News from MSTA/NEA
Rocky General Assembly finally over
Public education comes out a winner!
It wasn't easy, but public school funding held its own as legislators struggled to balance a budget hit hard by revenue shortfalls and a looming recession. Legislators listened to your protests, shutting down notoriously bad bills and passing others MSTA gave an unequivocal thumbs up.
Here's the shortlist of public education wins on the funding and legislative front:
- Additional $327 million for school construction;
- First-time funding of the Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI), which adds $76 million to targeted school districts.
- Bad bills that failed! The flawed “65% Solution”, plus bills that attempted to end retirement credit for unused paid sick days and to divert tax dollars from public schools via tax credits for corporate contributions to private schools, and B.O.A.S.T., a thinly veiled voucher program, all failed.
- Good bills that passed! Bills that address bullying, allow public employees to use earned sick leave to care for family members, and improve access to health care to more Maryland children.
Education comes out a winner in a year of drastic budget cuts
Cuts total $1.1.billion See list
The Gazette: The biggest losers and winners?
