On January 23, 2024, Associate Policy Director Brianna January submitted written testimony to the House Appropriations Committee in support of HB 75 – Higher Education- Teacher Development and Retention Program- Definition. This bill extends eligibility for educator stipends within the Teacher Development and Retention Program to include individuals enrolled in community colleges.
Counties support efforts to hire and retain talented educators, and the Teacher Development and Retention Program is one State effort to do so. Additionally, counties are proud supporters of community colleges. HB 75 provides critical resources for both educator workforce development and community colleges.
HB 75 would expand eligibility to also include community college students. In doing so, the bill would open up the Program – and the teaching profession – for more Maryland students and would encourage more community college students to consider a career in education.
HB 75’s cross-file, SB 377, was heard on February 14, 2024 in the Senate Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee. Brianna January submitted written testimony in support of this bill. SB 377 was heard in the opposite chamber, the House Appropriations Committee, on March 26. MACo submitted testimony in support.
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