The 2009 General Assembly
Legislators place high priority on investing in public schools despite the difficult economy
How did your legislators vote on important education issues? Don’t miss MSTA’s 2009 General Assembly Scorecard!
“Our representatives really showed that they get it. The best way to strengthen Maryland’s economy and build on our #1 ranking is by continuing to provide adequate resources and taking steps to address critical issues affecting students and public schools,” said MSTA President Clara Floyd.
Maryland’s top-ranked education system won strong support during the 2009 session of the Maryland General Assembly, as legislators placed a high priority on investing in public schools despite the difficult economy.
Even as most other areas of the fiscal year 2010 budget were cut, public education received a record $5.5 billion, a 2.5% increase over 2009, on top of more than $250 million in additional school construction funding and nearly $200 million in funding for needy and special education students provided through the federal stimulus package. Legislation requiring the Maryland State Department of Education to measure class sizes and develop a plan to provide preschool for all students across the state also won approval.
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| St. Mary’s County delegate John Bohanan meets with Southern Maryland member-lobbyists who trekked to Annapolis this winter to push for school funding, fair labor practices and more. |
“Our representatives really showed that they get it. The best way to strengthen Maryland’s economy and build on our #1 ranking is by providing more resources and taking steps to address critical issues affecting students and public schools,” said MSTA President Clara Floyd.
Thanks in large part to stimulus help from the federal government and support from the Governor in his budget proposals, the General Assembly was able to keep the Thornton funding formula intact and fully fund teacher pensions for two more years.
In addition, legislators fully funded the Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI) for the 2009-10 school year, which will help 13 counties with higher costs, and rejected a proposed blanket waiver that would have allowed all counties to evade local school funding requirements.
Other key education legislation supported by MSTA and passed by the 2009 General Assembly:
House Bill 379/Senate Bill 990 - Class Size
Requires MSDE to report by the 2012 academic year the number of students who regularly participate in a classroom teacher's class as of September 30 of each year.
SB 234/HB 184 - Maryland’s Preschool for All Business Plan
Requires MSDE to develop a business plan that would provide pre-school programs for all students in every county as soon as resources are available.
SB 560/HB 122 - Calvert County – Collective Bargaining Fees
Enables Calvert Education Association to bargain a fair share fee.
HB 792/SB 569 - ESP - Collective Bargaining – Topics of Negotiation
Allows education support personnel to make a process for discipline and discharge for cause a mandatory subject of bargaining.
HB 587 - Teacher Identification Number
Authorizes MSDE to assign a unique an identification number to each teacher employed in the public schools in the State. Thanks to MSTA’s lobbying efforts the use of the teacher identification number is limited to specified educational purposes and not evaluative purposes.
HB 660/SB241 - Education – Suspension and Expulsion Procedures – Attendance-Related Offenses
Prohibits the suspension and expulsion of students for offenses that are solely related to attendance, except for students already on in-school suspension.
