The Maryland Education Coalition (MEC) advocates for civil rights, health, public education, and safety for all students and their families. During Maryland's 442nd General Assembly Session, we will work to advance legislation in the following areas:
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Override the Governor's veto of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. (Complete!)
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Maintain current education priorities.
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Improve equity in education policy and funding.
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Respond to the Digital Divide and Enrollment Loss.
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Targeted Investments in Learning Recovery. (tutoring, afterschool/summer programs)
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Support Progressive Revenue Legislation.
Read below to learn more about our priorities...
OVERRIDE THE GOVERNOR'S VETO (*Complete!*)
The Blueprint for Maryland's Future implements a series of important education reforms that benefit our children’s education, health and well-being, as well as the state’s economy.
Community pressure is needed to override Governor Hogan's veto of this bi-partisan long-term investment in PreK-12 Public Education.
MAINTAIN CURRENT EDUCATION PRIOIRITIES
Ensure the state budget for fiscal year 2022 allocates funding to the same education line items that were prioritized in Blueprint bills SB1030 (2019) and in HB1300 (2020).
Support the governor and legislature taking necessary action to fund the priorities identified in the Blueprint bill including but not limited to the following, all of which are essential in re-engagement and recovery of students due to the impact of Covid-19:
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school health
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tutoring
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early childhood
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pre-kindergarten
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wrap around services.
IMPROVE EQUITY IN EDUCATION POLICY AND FUNDING
(Ongoing)
Lawmakers are planning a Blueprint Correction Bill to update the phase-in timeline.
The Blueprint Correction Bill should prioritize students who need the most support (e.g., pre-existing and COVID related learning loss, low-income, ELL, and special education).
RESPOND TO DIGITAL DIVIDE AND ENROLLMENT LOSS
(Passed)
Support legislation to address the digital divide and prioritize students and districts with the greatest needs first.
Resources to eliminate the digital divide must be in addition to resources for implementation of the Blueprint, preferably using separate or different revenue resources.
Support legislation is also needed to hold Districts harmless for enrollment loss in FY22 - use 2019 enrollment count or 3-year average.
BLUEPRINT AND STATE REGULATIONS
(Pending)
MEC recommends amending the Blueprint to enable compliance with the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) Title 13A standards.
COMAR outlines State standards and requirements all aspects of a comprehensive education including Career Technology Education, class size, Fine Arts, Gifted and Talented, Physical Education, and pupil support services.
SUPPORT PROGESSIVE REVENUE LEGISLATION
(Ongoing)
Support progressive revenue legislation to provide resources that ensure:
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Access to equitable and adequate funding for public education
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Full implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future
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Elimination of the digital divide
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School districts are held harmless for enrollment losses
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Learning loss due to COVID-19 is addressed.
2021 MEC Testimony & Position to
Maryland General Assembly (MGA)
with a summary of the bill with a link to the text
HOUSE BILL 001 Historically Black Colleges and
Appropriations - Hearing 1/19
Requiring the Maryland Higher Education Commission to establish a new unit to assist in evaluating and reviewing certain proposals for new programs and substantial modifications of existing programs; requiring the Governor, for fiscal years 2023 through 2032, to include in the annual State operating budget $577,000,000 to be allocated to certain historically black colleges and universities; establishing the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Reserve Fund; requiring the Cigarette Restitution Fund to include a separate account; etc.
Sponsored by: The Speaker of the House
FAVORABLE
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 171: State Department of Education--School
Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs - Hearing 3/18
Requiring the State Department of Education to disaggregate certain discipline-related data in an electronic spreadsheet format for the Department's website; requiring certain discipline-related data to be available as a data download; requiring the Department to provide certain discipline-related data to the public in an accessible electronic spreadsheet format; requiring the Department to report on student discipline data to the Governor and the General Assembly by August 1 each year; etc.
Sponsored by: Delegate Washington
FAVORABLE
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 237: Early Literacy and Dyslexia Practices--
Ways and Means - Hearing 1/20
Requiring the State Department of Education to establish, by October 1, 2021, a stakeholder advisory group to develop a reading and dyslexia handbook to guide local school systems in the implementation of best practices for early literacy and dyslexia; requiring a completed handbook be made available to the public by June 1, 2022; requiring the identification of tools and materials to address the needs of at-risk and struggling students with dyslexia; requiring the Department to update the handbook every 3 years; etc.
Sponsored by: Delegate Ebersole
FAVORABLE
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 465: State Superintendent of Schools--
Qualifications and Senate Confirmation
Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs - Hearing 3/18
Requiring that the State Superintendent of Schools be appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate; and prohibiting the appointment of an individual as State Superintendent if the individual is, or during the immediately preceding year was, a member of the State Board of Education.
Sponsored by: Delegate Washington
FAVORABLE
WITH AMENDMENTS
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 588: Budget Bill (Fiscal Year 2022)--
Appropriations - Hearing 3/18
Making the proposed appropriations contained in the State Budget for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2022, in accordance with Article III, Section 52 of the Maryland Constitution; etc.
Sponsored by: Delegate Washington
INFORMATIONAL
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 589: Budget Reconciliation and
Appropriations - Hearing 3/3
Requiring a certain percentage of certain raffle proceeds to be deposited into a certain fund; expanding the authorized uses of certain funds; requiring certain funding be used to disburse assistance under the Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program; requiring the Governor to include in the budget bill submitted at the 2022 General Assembly session a certain appropriation; altering the rate at which the land of certain country clubs and golf courses is valued for tax assessment purposes; etc.
Sponsored by: The Speaker of the House
FAVORABLE
WITH AMENDMENTS
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 724: Special Education--
Education and Vocational Services--Prolonged
Ways and Means - Hearing 2/12
Requiring a county board of education to offer and provide to certain disabled and special education students whose schools are subject to a prolonged school closure an option to continue attending school or receiving education services after the student's anticipated graduation date; requiring a county board to provide a notice to the parents or guardians of eligible students about a student's option to continue attending school or receiving certain education services; etc.
Sponsored by: Delegate Guyton
FAVORABLE
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 764: Education--Broadening Options and
Opportunities for Students Today Program--Established
Ways and Means - Hearing 2/12
Establishing the Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today Program to provide scholarships for students who are eligible for the free and reduced price lunch program to attend a nonpublic school; requiring the State Department of Education to administer the Program and adopt regulations to implement the Program; and requiring the Governor, beginning in fiscal year 2022, to include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of $15,000,000 for the Program.
Sponsored by: Delegate Kittleman
OPPOSED
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 820: County Boards of Education--Computer
Science Courses--Reporting Requirements
Ways and Means - Hearing 3/3
Requiring each county board of education, beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, to submit a report on or before April 30 each year to the State Board of Education and the General Assembly on computer science courses offered in public schools in the county in the prior school year; requiring each county board to include certain information in the report; requiring each county board to include certain information in the report and post certain data conspicuously on its website; etc.
Sponsored by: Delegate Rose
OPPOSED
WITH CONDITIONS
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 823: Public Schools--Mathematics Credit--
College Preparatory Computer Science or Computer
Ways and Means - Hearing 3/3
Authorizing a student who is enrolled at a public high school to satisfy a certain graduation requirement to earn credits in mathematics by completing a credit in a certain college preparatory computer science or computer programming course under certain circumstances; and requiring a county board to certify to the State Department of Education that the computer science or computer programming course may count toward the mathematics graduation requirement.
Sponsored by: Delegate Rose
OPPOSED
WITH CONDITIONS
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 1166: Education--Physical Restraint and
Seclusion--Reporting and Training
Ways and Means - Hearing 2/24
Requiring a certain report on the use of physical restraint or seclusion incidents to include, for the prior school year, certain information on the number of physical restraint and seclusion incidents for certain students; requiring the Department to make recommendations for improvements in data collection and positive behavioral interactions to certain schools unable to verify reported data; requiring a report to the Department by December 1 each year on steps taken to encourage positive behavioral interventions; etc.
Sponsored by: Delegate Ebersole
FAVORABLE
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 1181: County Boards of Education--
Accessibility Standards--Digital Tools (Nonvisual
Access Accountability Act for Grades K-12 Education)
Ways and Means - Hearing 2/24
Requiring digital tools developed or purchased by a county board of education to include specifications for access by students with disabilities, including nonvisual access; requiring a county board to provide a student with disabilities access to digital tools that enable students with disabilities to acquire the same information and access the same services as students without disabilities; requiring each invitation for bids or request for proposals for a digital tool to require submission of an accessibility conformance report; etc.
Sponsored by: Delegate Guyton
FAVORABLE
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
HOUSE BILL 1372: Blueprint for Maryland's Future--
Appropriations - Hearing 3/15
Requiring a certain percentage of certain raffle proceeds to be deposited into a certain fund; expanding the authorized uses of certain funds; requiring certain funding be used to disburse assistance under the Janet L. Hoffman Loan Assistance Repayment Program; requiring the Governor to include in the budget bill submitted at the 2022 General Assembly session a certain appropriation; altering the rate at which the land of certain country clubs and golf courses is valued for tax assessment purposes; etc.
Sponsored by: The Speaker of the House
FAVORABLE
WITH AMENDMENTS
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
SENATE BILL 493: Budget Reconciliation and
Budget & Taxation - Hearing 3/3
Authorizing, altering, or requiring the distribution and payment of certain revenue in certain fiscal years; increasing the amount local governments are required to reimburse the State for certain services; etc.
Sponsored by: The President of the Senate
FAVORABLE
WITH AMENDMENTS
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
SENATE BILL 915: The Blueprint for Maryland's Future--
Performance Standards--Clarifications
Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs - Hearing 3/9
Clarifying that the performance standards referred to in The Blueprint for Maryland's Future are the standards required in Title 13A of COMAR; and clarifying that the accountability system for The Blueprint for Maryland's Future ensures adequate funds are provided by State and local jurisdictions to local education agencies to achieve the performance standards required in Title 13A of COMAR.
Sponsored by: Senator McCray
FAVORABLE
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
SENATE BILL 941: Primary and Secondary Education--
Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs - Hearing 3/18
Authorizing the State Department of Education, a county board of education, or a public institution of higher education to establish a statewide public virtual school in the State; repealing certain provisions of law regarding the establishment and operation of virtual schools; authorizing eligible students to enroll in any State virtual school; prohibiting a virtual school from enrolling a certain number of certain students and from charging fees or tuition; requiring the State to distribute certain funds to virtual schools; etc.
Sponsored by: Senator Reilly
OPPOSED
MEC TESTIMONY >>>
Practice Masking, Hand-washing
and Social Distancing.
MEC urges ALL members, partners, friends and
communities to remain Smart, Safe and Healthy.
