanimously (43-0). This legislation would require each county board of education to develop and implement a policy regarding student use of and access to cell phones and electronics during the school day. The bill will have a hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday.

Senate Passes Bill to Prevent ICE Raids at Sensitive Locations

With an increase in the traumatizing prospect of immigrant arrest and detention, the Senate passed (31-13) the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, Senate Bill 828. Now in review by the House Judiciary Committee, this legislation prompts the Maryland attorney general to develop guidelines for what federal law enforcement can and cannot do in certain locations such as schools, hospitals, courthouse, among other measures. The bill will have a hearing Wednesday.

“All students should feel protected in their schools, and all families must feel safe engaging in their children’s education,” MSEA President Paul Lemle said at a January rally in support of the legislation.

NEWS AND NOTES

Trump Orders Dismantling of Education Department; Educators Stand for Students with Walk-Ins across Maryland and U.S.

As expected, on Thursday, President Trump issued an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education with no regard for the students in every school who rely on USDE support. MSEA President Paul Lemle called out the potential harm: “Students across Maryland qualify for federal grants and loans to receive career training or attend college. In every county, schools serving lower-income students receive Title I funding.…This potential chaos redoubles the importance of doing all we can in Maryland to strengthen and protect our commitment to our students, especially those coming from backgrounds of poverty, receiving special education services, or who are multilingual learners.”

At stake in Maryland is roughly $1.5 billion that comes from the department to support Maryland students, including:

Trump’s previous and predicted actions prompted a nationwide Walk-In to Protect Our Students and Families organized by the National Education Association (NEA) and local affiliates on Wednesday. At dozens of Maryland schools and across the country, tens of thousands of educators, students, parents, and community allies participated in the walk-ins, raising awareness about the damage the Trump Administration is doing. NEA President Becky Pringle joined Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) members at a walk-in at Takoma Park Middle School.

“What the federal government does do in K-12 education is support our most vulnerable students, our students with disabilities, our students who are in poverty,” MCEA President David Stein said at the event. “That’s where the aid of the federal government is coming in. If that is cut or if that has strings put upon it or whatever it is that they are thinking about in Washington, that could be really devastating for our most vulnerable students.”

NEA Vice President Princess Moss, Secretary-Treasurer Noel Candelaria, and other NEA leaders joined the Prince George’s County Educators’ Association (PGCEA) rally in Upper Marlboro, where PGCEA President Donna Christy also issued a call to action. “Each one of you has a role to play,” she said. “Our schools, our students, and our democracy are worth fighting for.”

MSEA has created a clearinghouse for information that educators may find useful to navigate the implications of major federal policy changes here. NEA’s website and Education Justice pages contain the latest information, including details of specific federal education funding by county and on a statewide basis, on this page.

AG Sues Trump for Marylanders’ Jobs, Education, Rights; Site Tracks Cases’ Status

On behalf of Maryland students, educators, and workers, Attorney General Anthony Brown is suing the Trump Administration for a variety of actions. Maryland is just one of many states fighting an array of Trump executive orders that are decimating the federal workforce and withdrawing necessary support for students and citizens across the nation. Several federal judges have found Trump’s executive orders unconstitutional and ordered their reversal. Among the issues in Maryland’s suits are cuts to the Department of Education , cuts to funding for educator preparation programs, cuts to the federal workforce (160,000 federal workers are Maryland taxpayers), and ending birthright citizenship.

The Baltimore Banner established a site where updates on many of the largest suits will be posted.

Support for Special Education, Antipoverty Programs at Risk from Trump Orders

Undoing the Trump Administration’s decimation of staff at the U.S. Department of Education cannot come soon enough for students. The department’s congressionally mandated Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs to support special education, Title I funding, and more, are imperiled without the staff to administer them and measure success, according to former USDE employees tasked with that work. This comes at a time when the number of students nationwide qualifying for special education under the IDEA, has grown to nearly 8 million. These students depend on USDE’s administration and advocacy to assure they receive the services they deserve. An increase of 540,000 IDEA-eligible students was documented between the fall of 2021 and fall 2023, the most recent year for which data are available. The arm of the department that collects that data has suffered massive cuts in staff under the Trump Administration, so important data are now at risk. What we know is that between fall of 2022 and fall of 2023, IDEA-eligible student population grew 3.4%, and estimates are that it could grow by another million over five years.