Read more about the article MD Department of Education Updates State Board on College and Career Preparation Progress
Education
MD Department of Education Updates State Board on College and Career Preparation Progress

During a recent meeting of the Maryland State Board of Education (MSBE), state officials updated board members on progress towards getting all students college and career ready between grade ten and graduation. Current data shows a little more than 50 percent of students met the college and career readiness standard at the conclusion of the 2024 - 2025 school year.  A primary component of the Maryland education reform plan - the Blueprint for Maryland's Future…

Comments Off on MD Department of Education Updates State Board on College and Career Preparation Progress
May 14, 2026
Read more about the article Anne Arundel Proposes FY27 Budget Focused on Education, Public Safety, and Core Services
County Budgets / County News / Education / Public Safety and Corrections
Anne Arundel Proposes FY27 Budget Focused on Education, Public Safety, and Core Services

Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman has released a proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget that continues investments in education, public safety, and essential services, while maintaining relatively stable tax rates. As counties across Maryland continue to navigate rising costs, education funding requirements, and evolving service demands, the proposal offers a snapshot of how one jurisdiction is balancing competing priorities. The County Council will now begin its review of the proposal, with public hearings scheduled later…

Comments Off on Anne Arundel Proposes FY27 Budget Focused on Education, Public Safety, and Core Services
May 7, 2026
Read more about the article May 15 Deadline for Input on Education Reform Implementation
Education
May 15 Deadline for Input on Education Reform Implementation

Local officials have until May 15, 2026 to submit feedback for the 2026 update to the Blueprint for Maryland's Future Comprehensive Plan. The deadline is approaching for local governments to provide input on the annual update of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future (Blueprint) Comprehensive Plan (BCP) - which is essentially a progress report on implementation of the State education reform package. Jurisdictions are being asked to provide targeted feedback on implementation progress. Submissions can be…

Comments Off on May 15 Deadline for Input on Education Reform Implementation
May 6, 2026
Read more about the article Montgomery Proposing Record School Budget Despite Continued Enrollment Decline
County Budgets / Education
Montgomery Proposing Record School Budget Despite Continued Enrollment Decline

With a seven year loss of almost 10,000 students, the nationally ranked Montgomery County Public School system budget has grown by $1B in that same time.  In FY26 the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) system posted the largest single year decline in student enrollment since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Year over year decline from 2024 - 2025 totaled nearly 2,200 students. This brings the nationally ranked school system to a loss of nearly…

Comments Off on Montgomery Proposing Record School Budget Despite Continued Enrollment Decline
April 30, 2026
Read more about the article More Than 60 Teacher-Coaches Will Be Hired to Bolster Reading Scores in MD Public Schools
Education
More Than 60 Teacher-Coaches Will Be Hired to Bolster Reading Scores in MD Public Schools

The Maryland General Assembly approved $14M in funding for education in Maryland to hire teacher-coaches specifically trained in literacy instruction.  According to a recent press release, the Maryland State Department of Education MSDE will hit the ground running with new funds to bolster reading proficiency levels across public schools in Maryland. This is in addition to mandated, per-pupil funding, that is required by the state to implement the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. From the press…

Comments Off on More Than 60 Teacher-Coaches Will Be Hired to Bolster Reading Scores in MD Public Schools
April 22, 2026
Read more about the article 3 Takeaways on Counties, Policy, and Power
County Budgets / County News / Education / Housing and Community Development / Intergovernmental Relations
3 Takeaways on Counties, Policy, and Power

Most of the services people rely on every day, from roads and schools to public health and recycling, don’t come from Washington. They come from counties. That idea sits at the center of a recent conversation between Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman and Maryland Association of Counties (MACo) Executive Director Michael Sanderson, who joined the Pittman and Friends podcast to talk through how state policy decisions play out at the local level. The discussion…

Comments Off on 3 Takeaways on Counties, Policy, and Power
April 22, 2026
Read more about the article Detention Center Officers Included in Higher Education Scholarship Fund
Higher Education / Public Safety and Corrections
Detention Center Officers Included in Higher Education Scholarship Fund

With bi-partisan support in both chambers of the Maryland General Assembly, a bill expanding existing public safety scholarships to include correctional officers will take effect this summer with the application process beginning January 2027.  This year - with the unwavering support of Senator Mary Beth Carozza and Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes - officers working in local detention centers will now have access to an existing public safety scholarship fund for higher education. HB 852/SB 285 –…

Comments Off on Detention Center Officers Included in Higher Education Scholarship Fund
April 22, 2026
Read more about the article Baltimore County Unveils $5B Budget Focused on Public Safety, Schools, and Affordability
County Budgets / County News / Economic Development / Education / Public Safety and Corrections / School Construction and Capital Budgets / Taxes and Revenues
Baltimore County Unveils $5B Budget Focused on Public Safety, Schools, and Affordability

Baltimore County has released its proposed $5 billion Fiscal Year 2027 budget, outlining a spending plan centered on public safety, education, infrastructure, and cost-of-living pressures, all without raising taxes. The proposal reflects an effort to balance continued investment in core services with maintaining the county’s strong financial standing, including its Triple-A bond rating. Core Priorities: The FY2027 proposal directs funding toward several areas that residents are most likely to see directly, including: public safety and…

Comments Off on Baltimore County Unveils $5B Budget Focused on Public Safety, Schools, and Affordability
April 21, 2026
Read more about the article Apply Now: Maryland Certified Public Manager Program
Education
Apply Now: Maryland Certified Public Manager Program

Applications are now open for the Maryland Certified Public Manager® (CPM) Program, a leadership development opportunity for public sector professionals across the state. Offered through the Schaefer Center for Public Policy at the University of Baltimore, the program is designed for supervisors, managers, and executives working in state, local, and municipal government, as well as nonprofit organizations. The Class of 2027 application deadline is June 1, 2026. About the Program The Certified Public Manager® program…

Comments Off on Apply Now: Maryland Certified Public Manager Program
April 21, 2026
Read more about the article 2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups
Business Affairs / County Budgets / County News / Courts / Economic Development / Education / Elections / Emergency Management / Employee Benefits and Relations / Energy / Environment / Feature / Finance and Procurement / General Assembly News / Government Liability and Courts / Health and Human Services / Housing and Community Development / Human Resources / Information Technology / Intergovernmental Relations / MACo Testimony / Parks and Recreation / Pensions & Public Funds / Planning and Zoning / Public Information and Ethics / Public Safety and Corrections / School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Taxes and Revenues / Tourism / Transportation and Public Works
2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups

Catch up on all of the latest outcomes of the 2026 Maryland General Assembly session with wrap-ups on important county-related bills in each policy area. Maryland’s 448th legislative session unfolded under significant fiscal pressure. Lawmakers closed the fiscal 2027 gap, preserved reserves, and fully funded principal commitments, such as the Blueprint, but did not resolve the larger structural deficits projected for the years ahead. That budget pressure shaped debates across nearly every policy area, from…

Comments Off on 2026 Session: Recap and Wrap-Ups
April 17, 2026
Newer Posts
Older Posts