BLUEPRINT FOR MARYLAND’S FUTURE TALKING POINTS

Maryland’s economy and quality of life have long been rooted in a strong public education

system. But while we have high quality public schools in many communities, there are

communities where our children do not have access to the education they deserve.

Persistent achievement gaps exist in academic performance for students of color, students living in poverty, and students with disabilities. And even in wealthy communities the past decade has seen our schools fall behind national and international peers. The state has dropped from 1st to 8th in national education rankings.

This legislation is designed to make Maryland a national education leader and get back to first in the country. Each and every child in this state deserves a world class education regardless of their zip code. The Kirwan Commission has met for the better part of a decade, spending countless hours working with legislators and experts, to craft this education plan which will revolutionize Maryland’s system.

Public support is clear, 75% of Marylanders believe we spend too little on education, and 70%

are willing to personally pay more in taxes to ensure schools have the resources they need.

HB 1300 KEY COMPONENTS

Expanding Early Childhood Education

• Early support and interventions for young children and their families builds a strong

foundation for a world-class education. Investing in full-day prekindergarten for low-

income 3-year-olds and all 4-year-olds provides our youngest students with the tools they

need early on so they can reach their full potential.

• Expanding family support centers and Judy Centers in high-poverty areas will provide

greater access to wraparound services for communities that need it most.

Hiring and Keeping High-quality, Diverse Teachers

• Average salaries for teachers in Maryland are 25% below those of comparable

professions. Paying teachers a salary comparable to other professional fields will help

recruit and retain the best teachers for our students.

• Providing rigorous preparation programs and offering more opportunities for

advancement will elevate teaching to a high-status profession so we can attract the best

and brightest in the country.

• By providing teachers with a pathway to a long career, we can encourage great teachers

to stay in the classroom. The career ladder rewards National Board Certified (NBC) teachers with an initial salary boost of $10,000 and NBC teachers working in a low- performing schools with a salary boost of $7,000.

• The Blueprint adds more NBC support programs with the goal of attracting more diverse

teacher populations. It also includes diversity-centered instruction in lead teacher

requirements so every teacher is prepared to teach students from diverse backgrounds.

More Support Services for Students Who Need It Most

• The Blueprint will meet the needs of every student – students who are falling behind,

students with disabilities, and students who are English learners will get significantly

more support to keep them on track toward college and career readiness.

• Schools with high poverty rates will get more funding for additional resources like

healthcare coverage, community school coordinators and other wraparound services to

help students and their families who are living with poverty.

Raising Standards for College & Career Readiness

• With less than 1/3 of our students being college and career ready, the Blueprint creates

pathways to ensure that students are prepared to take college credit courses or choose a

career track by 10th grade.

• The Blueprint provides career counseling programs for middle and high school students,

CTE pathways and competitive college prep programs to ensure that the next generation

of students are trained and ready to compete in a global economy.

Accountability Measures

• The Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) will monitor the schools’ progress

and ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent to help every child.

• The Board will deploy expert review teams to every Maryland school at least once over

10 years. Schools that are failing will get the greatest attention and will have expert

review teams deployed multiple times over 10 years.

Economic Impact

• This bill isn’t just good for public schools, it’s a vital investment in Maryland’s economic

future. It will help attract new businesses and entrepreneurs as our state adapts to an

economy increasingly rooted in technological innovation.

• Maryland’s economic future depends on a highly-skilled, well-educated workforce. Good

schools attract more families to the state to take advantage of the quality school system.