As Hogan and his GOP minions jealously guard the budget against school improvement plans, the state Dems have urged him to wise up about the state's priorities and an advocacy coalition has scheduled 23 town-hall type information events around the state in the next several months.

Democrats urge full funding for Kirwan education proposals as advocacy coalition hosts forums around state

/ By Danielle E. Gaines <> Maryland Matters/ Ahead of a meeting to consider education funding changes, the Maryland Democratic Party is calling on Democrats to demand greater support for the plan from Republican Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr.

A Wednesday night email blast from the Maryland Dems asked supporters to sign a petition in favor of the Kirwan Commission, which has recently come under fire from Hogan and some other officials for estimated costs.

“The legislature and the Commission have put together a comprehensive plan that would get our schools what they need, but Governor Hogan has dug in his heels,” the email said.

The Kirwan Commission has recommended broad educational reform changes in Maryland, including expanded pre-kindergarten and technical education, increases to teacher salaries, and additional supports for low-income communities and schools. The recommendations are estimated to cost up to $3.8 billion more a year once fully implemented.

[Progressive Maryland is a member of the Blueprint coalition (see below), and has partnered in the Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools (AROS) efforts in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties to focus on the development of community schools within the overall Kirwan proposal.]

A workgroup is tasked with drawing up funding formulas to determine how the state and counties should pay for the additional programs.

Hogan’s Budget Secretary David R. Brinkley and Harford County Executive Barry Glassman (R), both members of the workgroup, have raised concerns about the costs and suggested scaling back parts of the proposal or delaying implementation. Hogan has publicly agreed, criticizing the pace of decision-making by the workgroup.

The panel is meeting in Annapolis on Thursday to discuss teacher pension costs and a proposal to increase teacher salaries, one of the largest components of the proposed reform costs. The panel is scheduled to meet for about 90 minutes before adjourning to a closed session.

>>> Advocacy coalition sets info meetings on Kirwan proposals

[From Maryland Matters, published Sept. 16] Maryland education advocates will hold two dozen meetings over the next few months to drum up support for a multibillion-dollar education reform proposal.

The forums are hosted by Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, a coalition of more than two dozen groups, including the Maryland State Education Association and Maryland PTA, along with other state employee unions, school employee associations and community groups.

The Blueprint encompasses the education reform recommendations from the Kirwan Commission, which included expanded pre-kindergarten and technical education, increases to teacher salaries, and additional supports for low-income communities and schools. The recommendations are estimated to cost up to $3.8 billion additionally once fully implemented.

The forums will be held at the following dates and times: Latest info from Maryland Blueprint and RSVP link is here.

WED Sept. 25, 6 p.m. – Bel Air High School, 100 Heighe St., Bel Air

THURS Sept. 26, 6 p.m. – Parkville High School Cafeteria, 2600 Putty Hill Ave., Baltimore

WED Oct. 2, 5:30 p.m. – Patapsco Middle School, 8885 Old Frederick Road, Ellicott City

THURS Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m. – Christ Lutheran Church, 1222 Vocke Road, Cumberland

SAT Oct. 5, 10 a.m. – Gaithersburg Holiday Inn, 2 Montgomery Village Ave., Gaithersburg

MON Oct. 7, 6:30 p.m. – Stoddert Middle School Cafeteria, 2040 St. Thomas Drive, Waldorf

TUES Oct. 15, 6 p.m. – Garrett College Room 111, 687 Mosser Road, McHenry

WED Oct. 16, 5:30 p.m. – Harper’s Choice Middle School, 5450 Beaverkill Road, Columbia

TUES Oct. 22, 6 p.m. – IBEW Local 1805, 898 Airport Park Road, #207, Glen Burnie

WED Oct. 23, 7 p.m. – Bowie Center for the Performing Arts, 15200 Annapolis Road, Bowie

THURS Oct 24, 6 p.m. – Dorothy I Height Elementary, 2011 Linden Ave., Baltimore

TUES Oct. 29, 6 p.m. Aberdeen High School, 251 Paradise Road, Aberdeen

TUES Oct. 29, 7 p.m. – Delaplaine Arts Center, 40 S. Carroll St., Frederick

WED Nov. 6, 6 p.m. – Lake Elkhorn Middle School, 6680 Cradlerock Way, Columbia

WED Nov. 6, 6 p.m. – Montgomery Blair High School, 51 University Boulevard East, Silver Spring

THURS Nov. 7, 6 p.m. – Dorchester Career and Tech Center, 2465 MD Route 16, Cambridge

TUES Nov. 12, 6 p.m. – Elk Room at the Cecil County Administration Building, 200 Chesapeake Blvd., Elkton

TUES Nov. 12, 7 p.m. – Prince George’s Community College Rennie Forum, 301 Largo Road, Largo

WED Nov. 13, 6:30 p.m. – Full Gospel Assembly of God, 890 Solomons Island Road South, Prince Frederick

THURS Nov. 14, 6 p.m. – Centreville Middle School, 231 Ruthsburg Road, Centreville

THURS Nov. 14, 6 p.m. – Wicomico Public Library, 122 S. Division St., Salisbury

THURS Nov. 14, 7 p.m. – Urbana Fire Hall, 3602 Urbana Pike, Frederick

MON Nov. 18, 7 p.m. – Oxon Hill High School Media Center, 6701 Leyte Drive, Oxon Hill

For more information, go to: www.marylandblueprint.org.

These articles were first published at Maryland Matters Sept. 16 and 19. Writer [email protected]