The Administration’s bill to constrain funding associated with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, HB 504 – Excellence in Maryland Public Schools Act, was debated on the House floor this week after the House Appropriations and Ways and Means Committees voted to reject many of Governor Wes Moore’s proposed changes.
Both committees restored funding allocated to “collaborative time” for teachers and gave local school systems flexibility as to when they start it. The committees also reestablished funding for community schools, per-pupil funding for low-income students and English learners, and kept the Grow Your Own teacher program. The Maryland State Education Association (“MSEA”), who represents public school teachers, was very pleased with the Appropriations Committee’s vote, with the President stating that “By restoring funding that our schools expected and need, the General Assembly can protect students in poverty, multilingual learners, and the state’s successful expansion of community schools”.
In a statement, Governor Moore defended his proposal, arguing that “If we are to provide excellence in education throughout Maryland, we must work towards the Blueprint’s primary goals and strategies while making it fit our current needs and realities in a post-pandemic environment.”
Despite the Governor’s position and attempts by Republican members to revert the bill back to its original version, the House ultimately opted to restore the initial funding, putting it at odds with the Senate, which supports the Governor’s original bill. The House will vote on the full bill by the end of this week and the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee will vote on the bill sometime next week.
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