Protect Our Schools Act, Senate Testimony
The AFT-Maryland testified before the Senate Health, Education & Environmental Affairs Committee in support of the Protect Our Schools Act 2017.
Legislation
Public Funding for Public Schools press conference
The Public Funding for Public Schools Coalition held a press conference Tuesday February 28, 2017 to call on the Maryland General Assembly to defund Governor Hogan’s BOOST funding in his budget. The coalition brought together a wide range of educational advocates who all want to see public dollars be used on public schools.
Member, staff testify for the Protect Our Schools Act
A Baltimore Teachers Union member and an AFT-Maryland staff member testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, February 28 in support of House Bill 978, loosely referred to as the Protect Our Schools Act of 2017. The bill is a follow up of the Federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
Members testify against charter school legislation
AFT-Maryland and Baltimore Teachers Union members testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, February 28, 2017, in opposition to HB 878, a proposed expansion in current state charter school laws. Maryland already has some of the best, strongest charter laws in the nation, and our members want to keep it that way.
Union Rally: Monday March 6th
Come join with your sisters and brothers in labor:
MONDAY, March 6th at 6:00 p.m. for
UNION NIGHT IN ANNAPOLIS
at Lawyer's Mall.
After the mass labor rally, we will lobby our legislators on important issues facing public employees, teachers, and PSRPs in Baltimore and across the State of Maryland.
Issues 2017: Protect Our Schools Act of 2017
HB978/SB871: SUPPORT
With the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the Federal Government has given each state the ability to forge its own educational path. This path includes authoring a plan for measuring accountability and student achievement and growth. In previous years, accountability was measured in the form of student scores on standardized tests. Studies have shown that this is a poor method for evaluating public education, and HB978/SB871, the Protect Our Schools Act of 2017, is intended to correct this mistake, and implement accountability measures and intervention strategies that have been proven to get results...
AFT-Maryland Legislative Reception 2017
The AFT-Maryland brought together Maryland Legislators and the leadership of the collective unions of the state federation for a reception in Annapolis. More than 20 members of the Maryland General Assembly were in attendance and discussed important education and public employee issues facing the General Assembly this session.
Union Members Visit Delegates, Senators in Annapolis
The AFT-Maryland was in Annapolis Monday, January 30th for the 2017 Lobby Night. Members from across the entire federation addressed state elected officials on everything including budget items, education, and legislation dealing with state workers. Many of the Delegates and state Senators welcomed the AFT-Maryland and took time to discuss the issues that concerned our membership.
2017 Legislative Priorities for AFT-Maryland
AFT-Maryland represents more than 20,000 state and municipal workers, including 9,000 educational workers in and around the City of Baltimore. During this legislative session, there are issues that are of particular concern to our members.
- Full State funding for Maryland’s public schools (BRFA)
- Invest in the Public Employees that make Maryland work
- School assessments and an overall cap on standardized testing
- Opposition of public school privatization and education voucher programs (BOOST)
- Improving indoor air quality for state workers
- Protecting Maryland’s Best-in-Nation Charter School Law
- Protect Our Schools Act of 2017
- Other bills of interest to AFT-Maryland members