State Superintendent Optimistic 番茄社区app Education Reforms
Despite concerns raised by Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) and other legislative leaders regarding future commitments to Maryland鈥檚 signature education plan, the Blueprint for Education, State Superintendent Carey Wright is optimistic for the future of education reforms in the state.
She emphasized that 鈥溾 and she expects to see further progress in the next year.
鈥淚 think everybody has been really enthusiastic about the future and what that holds for the [Maryland State Department of Education] (MSDE) and what that holds across the state,鈥 Wright said at the Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) winter conference on Dec. 13.
Her literacy plan, which received thousands of public comments mainly due to a controversial provision to retain third graders, was altered to require more parental involvement.
Attorney Tonya Sweat, who is running for Prince George鈥檚 County Executive, supports the idea behind the plan but questions what can be done regarding students in higher grades with literacy issues.
鈥淲hat you鈥檙e doing is admitting we have a social promotion system in the state,鈥 said Sweat. 鈥淲hat are we doing about the students in the other grades who aren鈥檛 doing well?鈥
She recommends testing for literacy in middle school, around the seventh grade.
鈥淭hat will help ensure our students are ready for college prep, or career and technology education, and ultimately, graduation,鈥 she said.
[Is there a way to do one more brief transition sentence and quote from Sweat or Wright to end?]
Board of Public Works Approves Study on Poverty in Maryland Schools
The Board of Public Works (BPW), allocated $120,000 to fund a new study on poverty in Maryland schools during a Dec. 4 meeting.
鈥淭he Blueprint for Maryland鈥檚 Future created several new school funding streams that rely on counts of low-income students,鈥 said the Governor鈥檚 Office for Children in a statement, before also emphasizing the importance of an accurate count of child poverty to best guide resources to those in need.
Comptroller Brooke Lierman (D) noted that current methods of calculating poverty rely on eligibility and enrollment in social safety programs such as SNAP and Medicaid.
鈥淭his issue is exacerbated for undocumented students or citizen children of undocumented parents,鈥 she said regarding the possible undercount of poverty in state schools.
Lierman also noted that 2013 data that the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) considered using was outdated as several public schools have since closed down.
The comptroller emphasized that this issue is personal, not just political, and affects her family, former legislative district and residents statewide.
鈥淎s a Baltimore City Public School mom,鈥 Lierman said, 鈥淚鈥檝e got a lot of strong feelings about this.鈥
County Educators Aim to Improve Transparency, Have Open Bargaining Sessions
Members of the Prince George鈥檚 County Education Association (PGCEA) have raised issue with the Board of Education鈥檚 planned closed-session negotiations, which would reduce transparency and limit bargaining power, for the upcoming collective bargaining agreement for educators and school staff. It is likely that these negotiations will be held during the Jan. 16 Prince George鈥檚 County Board of Education meeting.
鈥淣egotiations were tentatively scheduled to start on [Dec. 10]. However, this year PGCPS has not yet agreed to open bargaining, instead proposing closed-door negotiations, locking out the community,鈥 read an email from PGCEA staffer Amanda Jennings.
PGCEA members are also seeking to address student-to-teacher ratios, addressing the digital divide, improving transportation issues, and other issues besides the collective bargaining fight.
鈥淲e are ready to put it all on the table to address educator vacancies, inefficiencies, inequities, and a lack of transparency in our school system,鈥 said PGCEA President Dr. Donna Christy. 鈥淲e need Prince George鈥檚 County to move beyond promise and towards real progress. Our community has a right to know where we stand.鈥