Board plotting Maryland's education future gets new member, but funding questions remain

The unelected individuals that recently approved millions in school funding for all of Maryland's counties got a new colleague this week as Gov. Wes Moore appointed Justin Robinson to serve on the powerful Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Accountability and Implementation Board.

Robinson, a Prince George’s County educator, comes into the role as one member of the commission that created the law says, “the Blueprint stands at the crossroads” over the issue of accountability, and questions remain about long-term funding.

“It all comes down to money,” said Del. Chris Adams, R-Wicomico, of the Blueprint, during an interview on public television recently in Salisbury. The change in state funding formulas has some local jurisdictions trying to figure out how to pay for the plan.

A court case regarding the state’s initial plan to fund the education law — a tax on large technology companies earning over $100 million a year — is scheduled to be heard at the Supreme Court of Maryland on Friday.

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All counties turned in initial Blueprint plan and received approval.

Meanwhile, while questions about long-term funding are unresolved despite the state approving $900 million this year for future education costs, the president of the Washington County Teachers’ Association said putting the Blueprint law into practice has worked well so far.

“So far the rollout has been as smooth as it can be,” said Neil Becker, a veteran Washington County educator who is now leading the county’s teachers’ association, during a phone interview.

Each of the state’s 24 jurisdictions turned in, on time, a required plan to the accountability board in March. The plans, which spanned between 141 and 204 pages each and answered over 100 questions on topics ranging from pre-K to recruiting teachers, were unanimously approved by the Accountability and Implementation Board at the April 13 virtual meeting. That sign-off released the remaining millions in funds for the 2023 fiscal year.

“The Blueprint matters because the end goal is to improve education for students across the state of Maryland,” said Becker, noting that, among other things, the law enhances interventions for students who are not reading or performing math at grade level.

Less than a quarter (22%) of third -through eighth-grade students statewide were proficient on the math Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP), according to data from the Maryland State Department of Education released this year.

Prince George's County educator picked

Despite a late attempt this year from some lawmakers to expand the membership of the Accountability and Implementation Board to include representation from various geographic regions, Moore picked Robinson over former Frederick County Executive Jan Gardner, putting a second individual on the seven-member board with Prince George’s County ties. The two had been selected by the AIB Nominating Committee from a total of 45 valid applications.

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Becker, leading the teachers’ association in the state’s third most western jurisdiction, expressed his satisfaction with the selection of Robinson due to his background and education credentials.

“He is an educator, so he does understand what’s at stake for children and how it impacts educators,” he said.

Moore, too, expressed his satisfaction with the selection of the Harvard graduate and 12-year educator.

“He understands both Maryland’s education system and the responsibility that a quality educator has in supporting the success of children in Maryland,” said Moore, in a press release, announcing what is his first selection to the board. Former Republican Gov. Larry Hogan picked the board's other members in 2021 who were nominated by the AIB Nominating Committee.

Robinson, who has served on the Prince George’s County Blueprint Implementation Committee, is scheduled to serve for the remainder of Harris’ term, which ends on June 30, 2024.

“I am honored to serve on the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Accountability and Implementation Board,” said Robinson, in the release. “We must work together to lift up the next generation of leaders — and that starts in the classroom.”

Dwight A. Weingarten is an investigative reporter, covering the Maryland State House and state issues. He can be reached at dweingarten@gannett.com or on Twitter at @DwightWeingart2.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Funding at issue as board plotting Md.'s education course expands