What Maryland lawmakers changed about child care, schools and colleges

 In the Baltimore Banner, story by reporters Maya Lora, Kristen Griffith, and Ellie Wolfe. To read the full story go here.

The Maryland Legislative session has just ended and the Baltimore Banner has a recap of bills that passed and those that didn't. Here are some excerpts from the article.

Equity efforts for teachers and school leaders

It could be a little easier for educators of color to enter the teaching profession, thanks to the passage of a bill that alters the path to a teaching license. Educators will no longer have to take a popular licensure test that “has been found to contain racial bias that may affect the test’s scoring, has limited efficacy to assess performance, and poses a financial burden for aspiring educator applicants,” the Maryland State Education Association said via email.

The state’s teachers union also supported a successful bill that requires each county school board member to take anti-bias training. It used to only be a requirement for educators. The extension to board members is intended to make those in charge of school policy decisions “well informed of their role in preventing bias, prejudice, and hate,” the union stated.

Lawmakers attempted to improve the educator workforce with a few other bills, but not all of them made it to the finish line. That includes one that would’ve required all school systems to use a national database to screen job applicants for disciplinary actions reported by school districts across the country. The bill had strong support in the senate but never made it out of committee.

The Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact bill also fell short. It could’ve helped Maryland public schools hire teachers with out-of-state credentials more easily. However, the bill had a short life in the house and never got a vote.

No statewide ban on cellphones in schools

Baltimore City Public Schools passed a cellphone ban this week, and Howard County already has one. Despite early evidence that suggests bans can lead to better grades and sharper focus for students, lawmakers did not pass any bills requiring other school districts to at least consider doing the same.

One of the bills introduced this year would have required certain county boards of education to develop and adopt a policy on the use of personal electronic devices during school hours. Though the bill was steadily making its way through the statehouse, it didn’t make it to the governor’s desk.