On March 3, 2022, Associate Policy Director Brianna January submitted testimony to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee in opposition to SB 706 – Nonpublic Educational Programs – Children With Disabilities – Costs of Teacher Salaries. This bill would require the State and certain counties to pay for costs of salaries for teachers at nonpublic educational programs in a certain amount and proportion.

From the MACo testimony: 

Counties oppose this funding mandate after having just been held to the ambitious
requirements of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, which included many short- and long-term funding requirements for local governments. This landmark legislation embraced a whole-system concept of successful schools and priority-setting, establishing Maryland’s priorities for educational reform. Notably, teacher and school staff pay and benefits were aspects of the Blueprint that the legislature already settled, as was the substantially enhanced funding deemed necessary for special education programs. Compelling additional local spending for education, after having just approved significant funding requirements under Blueprint, would be unfair and unreasonable.

MACo will submit testimony on the bill’s crossfile, HB 1301, on March 10, 2022.

More on MACo’s Advocacy:

Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2022 legislative session on MACo’s Legislative Tracking Database.
Learn more about MACo’s 2022 Legislative Initiatives.
Read more General Assembly News on MACo’s Conduit Street blog.