The Report Card: Week 10

The Report Card • Wednesday, March 15, 2023

Welcome to Week 10 of The Report Card, Strong Schools Maryland’s 2023 Session Newsletter.

Welcome to Week 10 of The Report Card, Strong Schools Maryland’s 2023 Session Newsletter.

We made some updates to the 2023 Blueprint Reporting Progress Reports (you can see the updates here). Relatedly, your School District’s implementation plan was due this morning at midnight –– have the legislators from your delegation seen the report cards yet?

Take action and tell your lawmakers to read them by going here.

📣 Take Action: Contact Your Representatives!

⏱️ LEGISLATIVE MINUTE

This week, we're shining our legisaltor spotlight on Senator Joanne Benson and Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary.

Senator Joanne Benson (Dist. 24), has been a vocal champion of World Class Schools since day one. She is the Deputy Minority Leader, and has advocated for students and families as a member of the Education, Business & Administration subcommittee of the Budget and Taxation Committee, as well as in her role on the Joint Committee on Children, Youth, and Families. Senator Benson represents constituents in Prince George's County.

Delegate Vanessa Atterbeary (Dist. 13) serves as the chair of the House Ways & Means Committee, and has continued to fight for public education in Maryland since coming to office in 2015. She has been fearless advocate for The Blueprint as a legislator and an activist, and recently reinforced the General Assembly's commitment to the Blueprint in the face of revised budget projections Delegate Atterbeary represents constituents in Howard County.

❌ Tomorrow, we'll be providing testimony opposing Delegate Mike Griffith's HB 738,

which would appropriate up to $20 million dollars per year for "school safety," but the data unflinchingly reinforces that this kind of spending disproportionately and negatively impacts students of color and reinforces an already disparate system of punitive discipline. The hearing for HB 738 will be tomorrow, March 16th, at 1:00pm

🫱🏿‍🫲🏻 GET INVOLVED

📅 Drop-In Opportunities

• MAR 20 @ 10AM and 4PM: Hop on zoom with our Local Organizer, Maya, to prepare testimony for upcoming bill hearings. She'll provide guidance and talking points for Team Leaders and Team Members who want to testify in front of the General Assembly. RSVP

• APR 1 @ 10AM: Take a deep dive into the Blueprint with our Blueprint Certified Advocate Training. REGISTER HERE

🥳 Upcoming Events

• Outcome Measures Workshop – Workshop and provide feedback on outcomes and measurement of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. RSVP as soon as possible on Eventbrite. Here are the dates of each workshop and what they will focus on:

  • 3/23 - Pillars 1 and 2 metrics; Pillars 2 and 3 outcome measures

  • 4/6 - Pillars 3 and 4 metrics; Pillars 5 outcome measures

  • 4/20 - Pillars 5 metrics; Blueprint-level outcome measure and metrics

  • 5/4 - Pillars 1 and 2 targets

  • 5/18 - Pillars 2 and 3 targets

  • 6/1 - Pillars 3 and 4 targets

  • 6/15 - Pillar 5 and Blueprint-level targets

• If you can't make it to the workshops or just have a lot to say on how the Blueprint is measured, you can also provide feedback here: https://forms.gle/Qy8iQWXmnSX5tbXq6
  

• AIB Meeting – Tomorrow, March 16, at 1:00pm. Tune in to the Youtube stream here.

🪧 Start or Join a Team of 10

In 2020, people like you stood up, spoke out, and passed the Blueprint for Maryland's Future.

In 2023, we want you to help us make sure that Maryland lawmakers #KeepThePromise of World Class Schools: Sign up here to start or join a Team of 10 in your county – we're going to need all the help we can get.

Always keep an 👁️ on this space for more opportunities to meet us at the statehouse.

DONATE

That's it for Week 10, join us again next Wednesday for The Report Card, and please forward this to a friend, neighbor, or co-worker who wants to get the latest on the Blueprint in their inbox.

For the Future, Strong Schools Maryland