Teacher Pension to remain on state ledgers

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/legislature/bal-budget0408,0,1428330.story

A recent article in the Baltimore Sun reports that a committee from the State House and Senate have decided to keep teacher pensions on the state ledgers. Pensions for teachers will cost Maryland $900 million this year. The Senate proposed to shift some of this cost from the State to local governments. However the conference committee established a commission to find ways to sustain the pensions at the State level. They had originally wanted to shift a little over 1/3 of the $900 million to the counties.

If this were to happen counties would have to find ways to come up with that money like raising taxes or cutting other services. In fact even with those measures they still might not even be able to come up with that amount of money. If that were to happen it would also more than likely affect the future pensions of current teachers. They would probably have to use up some of the money that teachers are presently contributing to the fund which would also most likely affect their pensions when it is time for retirement. I think that it is good that the State keep paying these teachers pensions.

Importance of Early Education

Recently, in American Educator I read an article entitled, “The Promise of Preschool-Why We Need Education for All”. The article discusses the importance of expanding preschools and making quality education programs available to students of the preschool age. With 25 years of research in the early education field, the article argues that the budget cuts in these areas of education are very harmful. Because of the economy, education as a whole has suffered from early education all the way to secondary and into higher levels into college. However, forming a foundation in skills and content from literacy to math skills is imperative to the success of students. By cutting out the programs that focus on these areas at such a delicate time in a child’s life will affect the rest of their educational experience. The article goes on to discuss that there is no argument that early education will prevent high school drop outs or decrease criminal activity but that it has certainly proven to help.

When reading this article I couldn’t help to think about my students. Teaching 11^th grade, I see ability levels and reading levels from second grade to post high school. When reading my students’ journals and speaking with their parents, there is a direct correlation between the students who attended pre-school and who had adults read to them at an early age with their high or on grade reading levels. The same goes for my students with lower levels and their lack of attendance to early education classes. I truly feel if we placed an emphasis on the importance of foundational education skills such as literacy, comprehension and fluency at a younger age we would not have the issues of illiteracy and high school dropouts to the degree we have now. This seems, to me, such a simple and necessary fix. Why haven’t we done this? Where is our educational system lacking (aside from “funds”) that we don’t seem the value in giving our children every means possible to be successful?

First round of stimulus money set to trickle in... with strings attached

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bal-md.funds27mar27,0,402569.story

The first round of federal education stimulus money, totaling $47 million in all, is set to roll into Maryland over the next three years. The funds are part of the School Improvement Grants, separate from the Race to the Top Grants, but drawn from the same stimulus pool of $3.5 billion. Maryland is one of the first 7 states to receive such grants, and the large majority of the funds will be funneled into Baltimore city ($30 million in all) where the highest concentration of failing schools exists.

Although the specifics have not yet been released (more information is set to be revealed at the April 13th board meeting, according to DCOS Laura Weeldryer), the state's initial grant application did outline a protocol for the disbursal of funds according to a three tier system in order of highest need.

However, the funds will be tied down with some pretty significant strings. Weeldryer stated that the district intends to focus on only eight schools, which is the largest number they believe they can "affect dramatically with this infusion of money." If the funds are distributed equally between these eight schools, each will have $3.75 million dollars to spend over the next three years. While these eight schools were not named outright (only the five "first tier" schools were named) Weeldryer suggested that schools already showing some improvements are unlikely to receive any funds. They are primarily looking for a failing school which "doesn't have a plan and who needs the help"

The eight schools chosen to receive the funds will not have much say over how the funds are spent, as this will largely be dictated by "nonprofit operators" who will do the heavy lifting work of overhauling the schools. Schools who accept funding must agree to a federally approved overhaul plan, which could include converting to a charter school, zero-basing, or outright closure.