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June 12, 2025

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Education Ed Homepage

Spy-WHCP Check in with Dorchester Schools Superintendent Jymil Thompson

November 4, 2024 by Spy & WHCP Community Radio

The Spy and WHCP Community Radio continues this week with our ongoing series of conversations with Dorchester County Public Schools Superintendent Jymil Thompson. In his interview with the Spy’s Dave Wheelan, Dr. Thompson addresses some of the more sobering results of their most recent 2024 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment, including data that showed that the school system’s high school English performance with 10th graders achieved the lowest proficiency rate in the state at only 30.6%.

Dr. Thompson also discusses more notable improvements, such as third-grade and sixth-grade math and middle-school algebra. The district also improved its ranking in fifth-grade science proficiency, moving from 22nd to 20th in Maryland. He also talks about the early results of Dorchester’s experiment to limit the use of cell phones in the classroom.

This video is approximately 19 minutes in length.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Ed Homepage

Prekindergarten Expansion For Private Providers Off To A Slow Start

September 25, 2024 by Maryland Matters

Shayna Cook, left, assistant state superintendent in the state Department of Education’s Division of Early Childhood, gives a presentation on prekindergarten expansion. Sitting next to Cook is Tara Phillips, executive director of operations, policy and strategy in the early childhood division. Photo by William J. Ford

One of the requirements for the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future 10-year education reform plan was to expand prekindergarten, but it’s off to a slow start.

None of the state’s 24 school districts came anywhere close in the past two school years to the Blueprint’s requirement that at least 30% of pre-K students should be in privately run facilities, according to data presented Tuesday to the state Board of Education.

Because no one reached the mark, it was lowered to 10% for this school year, a level that only four counties were able to achieve last year.

The Blueprint plan requires school districts to provide a mixed-delivery system, serving young students in both public and private child care centers. But local school districts said in Blueprint plans that some private providers find it challenging to participate in the state’s prekindergarten expansion due to lack of space, finding qualified personnel and other challenges.

However, state Department of Education officials said Tuesday that the state is actually moving faster on pre-K when compared to other states.

One benchmark is allowing families earning incomes at or below the 300% federal poverty level, said Shayna Cook, assistant state superintendent in the department’s Division of Early Childhood. Cook said other states chose 100% or 200% of the federal poverty level.

And the 31,873 students enrolled in pre-K in the 2022-23 school year — 30,718 public and 1,155 private — grew to nearly 33,000 in the 2023-24 school year, with 31,381 in public and in 1,601 private facilities.

“This growth demonstrates the state’s commitment to expanding access to quality pre-K education and reflects efforts to begin to lay the foundation for the mixed delivery system,” Cook said.

Even with that increase of slightly more than 1,100 more seats added, nine of the state’s 24 jurisdictions had zero private providers to begin the 2022-23 school year.

A Maryland State Department of Education graphic to show number of prekindergarten students enrolled in 2023-24 school year that includes percentage of private providers in the state’s 24 jurisdictions. Screenshot.

Only Howard and Worcester counties were able to record double-digit percentage of private providers that year, with 14% and 13%, respectively. Howard County’s share was unchanged last year, but Worcester County’s percentage of private providers rose to 18% last year.

After being in single digits in the 2022-23 school year, Carroll and Wicomico counties exceeded double figures last school year at 12% and 11%, respectively.

Five counties still had no private providers last school year: Garrett, Kent, St. Mary’s, Somerset and Talbot counties.

Cook said there remains a lack of communication between private providers and local school districts.

One plan is for the department to promote its “Push to Pre-K Initiative,” which provides technical assistance on the prekindergarten expansion program. In addition, providers can also receive grants to help expand their business.

State Superintendent Carey Wright said during a briefing with reporters Tuesday that it’s difficult to “get a business off the ground,” especially in rural counties.

“Reach out to us. We’re here to help,” she said to private pre-K providers. “We can help you as much as we possibly can to get your feet on the ground. That’s the resource that we bring, so use us.”

More time needed

The board deferred action Tuesday on a controversial literacy policy that could result in third-graders being held back if they do not meet reading standards.

One reason for the delay was the presence of three new board members participating in their first meeting – Kenny Clash, Kimberly Lewis and Xiomara V. Medina. A decision on the policy will how be pushed back for at least another month.

“We decided that it was better for us to take more time to consider this policy, to give our new members an opportunity to get up to speed [and] take into account the best feedback we’ve received from stakeholders that’s guiding our additional development,” said board President Joshua Michael.

Xiomara V. Medina listens to opening remarks from Board President Joshua Michael at her first board meeting Sept. 24. Photo by William J. Ford.

The board last month considered a revision to the policy that would let parents and guardians allow their children to advance to the fourth grade, but they would have to agree that their children enroll and participate in a supplemental reading support program.

But reading intervention and other literacy programs would start in kindergarten for students who need additional support.

A few minor changes that could be made include an emphasis on local school district control with guidance from the department and to ensure support for all students in kindergarten through third grade.

“What was initially in the media as a retention policy is not a retention policy. It is really a parent-choice policy,” Wright said Tuesday. “It is not a finger-pointing exercise. It’s the ability for us to see what schools need the most help.”

Medina, an associate director of clinical training and field placement at Bowie State University’s Department of Counseling and Psychological Studies, said she would like the policy to reflect more cultural awareness.

“This whole thing has reduced our children to numbers. There’s not a single cultural consideration you’ve told me,” she said after state officials completed a brief summary of the policy. “I’m missing people in all of this.”

If approved, the policy wouldn’t be implemented until next school year. However, the retention portions wouldn’t begin until the 2026-27 school year.

Nikki Woodward, vice president of the Maryland State Education Association, said the union recommends delaying implementation of the entire policy until the start of the 2028-29 school year.

“This timeline allows for adequate training of educators and families on new curriculum and requirements,” she said to the board. “It also ensures enough time for data collection and tracking the success of interventions.”

 


by William J. Ford, Maryland Matters
September 25, 2024

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: [email protected]. Follow Maryland Matters on Facebook and X.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Ed Homepage, 7 Ed Notes, Education

Spy Survey Summary on Learning for a Lifetime on the Mid-Shore

September 23, 2024 by The Spy

Every year, the Spy selects one nonprofit organization or school on the Mid-Shore that we admire, then we reach out to our 8,000 daily subscribers with a survey designed to inform all of us about a particular issue or initiative.

Recently, as a Spy reader, you were invited to participate in a survey about lifelong learning programs.  Thanks to all of you who participated. The views you shared will help our partner in this, the Chesapeake Forum, as they develop their plans for the future.

A few thoughts should be of interest to all our readers and the community.

First, we recognize that this survey was completed by people who have an interest, indeed a passion, for lifelong learning.

Ninety-five percent of those who responded knew of one or more lifetime learning programs in their area.  Only three percent did not.

Thus, we started with a well-informed group, and this was not a random survey.

With regard to actual involvement in lifelong learning, forty-five percent indicated they are currently involved in a program with an additional twenty-one percent indicating they have been involved withing the past two years, but not currently.  An impressive thirty percent are not involved but are interested in learning more about lifelong learning.

When given alternatives, most people shared a preference for lifelong learning programs that are held in person with small groups of people.  The least desired was online learning.

People were asked to indicate topics of greatest interest.  Among the most frequently mentioned topics were:  history, art, literature, gardening, music and cooking.

It was encouraging to see that after answering a number of questions about lifelong learning, ninety-one percent of the respondents indicated it was very (57%) or somewhat (34%) important to them.

The communities on the Eastern Shore are fortunate to have a number of options when it comes to lifelong learning programs.

While not a complete list, these organizations were mentioned most frequently on the survey in addition to Chesapeake Forum:

Academy Art Museum
Avalon
BAAM
Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum
Chesapeake College
Talbot County Historical Society
Washington College 

If you wish further information, the good folks at Chesapeake Forum, Academy for Lifelong Learning (WC-All) in Chestertown, and the Institute of Lifelong Learning.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Ed Homepage, Ed Portal Lead

Washington College Electric Boat Team Sets New World Record for Distance on a Single Charge

September 6, 2024 by Washington College News Service

The Washington College Electric Boat Team has etched their names into the history books by breaking the world record for the longest distance traveled on a single battery charge by an electric boat without using solar. In a feat of student ingenuity and a testament to the potential of environmentally conscious boating, the team successfully set the new record over the Labor Day weekend, with a dramatic 2:30 a.m. finish, shaving nearly 24 miles off the current Guinness World Record which was set in 2001 by the Thames Electric Launch Company on the Thames River in England.

The team, comprised of six students and two college staff members, began their attempt last Friday afternoon. After a grueling but determined 12 hours of navigating the Chester River, they surpassed the previous record of 220.4km (~ 136.95 miles) under cover of darkness early Saturday morning. But the Washington crew wasn’t done yet. They continued their journey for another six hours, ultimately setting the new record at a staggering 258.867km (~160.86 miles)!

“This accomplishment is a true testament to the dedication and hard work of our students and faculty,” said Brian Palmer, director of Washington College’s IDEAWORKS Innovation Center. “Our goal was to demonstrate that for many people’s boating needs, electric propulsion is a viable option. With emissions standards for boats so much lower than those set for cars, we want to help people realize that recreational and commercial boaters have a greater impact on the environment than they may realize.”

No stranger to glory on the water, the team recently took first place in the manned category at the Electric Boat Competition sponsored by the U.S. Navy and the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE).

The boat, which has been built by Washington College students under Palmer’s direction, is designed to handle all but the roughest conditions and weather throughout all seasons, as long as there isn’t ice.

“The team wanted a boat that could meet competitive goals, yet still serve a higher purpose of promoting electric propulsion,” said Palmer, who hopes that being on the team provides students with experiences that will propel them to be leaders in the ever-evolving world of EV propulsion post-graduation.

With this record attempt, the team hopes to showcase the need for, and ease of reaching, lower emissions and fuel use on our sensitive waterways and set a new bar for the future of electric boat technology. By demonstrating the impressive range and efficiency of electric boats, the Washington College team is leading the way towards a cleaner and more sustainable future on our waterways. Find out more about the team at wacelectricboat.com.

An Active Commitment to Sustainability 

Washington College is deeply tied to and committed to sustainability. The campus’s location on the low-lying Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay is among one of the most vulnerable areas to climate change and provides a unique setting to study the effects. The College views its impacts on the natural world through the lens of environmental sustainability and continues to invest in sustainable energies and encourage areas across the institution to generate innovative ideas and practices with the goal of not merely meeting metrics, but to develop a culture of sustainable practices.  Find out more about the College’s sustainability efforts at washcoll.edu/sustainability.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: WC

Talbot County STEM Camp Completes Another Excellent Summer

September 4, 2024 by Henley Moore

Like many communities throughout the country, the summer can be an essential time for young students to catch up on critical cognitive skills and be on equal footing with their peers by the fall. That is certainly true on the Mid-Shore, where children take advantage of a unique STEM Camp for 1st through 5th-grade youngsters in Talbot County.

This camp might be more unique because the instructors are all area high school students. That might be part of the special sauce that makes this summer school fun and successful for some 30 students yearly.

These older students not only can relate well to their young wards while studying tough subjects like math and science, but they run every aspect of the camp.

From developing the curriculum to planning field trips or deciding on meals, a core group of 30 staff members comes together to make the four-day program one of the most memorable experiences for their younger peers. But another part of this magical formula is that those older kids are learning as well.

Given the responsibility (and the risks associated with it) of running a full-scale program from soup to nuts, these teens find within themselves core leadership skills that are just as impactful life lessons as those they provide to the smaller children.

The Spy sat down with three of those young leaders last week to talk about the program.

This video is approximately four minutes in length. For more information about STEM Camp in Talbot County please go here.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Ed Homepage, Ed Portal Lead

As School Year Begins, Education Reform Plan Faces a Reckoning

August 22, 2024 by Maryland Matters

When Maryland public schools welcome nearly 890,000 students back to classes in the coming days, it will also be the beginning of year three of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the state’s sweeping education reform plan.

But the plan’s future is suddenly up in the air, as state and local lawmakers are raising new concerns about its costs in a time of budget uncertainty.

That was highlighted last weekend, when Gov. Wes Moore (D) told a gathering of county leaders the plan may need to be refined due to pending fiscal challenges. Moore said he supports the goals of the Blueprint but the challenge now is “to address our fiscal challenges … and right now, everything is on the table.”

But Paul Lemle hopes the state stays the course.

“It’s a once-in-a-generation investment in our students and our educators. So, it makes no sense that people would say it’s not a good thing, or blame it for some other problem,” said Lemle, a Howard County  high school social studies teacher who began a three-year term this month as president of the Maryland State Education Association.

“The bad part of it is when you hear local elected officials saying, ‘Our budgets are tighter. We can’t afford it.’ That’s wrong,” Lemle said Monday, while in Chicago for the Democratic National Convention. “It’s a really short-sighted perspective because the Blueprint is doing exactly what it is intended to do – improve educator salaries, put more people into the profession, hire more of them.”

The Blueprint law passed in 2020, but was vetoed by then-Gov. Larry Hogan (R). The General Assembly overrode his veto in 2021, but implementation was pushed back a year because of COVID-19 school closures.

The education plan is based on five priorities, or pillars: hiring and retaining high-quality and diverse teachers, early childhood education, providing additional resources for students in need, preparing students for college and technical careers, and governance and accountability.

Some aspects of the Blueprint have already been implemented, such as an increase in prekindergarten enrollment and more high school students able to take local college courses for free, a plan known as dual enrollment.

But local school officials for months have outlined challenges in implementing the Blueprint, such as funding, diversifying teacher workforce and the need for more flexibility from the state to continue implementing the 10-year plan.

And county government leaders joined in last week at the Maryland Association of Counties conference, where high costs and inflexibility of the plan were mentioned frequently.

“Between state revenues, between fund balances getting lower, it’s going to be more and more cataclysmic without course corrections on the way,” Dorchester County Councilman Michael Detmer (R) said during a Saturday session. He said he is skeptical the Blueprint’s supporters will readily agree to changes.

Del. Jefferson Ghrist (R-Upper Shore) moderates a panel Aug. 15 at the Maryland Association of Counties summer conference in Ocean City. Photo by William J. Ford.

A Thursday session on the Blueprint’s early childhood pillar – which includes a requirement that school districts provide a mixed-delivery system to serve students in both public schools and private child care centers – brought a plea for flexibility.

“No matter what the issue is, one size never fits all and pre-k is a great example of that,” said Del. Jefferson Ghrist (R-Upper Shore), who moderated the discussion. Ghrist voted against the Blueprint three years ago, but said he does support the early childhood part of the plan.

Better collaboration

Erin Doolittle, a prekindergarten teacher at Hillcrest Elementary in Frederick County, agrees that one size doesn’t fit all. But she said that she likes what she’s seen of the Blueprint so far.

Doolittle said the Blueprint has provided additional support for her school, where she’s entering her 21st year teaching, like the requirement to have a coordinator in schools designated as community schools. For her school, the coordinator organized a weekly afternoon gathering with families this summer at a local park, where children read books, practiced the alphabet and did other activities. Doolittle said parents could also receive information about transit services in the county.

Hillcrest serves as a community school that partners with local organizations to help teachers as well as parents and students’ families. Last school year, Doolittle said at least 75% of her 20 students spoke English as a second language at home.

As Doolittle prepared her classroom Monday for classes that began Wednesday, there were colorful phrases in English and Spanish posted around the room, such as “Nadie es como tú y ese es tu poder” – or “No one is like you and that is your power” in English.

“I think with the community schools coordinator, we’re being intentional about how we’re integrating the community and helping the community, rather than just kind of throwing things out there and hoping something helps,” she said. “We’ve always served as a community school, but the Blueprint has improved collaboration tremendously.”

In Doolittle’s room, she has several stations for reading, art and a carpet for morning meetings next to a full-size touchscreen board. Besides recognizing letters and numbers, social skills are a key component in prekindergarten, like learning to ask for help, being able to work with others and showing patience while waiting for a teacher to acknowledge them.

Since children are 3 and 4 years old, they take daily naps, or rest time, for about an hour. The goal is to get that down to about 40 minutes near the end of the school year, Doolittle said, so students’ bodies and minds are able to handle kindergarten.

“I think pre-k is kind of this very nebulous thing. What we’re doing is very, very different,” Doolittle said. “They’re singing and dancing and learning. There’s a lot going on, but it’s fun.”

Doolittle’s advice for state lawmakers and other officials to improve the Blueprint: “Just come and visit the classroom. See what’s going on. Then you’ll see how it really works.”

‘Still learning the Blueprint’

Unlike Doolittle, Michelle Early, calls herself “a career changer.” She worked in nonprofit management, retail management and for one year at a bank before settling on teaching. She is beginning her fourth year this week as a business teacher at Frederick County’s Walkersville High School.

Michelle Early, a business teacher at Walkersville High School in Frederick County, talks about students who can write their names on the cabinets just before they graduate. Photo by William J. Ford.

“I’m still learning the Blueprint,” she said Tuesday in her classroom, where she was getting ready for the start of classes Wednesday.

But Early, who teaches students in grades nine through 12, said the Blueprint has given her students more opportunities for college and career readiness. For those who may not want to enroll in free community college courses, Early said the school offers field trips to visit local businesses. Students can also get certified in a particular industry and get a job prior or after high school graduation.

“I see the excitement level on those students faces,” Early said. “Some aren’t or don’t want to go to college, but having another option for them makes all the difference.”

One part of the law she appreciates is increasing teacher starting salaries to $60,000 by July 2026. Early said she’s fortunate to work down the street from her school, but knows of other teachers who work in the county and live in Washington County or even Pennsylvania, because they cannot afford to live in Frederick County.

“Our wages are not enough. We go beyond the 35-to-40-hour work week,” she said. “This is beneficial for educators.”

One aspect of the Blueprint she’s still trying to grasp encourages teachers to earn national board certification, which recognizes them as “accomplished,” or experts in a certain area.

Every school district in the state has at least one teacher with that designation. But the state Department of Education said in a teacher workforce report in May that slightly more than 1,200, or 74%, of Maryland teachers designated as National Board Certified were concentrated in Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

Wright: There must be ‘a conscious effort’ to grow, diversify Maryland’s teacher workforce

The report notes more than 3,000 teachers during the previous school year of 2023-24 registered to receive “fee support” to pursue the certification. Once certified, teachers are eligible for a $10,000 raise, with an additional $7,000 for those who teach at an “identified low-performing school.”

Early thinks educators who pursue continuing education should be rewarded just the same as those who seek national board certification.

“As a teacher, I can see the importance of national board certification. Michelle, the person, I don’t see that a national board certification should be more important than someone who works at [earning] a doctorate,” she said. “Shouldn’t we as educators compensate that person in an equitable manner for having achieved that doctoral status, just as we are compensating someone who’s doing national board certification?”

Lemle, the teacher’s union president, said national board certification for a teacher improves the quality of instruction in the classroom by providing teachers with “incentives to stay in the classroom instead of … becoming administrators or leaving a classroom for other positions.”

“That’s why it’s money so well spent for our kids because we’re improving teacher quality and keeping them [teachers] in the classroom,” he said.


Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: [email protected]. Follow Maryland Matters on Facebook and X.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Ed Portal Lead, 7 Ed Notes

Talbot County Library Hosts Youth STEAM Program

August 19, 2024 by Matt LaMotte

This summer, the Easton branch of Talbot County Free Library hosted two week-long sessions of ‘STEAM’ camp for elementary and middle school students. Designed and conducted by three area high school students and funded by a grant from the Council of Friends of the Talbot County Library, the STEAM camp sessions were offered free of charge to area elementary and middle school students.

STEAM programs integrate science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics to foster a more holistic approach to education. The interdisciplinary approach encourages creativity and critical thinking, enabling students to engage in hands-on, real-world problem-solving. 

“In the Easton library’s STEAM camp, volunteer youth leaders Vivi Morris, Van Tran and Mia Mazzeo, who created the program, blended artistic expression with analytical skills to make learning fun,” said Easton Library Youth Coordinator Laura Powell. “The children who participated learned to collaborate across various disciplines, nurturing both their logical reasoning and creative potential.”

Starting with a traditional STEAM approach, Morris, Tran and Mazzeo adapted and designed the program to best suit the youngsters who were attending each week of camp. The first session hosted 20 six- to eight-year-olds and the second had 20 nine- to twelve-year-old attendees. Both sessions were at capacity. 

Over the course of each week, the camper groups tackled a number of projects that required individual effort as well as cooperation within each camper team. Each day brought a new menu of activities – everything from tie-dyeing shirts and print-making tote bags to pass and paint or creating fruit art.

“The strategy of our STEAM program was to break the campers up into small groups so they could learn to both interact effectively with each other and apply the skills each camper had,” stated Alanna Peerman, library staff assistant. “Each table of five campers had at least one volunteer High School assisting the campers.

“The campers particularly enjoyed making slime, as well as piecing together a Hex bug maze and racing the Hex bugs, said Mia Mazzeo. Two “cooking through chemistry” exercises were the highlights of each week. “To watch each camper make ice cream by hand and cook s’mores using the sun was so much fun for all of us!” commented Van Tran.

Vivi Morris agreed. “The collaboration and teamwork was so ‘chill’,” she said. “By the end of each week, we saw a community of learners, helping each other, enjoying each other’s company, and being so excited as each group completed their activities and projects.”

Two STEAM participants, Charlotte and Emmett McGrogan, of St Michaels, loved every minute of their camp experience. Emmett, 9, attended the second session and especially enjoyed making slime. “Doing crafting stuff was my most favorite activity”, said Emmett. “I can’t wait to come back to STEAM Camp next summer!”

The McGrogans’ mom, Katie Willis, also gave the program rave reviews. “As with many full-time working parents, my kids have been in a variety of summer programs – STEAM camp, which was free of charge, was hands down one of the very best,” Willis said. “The structure of STEAM camp each week was age-appropriate, well organized, and kept my kids engaged and busy the whole time. They want to go again next year, most definitely!” 

Matt LaMotte, a native of the Eastern Shore, has a diverse background. He grew up in Baltimore but spent much time in Easton and Chestertown. After college, he returned to the Mid Shore and worked in insurance and finance while raising his two sons. He then pursued a teaching and coaching career in independent schools across different states. In 2018, he chaired the History Department at Sts. Peter and Paul High School in Easton before retiring in 2021. Matt is now focused on conservation, outdoor education, and staying engaged with local and global affairs.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Ed Homepage, Ed Portal Lead

Bay Climate Adaptation: The TNC Guide in Finding the Money for Major Infrastructure Change

August 12, 2024 by Henley Moore

A few months ago, The Nature Conservancy released a report that could solve one of the major obstacles facing climate adaptation: finding the money to do things.

Many towns, particularly on the Eastern Shore, are facing an increasingly long list of infrastructure projects, but funding those expensive undertakings has become harder. That’s where TNC’s report, SEAFARE, could make a huge difference to those municipalities.

Through workshops with various stakeholders, including local residents, environmental justice leaders, and government officials, the report identifies barriers like complicated funding processes. It provides a toolkit to help decision-makers improve access to those dollars.

The Spy’s Dave Wheelan spoke to Human Sharif, TNC’s climate adaptation manager, to understand more.

This video is approximately five minutes in length. For more information about this report please go here. 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: 1 Homepage Slider, Eco Lead, Eco Portal Lead, Ed Portal Lead

Maryland’s pre-K expansion plan proves to be unpopular with child care providers

August 1, 2024 by Maryland Matters

Maryland is counting on private child care providers to take part as the state expands its pre-K program — but many providers don’t plan on becoming involved.

In a survey of the state’s childcare providers conducted this spring by the Local News Network, only 12.9% of respondents said they plan to or were already involved in the pre-K program created under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the state’s expansive education reform plan.

More than a third of the 256 respondents said they were unsure whether they will participate in the pre-K expansion — and nearly 40% said they would not participate.

Under the 10-year Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the pre-K expansion plan aims to expand pre-K enrollment to all 4-year-olds and all lower-income 3-year-olds through a “mixed delivery system” involving both public schools and private child care operations.

However, many childcare providers who responded to the survey said they are reluctant to take part in the program. Some said they would have trouble finding staff for a pre-K operation. Others said they didn’t want to get the additional education required to qualify for the program. Still, others said they didn’t want the Maryland State Department of Education to be more involved in their businesses than it already is.

Patti Smith, the director of Greenway Learning Center in Greenbelt, said she’s concerned that developmental differences between 3- and 4-year-olds would make managing a pre-K program difficult.

Asked if she would take part in the pre-K expansion, Smith said: “It’s more ‘no’ than ‘maybe,’ just for the first year because I want to see what other providers do. And I don’t have faith in MSDE. You know, I don’t think they have all the answers — so I’m not ready to be that guinea pig.”

The mixed delivery system

The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, which the General Assembly passed in 2021, calls for widespread changes throughout the state’s public schools.

Related stories:

Child care is scarce in Maryland, the nation – and the pandemic made matters worseFinding child care in Maryland is hard; finding the right child care is even harderMaryland’s pre-K expansion plan proves to be unpopular with child care providersOn child care, a search for local solutions to a national problem

One of the most wide-ranging changes is a vast expansion of early childhood education. The plan calls for state-funded pre-K to be available to all low-income 4-year-olds by the 2025-26 fiscal year. Pre-K will be free to all 3- and 4-year-olds from families that earn up to 300% of the federal poverty level. A sliding scale will determine how much families with incomes between 300% and 600% of the federal poverty level will pay for pre-K, while higher-income families will pay in full.

“This is another step in the right direction to ensure pre-kindergarten programs continue to grow and create more opportunities for our children and families, especially those who have been historically underserved,” Clarence Crawford, then-president of the Maryland State Board of Education, said in 2023.

While 40% of the state’s eligible youngsters were enrolled in pre-K in the 2022-23 school year, the Blueprint aims to double that percentage in a decade. Given that 30,718 young Marylanders were enrolled in pre-K in 2022-23, the change means tens of thousands of additional children would be enrolled in pre-K in the coming years.

State officials have set a goal of having private providers fill half the state’s pre-K slots by the 2026-27 school year.

“And part of the reason for that is … there is not enough space in the public schools to actually provide all those slots for pre-K,” said Rachel Hise, the executive director of the Blueprint’s Accountability and Implementation Board, at a conference of school principals late last year.

Hise acknowledged, though, that the mixed-delivery effort faces some major challenges, including one that haunts the state’s entire child care system.

“The pandemic really drove a number of child care providers out of business,” she said.

A widespread reluctance

On top of a statewide shortage of child care providers, education officials face another significant challenge in creating that mixed delivery system. The Local News Network survey this spring found many of the remaining child care providers are either reluctant to participate in the pre-K expansion or are refusing to take part.

Several child care providers said joining the pre-K program would make a hard job even more difficult.

Blueprint blues: Local leaders cite school reform plan’s progress, problems

“I’m overwhelmed with the day-to-day operational issues,” such as staff turnover and increased operating costs, said Dana Miller of Little Smiling Faces Childcare in Mitchellville. “Having to find a qualified (pre-K) teacher would just add more issues.”

Under the Blueprint, by the 2025-26 school year, pre-K teachers will have to be state-certified in early childhood education or have a bachelor’s degree and be taking part in an alternative educators training program. Pre-K teaching assistants will be required to have an associate’s degree, whereas now they only need a high school diploma.

Those requirements automatically block some child care providers from offering pre-K.

“It’s my understanding that you have to have a bachelor’s to participate, and I do not,” said Danielle Zulauf, owner of Tiny Trailblazers Daycare in Preston.

Michele Stritch, owner and operator of Michele Stritch Family Child Care in Dundalk, said in response to the survey that she is reluctant to participate in the pre-K because she doesn’t know what it entails. She also noted her center faces financial challenges and concerns about state regulations.

“I am inclined to not participate because I do not want the state being even more involved in how I run my business,” Stritch said.

On top of all those issues, state education planners face one more challenge: The LNN survey showed the percentage of child care providers who want to take part in the pre-K program — 12.9% — is exactly the same as the percentage of those who had never heard of it.

“I would love to participate but have never heard of the program,” said Charnetta Bailey, owner and operator of Children Learning Wonders in Ellicott City.

A publicity push?

Told about the survey results, Maryland Department of Education spokesperson Raven Hill indicated better publicity is the key to making sure more child care providers decide to offer pre-K.

“MSDE continues to invite private providers to participate in Push to Pre-K webinars to increase awareness of publicly funded Pre-K and provide accurate information and support regarding Pre-K grant opportunities and requirements,” Hill said in a written response to questions.

“MSDE will continue to encourage local education agencies to engage private providers in their areas about pre-K opportunities and the pre-K grant program benefits to children and families,” she said.

In addition, the state is tweaking its grant awards program to make more child care facilities eligible for pre-K funding, Hill said.

Tiffany Jones, owner of Precious Moments Family Childcare  in Rockville, said she plans on participating in the expansion program. But she said it’s difficult for many child care providers to understand the state’s pre-K effort.

“The requirements to participate in pre-K expansion are very challenging for the average family child care provider,” she said. “So while pre-K is a wonderful program, they need the spaces in family child care for the system to really work — but there are a ton of requirements for providers (that are) very difficult.”

Even so, some child care providers said they plan on taking part in the pre-K expansion because doing so is important for the survival of their business. After all, if they lose 3- and 4-year-olds to either public schools offering pre-K or to other providers, that means fewer enrollees and lower revenue.

“I feel the school is taking all of the 4-year-olds and some of the 3-year-olds,” said Laurie Arnold, owner of Laurie Arnold Home Daycare in Frederick, who plans to take part in the pre-K program. “In order to keep my numbers up, I have to adjust.”

In time, despite the fact that she said she doesn’t want to be a “guinea pig,” Patti Smith of the Greenway Learning Center may end up adjusting, too.

She said she’s taking a wait-and-see attitude toward joining the pre-K expansion and may join it eventually. But she said she’s afraid those providers who decided to take part starting this year may have a difficult confrontation with reality when the next school year starts.

“Come September, they’re going to go: ‘Oh, we don’t have enough room. We don’t have enough teachers,’” Smith said. “I do think they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.”

– Local News Network director Jerry Zremski contributed to this report.


by Capital News Service, Maryland Matters
July 31, 2024

By Audrey Keefe and Mira Beinart

Maryland Matters is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Maryland Matters maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Steve Crane for questions: [email protected]. Follow Maryland Matters on Facebook and X.

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Ed Portal Lead, 7 Ed Notes

Spy and WHCP New Series: Checking in with Superintendent of Dorchester Schools Dr. Jymil Thompson

July 23, 2024 by Spy & WHCP Community Radio

As part of the Spy Newspapers and WHCP Community Radio (91.7) ongoing news collaboration, the Spy’s Dave Wheelan and WHCP’s Jim Brady have begun regular check-ins with Superintendent of Dorchester Schools Dr. Jymil Thompson.

In our first chat, Dr. Thompson discussed his background and his journey to Dorchester County. He also discussed the impact Maryland’s Blueprint for Excellence has had on his school district, budget issues facing Dorchester, and other concerns, such as the use of cell phones in the classroom.

This video is approximately 23 minutes in length.

 

The Spy Newspapers may periodically employ the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the clarity and accuracy of our content.

Filed Under: Ed Homepage

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