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Education Advocate 
   June 13, 2017
In This Issue
Baltimore City Council, Mayor Pugh Strike Deal for City Schools
 Arundel Middle School student, Tashawn, testifies at Youth Voices Rising hearing.
Even after the success of the #FixtheGap campaign and the subsequent $60 million " Bridge to Kirwan " three-year funding package, City Schools was still facing a $40 million budget deficit.
 
Mayor Pugh released her budget proposal in March, and while it did add the funds agreed to in the Bridge to Kirwan, it did not include $10 million in funds pledged by City Council President Jack Young. Important current funding that gives 1,000 students access to 20 after-school programs and 3,400 families access to six community school programs was cut from the mayor's budget.
 
City Council members proposed that a $13 million surplus from the current fiscal year be used to provide $10 million for City Schools to be spread over the next three years, and about $2.58 million for after-school programs next year. An agreement on how to use the surplus funds could not be reached. 
 
The BEC,  allies, and advocates, sprung into action activating the community, meeting with council members, and speaking out at numerous budget hearings to compel Mayor Pugh to restore funding. As a result, the Baltimore City Council - led by the energized new council members - voted to make deep cuts to the mayor's budget proposal in a strategic effort to free up more money for schools and after-school programs.
Cherry Hill and Arundel Community Schools Coordinators prepare students to testify at the Youth Voices Rising hearing.
 
At the Youth Voices Rising hearing last Wednesday, President Young announced that the Council and Mayor Pugh had reached  an agreement to restore funds to City Schools, community schools, and after-school programs!
 
Last night, the final budget was voted on and approved. Thanks to President Young, City Council members, and Mayor Pugh for prioritizing children and youth!

Baltimore City Council, mayor reach budget deal
New, Renovated Schools to Open in Baltimore City
Frederick Elementary
The issues with Baltimore City school buildings are well known. As the oldest in any  district in Maryland, they are rife with deficiencies, and their age and condition make them expensive to repair and maintain. On a daily basis, students and school staff must contend with outdated, inadequate, and in some cases, unhealthy environments that affect their ability to learn and teach. 

The Transform Baltimore campaign, the ACLU, and many allies worked successfully with state legislators to pass the Baltimore City School Construction and Revitalization Act of 2013. The law created the 21st Century Schools Program, a $1 billion school construction plan. For the first time in several decades, thousands of city students and teachers will have the benefit of new or fully renovated schools. Up to 28 schools will be completely rebuilt or renovated by 2020.  

This September, the first two schools in the program - Fort Worthington Elementary/Middle and Frederick Elementary - are scheduled to open. The occasion will be celebrated with a ribbon cutting ceremony, time capsule burial, and other events. John Eager Elementary and Lyndhurst Elementary/Middle will open in January 2018 with others to follow during the summer of 2018 through 2020. 

Fort Worthington
Fort Worthington

During a recent visit to the Forth Worthington site, parent Ashley Hope expressed gratitude for the direction the school is headed. "I can see the vision to bring more structure, innovation, and collaborative learning to the kids." 

The new and renovated schools feature technology-equipped classrooms and flexible spaces designed for interaction and collaboration. Designed with the whole neighborhood in mind, schools will also include shared spaces for community use. Neighborhood improvement plans, which are focused on the area surrounding the new schools, are also being implemented. These plans, developed by the City's Department of Planning and the community under the INSPIRE program, include $5 million in city bonds that have been allocated for projects such as sidewalk repair, improved street lighting, restored green spaces, and more.

Stay tuned for updates and ribbon cutting dates!
   
For more information, meeting locations, and updates on the program, visit http://baltimore21stcenturyschools.org/
Early Education Discipline Reform Bill Becomes Law  
Thanks to the strong advocacy of students, parents, advocates, t eachers, and administrators who want to see better practices in schools, we continue to celebrate a tremendous victory for our youngest learners and their families! 

Governor Hogan confirmed that he would not veto the early education discipline reform bill, Public Schools - Suspension and Expulsions ( SB 651/HB 425), allowing it to become law without his signature.  The legislation bans suspensions and expulsions for students in grades pre-k through second, except in extreme cases. Instead, the bill requires school districts to use alternative intervention strategies, including Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports, restorative practices, behavior intervention plans and referrals to student support teams. 

In Maryland, 2,363 pre-k through second grade students were suspended out-of-school or expelled during the 2015-2016 school year, an 18 percent increase from the prior school year. These punishments have a negative impact on young students who fall within a distinct category of learners due to the developmental differences during the early years, according to the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). Numerous studies have documented that suspensions are not effective for improving student behavior and recommend other approaches aimed at teaching students the appropriate behavior.

Much work will be needed to implement the law. Our focus now is to ensure that teachers receive training, direction, and support to manage classrooms and address the needs of each child. We will continue to monitor MSDE's notification and regulation process with regard to the requirements of this law, and continue to support our partners as districts shift their practices.
Adequate and Equitable Public Education Funding
#FIxtheGap rally in Annapolis
Earlier this year, the ACLU and Baltimore Education Coalition (BEC) asked you to help #FixtheGap for Baltimore City Schools and you enthusiastically answered the call. In coming weeks, we will ask you to join the campaign to fix the state education formula for the benefit of every student in the state. 

Maryland's "Thornton" funding formula is used to calculate how much state and local aid school districts will receive per student. The cutbacks to that original formula have left Baltimore $290 m. short per year (FY15) of the amount needed for students. We need to fix the formula, for Baltimore and the rest of the state. 

As the Education Advocate has previously described, state consultants made recommendations for a $2.9 billion increase in education funding. The Maryland Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education, or "Kirwan" Commission, has reconvened, and will meet monthly for the remainder of the year. The Commission's recommendations will be submitted to the Maryland General Assembly before the start of the 2018 legislative session and inform a new funding formula as well as other possible reforms. 

The ACLU has made a number of presentations about the pending formula re-write. The Maryland Education Coalition (MEC), co-chaired by ACLU's Bebe Verdery, requested that the Kirwan Commission have a robust public process on possible changes. Dr. Kirwan has agreed to regional hearings (most likely in the fall) and for a 30 minute public comment period at each meeting. BEC is also planning engagement at the school level this fall and events prior to the January session.  Stay tuned! 

Review the consultant's adequacy study reports and presentations.

Next Commission Meeting: 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Wednesday, June 28, Room 120 House Office Bldg., Annapolis, MD. Meeting materials are posted here.
Bebe Verdery, Director  
Frank Patinella, Senior Education Advocate  
Kimberly Humphrey, Esq., Legislative/Education Advocate 
Jada Grant, Communications Manager