Maryland's Blueprint for school reform is grounded in the proven community schools model, in which "wraparound" services are added to an enhanced and enriched community-centered curriculum in schools where communities themselves are impacted and struggling.

In this account from IndyMedia's "Our Schools" reporting project, veteran education reporter Jeff Bryant shows how shortsighted "economies of scale" budgeting has led to bad outcomes in a school system that was a showcase for the community schools example. One factor that crippled Oakland, and should give Maryland and DC schools pause as they enter the community schools project, has been the invasive charter school movement.

Some parts of Bryant's deep dive into the Oakland experience have been condensed in this version.

Eid Mubarak! We wish all who are observing a happy and prosperous Eid!

A team of Progressive Maryland staff traveled to Denver this past weekend to attend the People’s Action Strategy Summit. Two of PM’s leaders, Mike Walsh and Alfrieda Hylton, also attended the event. Each of them shared their personal stories with the full assembly, Mike’s about health care and Alfrieda’s about ending the drug war. We’re so grateful to them for sharing their powerful and moving stories from the stage with the 300 folks in the room and others of us who watched on zoom. And Sulma Arias, the new Executive Director of People’s Action, delivered an inspiring welcome speech on Friday to open our first in-person large gathering since 2019.

While there, dozens of participating organizations and leaders committed to building long term organizing efforts to win healthcare justice for all, to end environmental racism and fight climate change, to win a National Tenant’s Bill of Rights, to end the war on drugs, and to reinvigorate movement politics. We’re excited by the potential our national network has  to build and wield grassroots power. We’re honored to have you in this struggle with us. 

Will you help us spur others into action? On the immediate front, please get involved with our 2022 election campaigns, donate your time or money, door knock and talk to voters, take a shift at an early voting site, or sign up to phonebank. Let’s make Maryland better together!

In Solidarity, 

The Progressive Maryland Team

Our system of democratic elections is really an intricate one and it depends on people's routines -- routines that many of us don't even think about ordinarily but REALLY had to focus on during the pendemic.

Along with your personal routines that get you to the polls or make sure that you get that mail ballot requested and returned on time are the routines of others. And many of them got disturbed in the 2020 election, especially in other states, in ways that have thrown doubt on the strength of our democratic process. Some of those, we see in this week's News You Can Use, are election judges -- who are wondering if they can continue doing this nearly-free public service when faced by open abuse from people who seem to think a staggering democratic process is to their advantage.

Your democratic rights are threatened in many different ways -- that hasn't gotten better. See what you can do, here.

Acknowledging that K-12 schooling in Maryland already contained structural inequalities that were only widened by the COVID-19 pandemic, Maryland school leaders embarked on the full implementation of the Blueprint, or Kirwan, plan for improving the state's system. This article from Maryland Matters outlines the task and players; additional access to information is included.

We know we’re living in challenging times, burdened by the inequities in our system and trying to stave off the serious threats to our democracy and our fundamental rights. That’s why organizing is so important right now here in Maryland and around the country! We’re very inspired by the news of what advocates, workers, and activists are doing: from Earth Day actions last Friday that brought people into the streets, to the union organizing that’s happening at Amazon facilities, Starbucks stores, college campuses (including locally at AU and the University of Maryland), at hospitals, and at manufacturing plants and coal mines. Public support for unions is now at historically high levels and that’s good news!

We’re organizing ideas and people, and tapping into people’s strong desire for change - and we need you to spur others into action. On the immediate front, please get involved with our election campaigns: donate your time or money; door knock and talk to voters; take a shift at an early voting site, or sign up to phonebank. Please check out the Maryland Elections and Candidate Corner section to learn more about getting involved. Let’s transform Maryland politics together! 

A lot of news -- disasters, war, climate decline -- just thumps you in the noggin and leaves you stunned and feeling helpless. In this weekly blog post we try to round up news from Maryland and the federal government that offers you a path to make change. Still feeling kind of surrounded and alone? News you can use shows how people acting together make bigger change, so join Progressive Maryland to open that window.

And just like that, the 2022 Maryland General Assembly has adjourned. Thank you for keeping pace with us over the frenzied 90 days of the state legislative session! Your advocacy helped us secure some major progressive victories this session, including the Climate Solutions Now Act, which will dramatically reduce emissions in the coming years, and the Time to Care Act, which will establish a statewide paid family and medical leave program in Maryland. Thank you for your hard work and support...

The General Assembly session is over, peaceably and successfully, with apparently lots of winners and few losers. Having extra money will do that.

Will we say the same for our political culture after the July 19 primary settles many of our leadership questions?

News you can use, here, about the new laws and new faces, as well as what you can do about the less-than-satisfactory politics on Capitol Hill.

Today is Sine Die, the final day of the Maryland Legislative Session until it reconvenes in January 2023. As the General Assembly prepares to adjourn at midnight tonight, we’re taking stock of some of the major victories of this legislative session. The Climate Solutions Now Act of 2022, a sweeping bill to dramatically reduce statewide emissions over the coming decades, has become law, as has the Healthy Babies Equity Act, which guarantees Marylanders access to prenatal care regardless of their immigration status...

SESSION IN ANNAPOLIS HAS CELEBRATORY VIBE When you get today's Memo, the Assembly is highly unlikely to have adjourned sine die, so you may have a chance to get word about YOUR priority bills to your members before the Session ends. We do our best to keep up with the state of play in NEWS YOU CAN USE on our BlogSpace.

Their Assembly office staff will keep grinding on all the way to the finish line, and probably still after the legislators have sung "auld lang syne" and adjourned to their pubs of choice. Remember to thank them.

This will be the last Assembly session for some of these members, and not always of their own choosing, as a well known political analyst once put it. The new General Assembly seated next January will be starting a new four-year turn and we, the voters, can have something to say about who they are. Progressive Maryland will have some recommendations over the next weeks before the (delayed) primary.