St. Mary's County Council of PTAs (CCPTA)

Maryland PTA Legislative Platform 2007

“To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth”

The authority of Maryland PTA’s legislative activity is the third object of the National PTA’s Purposes. Maryland PTA recognizes that an organization dedicated to the welfare of children and youth must concern itself with the laws that effect children.

The Maryland PTA Legislative Platform, adopted by state convention delegates, establishes the authority, direction and priority for action on legislative issues, and in accordance to National PTAs Purposes and Basic Policies. All directives contained in the platform are derived from state resolutions, position statements or policy statements. Maryland PTA believes all levels of government play varying roles in ensuring that the health and welfare needs of all children and youth are met.

State Focus:

Maryland PTA supports

• TheBridge to Excellence Act as its state legislative priority. Maryland PTA supported the adoption of the Bridge to Excellence Act (Thornton) in 2002 to ensure that all students benefit from adequate educational resources; that each school system receives an equitable share of state funding; and that school systems are held accountable for individual student achievement. The Act calls for significant increases in state funding for public schools through 2008. Full funding of this Act is needed to ensure that all students benefit from high quality teachers and programs designed to meet Maryland’s high student performance standards. Full funding will enable schools to provide much needed improvements such as: reducing class sizes; eliminating achievement gaps; providing quality music, art, career technology, gifted & talented programs; andproviding full-day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs to build the foundation for future learning.

 

• The Public Schools Facilities Act of 2004 signed by the governor on May 11, 2004.   Public Facilities need $3.85 billion dollars to bring all schools up to the minimum standard for educational programming, health, and safety requirements as recommended by the task force to study public school facilities.   A safe, healthy, and modern learning environment is essential to raising academic performance, especially as we strive to meet the rigorous standards set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act and Bridge to Excellence Act (Source: MDPTA 2004-2005 Post Card Campaign).  Maryland PTA will encourage the governor of Maryland and the general assembly to consider all revenue options to support Maryland’s public schools and other essential children’s programs.

 

Federal Focus:

Maryland PTA supports

• Provisions of the ESEA, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), and IDEA Act as its federal legislative priority. Maryland PTA also supports the requirement for healthy, high-performance school buildings in which the design, construction, operation, and maintenance use energy-efficient and affordable practices and materials; are cost-effective; enhance indoor air quality; and protect and conserve water.

 

• Additional funding for school modernization and new construction projects nationwide. Maryland PTA will work with the White House, Congress, and other educational organizations to enact federal legislation to help states and schools renovate and repair their facilities. Maryland PTA will work with National PTA and with officials at all levels of government to find innovative ways to fund school construction projects.

 

THE 2007 MARYLAND PTA LEGISLATIVE POLICIES focus on the following:

 

Parent/Family Involvement:

Maryland PTA supports measures that reflect its National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs in education and child-related legislation and regulations.

• Support parent/family involvement in federal/state/local legislation.
• Support employee release time for parent/family and community involvement.
• Support school-linked parent resource centers.
• Establish policies that support and respect family responsibilities, recognizing the variety of parenting traditions and practices within the community's cultural and religious diversity.
• Provide an accessible parent/family information and resource center to support parents and families with training, resources, and other services.
• Support diversity awareness programs to encourage parent involvement.

 

THE 2007 MARYLAND PTA LEGISLATIVE POLICIES (continued)

 

Public Education:

Maryland PTA supports comprehensive school reforms that unite parents/guardians, school staff and community members in designing and implementing education improvements that meet local needs.

·        Support State and Federal education programs and funding initiatives that:

o      Support equity

o      Provide adequate levels of funding

o      Provide adequate textbooks for all children and youth

o      Provide early childhood education

o      Oppose vouchers

o      Oppose public money to non-public schools

o      Assure accountability of charter schools

o      Promote sound and appropriate testing/assessment policies

o      Support effective education technology

 

Safe and Nurturing Environments:

Maryland PTA supports initiatives and policies that integrate a range of education, health and social services to meet the needs of our children and youth.

·        School-based before and after school programs.

·        Initiatives that foster a supportive school climate, including:

o      Violence prevention measures

o      Child protection and delinquency prevention initiatives

o      Class size reduction efforts

o      School modernization proposals

o      Counseling programs

·        Health and welfare reforms that meet the needs of children and families.

 

Maryland PTA opposes commercialism in the classroom and market research that violates student privacy.

 

Maryland Parent and Community Involvement Policies focus on the following:

 

Maryland PTA supports the Maryland’s Parent Advisory Council vision and underlying principles for parent involvement in Maryland. Parents, families, educators, and community member’s work together as real partners, hold themselves mutually accountable, and have the knowledge, skills and confidence to succeed at improving the achievement of all students.

To achieve this vision we embrace these principles:

• Parents, families, educators and communities are mutually accountable for improving student achievement by supporting parent involvement.  This shared responsibility should be monitored and annually reported on by the Maryland State Department of Education.
• Schools must offer a welcoming, trustful, and engaging environment.
• The Maryland State Department of Education, institutions of higher learning, local school systems, and schools must provide ongoing training so that parents and educators can be full partners, informed decision-makers, and effective advocates for children.
• Schools and school systems must respond to the increasing needs of the state’s diverse families and communities.
• Parents must support their child’s learning at home and in school and must serve as their child’s advocate.
• Parents, educators, and community members must be advocates for all children.

 

Five criteria are recommended to implement the vision and principles.  They are:

• Accountability
• Training
• Leadership
• Partnership
• Communication

 

 

 

LEGISLATIVE DIRECTIVES

 

Maryland PTA sets its public policy and legislative priorities based upon legislative directives that are listed on the previous pages.Maryland PTA is also bound by the legislative positions of National PTA in specific areas. They are identified herein by (N).

 

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation, which:

• Strengthens the protection of children and youth on school grounds and in the communities from the possession or distribution of alcohol or controlled dangerous substances. (N)
• Establishes prevention, education and treatment programs. (N)
• Supports appropriate use of cigarette restitution funds to lower the number of youth exposed to and who use tobacco products.
• Establishes vigorous statewide enforcement and strict sentencing for violations of statutes regarding driving under the influence of alcohol and other physical and mind-altering drugs.

 

Child Abuse and Neglect

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation, which:

• Carefully monitor childcare and early childhood education programs, which promote the highest standards of excellence and safety for personnel and facilities. (N)
• Require health and background screenings of all prospective workers including a fingerprint check in childcare and early childhood education program positions.
•  Will add the crime of sexual abuse of a child to the list of crimes of violence for which enhanced penalties shall be applied.

 

Early Childhood Education

                Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulations, which:

1.             Will enable local Boards of Education to establish full-day kindergarten supported by necessary state funding that will ensure that it does not negatively impact class size, programs or facilities. 

 

Environmental Health Hazards

                Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulations, which:

• Strengthens the protection of children and youth on school grounds and in the community from environmental hazards. (N)
• Requires that parents and communities be notified of environmental conditions and remedial actions in and around school buildings. (N)
• Requires appropriate and periodic testing and public notification of results of air, water, fungi, mold and other microbial contaminants in public school buildings and relocatable classrooms. (N)
• Ensures that an environmental site assessment of potential school sites is undertaken to evaluate health risks to children, youth and staff. The evaluation should include a site history, site visit, survey of surrounding potential sources of contamination, and appropriate laboratory testing.

 

Education

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation, which:

• Increases opportunities and resources for children and youth to pursue a variety of career paths.
• Will offer public schools constructive solutions to such problems as disruptive behavior, truancy and school dropout. (N)
• Will create school-business relationships based on sound educational principles, which will preserve the integrity of the learning environment making sure that programs meet an educational need and not a commercial motive. (N)
• Will ensure the continuance of gifted and talented programs that are adequately funded. (N)
• Will encourage the government to enter into mentoring partnerships with groups in order to expand mentoring programs to all children and youth.

 

Maryland PTA opposes policies which sell or provide access to a captive classroom audience, or determine an instructional program or equipment based upon donations rather than what the school identifies as most beneficial to students. (N)

 

Equity in Education

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation which:

• Will ensure individuals with disabilities accessibility to public places, especially public schools and requires that those facilities totally accommodate individuals with disabilities. (N)
• Will ensure an educational system that is equitable in resources and programs and is free from bias. (N)
• Will ensure that appropriate resources are made available to address disproportionate achievement levels in the educational system.
• Will ensure the right to a free quality public education, adequate food and shelter, and basic health care services for all children and youth. (N)

 

Firearms and Weapons

Maryland PTA supports public policy and legislation which:

• Will strengthen the protection of children and youth by prohibiting the possession of firearms on school grounds by anyone other than an officer of the law or an individual who is doing a presentation on firearms.
• Encourages instruction regarding gun safety.

 

Funding

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation which:

• Will provide the necessary federal, state, and local funding for implementation and maintenance of public school programs mandated by the Maryland General Assembly, the Federal Government or any other regulatory body. (N)
• Will provide a revenue structure that will reliably fund Maryland’s responsibility for education and children and youth without shifting undue burdens to local governments.
• Will ensure that monies allocated for libraries, but not matched by the counties, will not be returned to general funds.
• Will provide the necessary federal, state, and local funding for the implementation and maintenance of public programs designated to assist homeless children and youth.  

 

Maryland PTA opposes public policy, legislation and regulation which:

• Diverts public monies to non-public schools. (N)
• Institutes a program of tax credits or vouchers for non-public education. (N)
• Limits funding of public education by any state tax or spending limitations.
• Privatizes instruction implemented with public funds without establishing public policy standards, accessibility and accountability. (N)
• Freezes the hiring of additional social workers, or any proposed cuts to existing social worker positions by the State.

 

Health and Nutrition

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation which:

• Strengthens protection of children and youth on school grounds and in communities from infectious diseases. (N)
• Will provide for the continued immunization schedules for all children. (N)
• Will develop, fund and provide access to comprehensive, equitable, affordable and quality health care for all children and families. (N)
• Will ensure quality licensed health care professionals in all school buildings.
• Will develop and make available clinical/professional mental health programs and services to meet the needs of all children and youth. (N)
• Will provide support for the education of parents/guardians about the potential dangers of diseases requiring immunizations.
• Will mandate air conditioning in all Maryland public schools.
• Will address the epidemic of obesity and related chronic diseases in children and youth to include healthier food choices in school cafeterias and vending machines and ensure daily physical activity for all children.

 

Parent and Family Involvement

Maryland PTA supports:

• Parent/family involvement at all educational decision making levels. (N)
• Active involvement and participation of parent/families at all levels of advocacy pertaining to children/youth. (N)
• Action by the General Assembly to include parent/family involvement provisions in all legislation pertaining to children’s education and development. (N)
• The Maryland State Department of Education implementing and maintaining parent/family involvement and participation as a goal in Maryland. (N)
• A public policy and legislation, which would mandate a public comment time at the State Board of Education meetings.
• Including parents on all decision-making and advisory committees, and ensure adequate training for such areas as policy, curriculum, budget, school reform initiatives, safety, and personnel. Where site governance bodies exist, give equal representation to parents.
• Providing parents with current information regarding school policies, practices, and both student and school performance data.
• Enabling parents to participate as partners when setting school goals, developing or evaluating programs and policies, or responding to performance data.
• Encouraging and facilitating active parent participation in the decisions that affect students, such as student placement, course selection, and individual personalized education plans.
• Providing understandable, accessible, and well-publicized processes for influencing decisions, raising issues or concerns, appealing decisions, and resolving problems.

 

Maryland PTA opposes all attempts to silence PTA advocacy.

 

Safe and Nurturing Environments

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation which:

• Strengthens the safety of children and youth on playgrounds, ensuring that playground equipment meets the required safety codes, are maintained and meet safety design standards. (N)
• Will ensure that playgrounds are safe and accessible for all children and youth.
• Requires the presence of a parent/guardian whenever there is an interrogation of a minor by school administration or law enforcement officer, in any situation where there is no threat of imminent danger to themselves or others.
• Will ensure that children and youth are not placed in adult jails and lock-ups but in appropriate juvenile facilities.
• Will ensure that children and youth are assisted in leaving the juvenile justice system, by being given the support and instruction they will need to prevent their return.
• Will provide for the development of ratings or other appropriate information systems to inform parents and consumers about the content of video games and other interactive media. (N)
• Will provide safeguards for children and youth when using the Internet. (N)
• Will ensure the presence of trained personnel in CPR and First-Aid at athletic events and practices.
• Will mandate guidelines for the use of all protective gear, including eye protection, for children and youth while participating in any athletic activities.
• Will ensure proper health and safety procedures are monitored and enforced in Maryland’s body piercing and tattoo industry.
• Will develop, fund and implement necessary security measures for the safety of children and youth in school buildings and relocatable classrooms and the main office.

 

School Construction and Modernization

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation, and regulation which:

• Will examine the state school rated capacity formula.
• Will place educational facilities’ needs above funding for sports facilities. 
• Will ensure quality instruction including the reduction of class size where appropriate especially at the elementary level. (N)
• Will ensure that each school district has an adequate public facilities ordinance and that such ordinances apply to public school facilities.
• Will ensure quality instruction including the reduction of class size where appropriate at the secondary level. 

 

Spiritual Education

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation which:

1.     Will define and clarify the religious rights of teachers and students in public schools (based on the U.S. Department of Education Guidelines for Religious Expression in Public Schools and current court decisions). (N)

 

State and Local Boards of Education

Maryland PTA supportspublic policy, legislation, and regulation which:

• Encourages the establishment of local school system policies to ensure the rights of educators, parents, students and other community members to assume roles in the evaluation, selection and adoption or removal of procedures for instructional materials used by children in public schools. (N)
• Asserts that the local boards of education have the obligation to exercise judgment in evaluating automatic suspension under drug and weapons policy by taking into account such factors as the offender’s age, the actual danger of the item and the actions and intent of the student involved.

3.             Asserts that the local boards of education have the obligation to add the crime of sexual abuse of a child and youth to the student code of conduct and to also exercise their judgment in evaluating automatic          suspension for this crime by taking into account such factors as the offender’s age, the severity of the crime and the actions and intent of the student(s) involved.

• Asserts that the Boards of Education institutionalize parent/guardian involvement in decision making at the highest level of the school system by establishing and maintaining policies that ensure meaningful and timely public comment during every school board meeting in every district in the State of Maryland. 
• Affirms that the performance standards, curriculum, proficiency testing and related matters are the responsibility of the state and local boards of education with the involvement of parents/families and the community.
• Assures that public schools develop strong character education programs in cooperation with parents/guardians and community members.
• Maintains that the local boards of education are responsible for the implementation of education programs and related services to children and youth. 
• Will maintain a neutral position in regards to any legislation concerning teacher union negotiations. 

 

Maryland PTA opposes all efforts of local governing bodies to make line item cuts in school budgets, once school budgets have been approved. 

Maryland PTA opposes public policy and legislation, which reduce the authority and responsibility of school boards in the supervision and administration of local public schools. (N) 

 

Teacher Quality

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation which:

• Will ensure that there are qualified guidance counselors in all schools. (N)
• Will ensure the hiring of qualified teacher assistants in all schools.
• Will limit the time teachers are out of the classroom.
• Will improve the quality and quantity of available substitutes. 
• Will require a full background check including a fingerprint check of all student teachers and interns.

 

Testing

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation which:

• Will ensure that a sole test is not the determinant for high school graduation. (N)
• Will require an independent review of the high stakes tests that are administered to all elementary, middle and high school students.  (N)

 

Transportation

Maryland PTA supports public policy, legislation and regulation which:

• Will ensure the safety of children and youth to and from school regardless of means of transportation.
• Will make it illegal for a school bus to be operated while there are passengers who are not seated due to an insufficient number of seats.
• Will reduce the maximum capacity of a school bus to only the number of passengers that can ride safely in a seat.
• Will increase motorists’ awareness of passing stopped school buses with red lights flashing and give law enforcement the means to give this issue the priority that it deserves. 
• Will ensure two-way communications on all school buses.
• Will mandate that appropriate seating and child restraints be provided on special needs buses. (N)
• Will develop a system of safety restraints in buses that will ensure the maximum safety of children and youth on school buses. (N)
• Will study and develop a system, which will ensure the mechanical safety of school buses by requiring regular inspection and recording to verify that they meet current federal motor safety standards. 
• Will mandate the use of only Type I and Type II school buses for transporting students to school and school-sponsored events. (N)  

Summary of the Maryland PTA Legislative Platform

 

The Maryland PTA Legislative Platform is the basis for any action taken on public policy, legislation and regulations affecting the health, education and general welfare of children and youth by Maryland PTA, the PTA Councils or the local PTAs.  Maryland PTA Councils, local PTAs and its members may support or abstain from taking action, but they may not take action in opposition or conflict with Maryland PTA (i.e., Policies, Directives, Resolutions, etc.).  The Maryland PTA Legislative Platform conforms to the policies and resolutions of National PTA.  Maryland PTA monitors and assesses children's needs in order to determine where and how PTA action should be initiated or intensified. State convention resolutions, letters, and results of studies from PTA councils, and local PTAs as well as National PTA programs and priorities, provide direction to the Maryland PTA Board of Directors.

 

Legislative Terms

• Public Policy Statements: These are basic broad statements that are made on issues, which will affect the health, welfare and education of children and youth.
• Legislative Directives: The priorities that are developed that will determine action by Maryland PTA in supporting or seeking new legislation.
• Resolutions: An original main motion, which, because of its importance, length, or complexity is submitted in writing and is submitted to the MDPTA Rules and Procedures committee no later than May 15 for approval.
• General Assembly Legislative Initiatives: Maryland PTA establishes legislative initiatives to pursue during the General Assembly session.  Councils, local PTAs, and individual members can suggest initiatives at the Maryland PTA Annual Convention.
• Maryland PTA and Coalitions: A coalition is a group of organizations and/or individuals working together for a common purpose usually involving "one issue" or event. The coalition is dissolved when the issue has been resolved or the event has been completed.  Maryland PTA supports coalitions that deal with issues in which PTA has a vital interest involving children and youth and supports the purposes of PTA.

 

The Maryland PTA Legislative Committee

The vice president for legislation shall chair the state legislative committee consisting of at least six (6) members including the president elect.The committee meets regularly while the Maryland General Assembly is in session to review and discuss bills and the positions of the Maryland PTA; and as needed, to develop the Maryland PTA Public Policy and Legislative Program to address emerging issues.

Proposed Changes to the Legislative Platform

The Maryland PTA Legislative Committee meets following the General Assembly session to review and recommend changes to the Legislative Platform based on:

• Bills presented during the General Assembly Session,
• Responses to the issues survey, and
• Other emerging issues.

 

National PTA’s Member-to-Member Network

National PTA’s Member-to-Member Network is the grassroots advocacy system that allows PTA members to establish personal contact with members of Congress. By doing so, you will be supporting appropriate legislation to improve laws, policies, and conditions on behalf of children. Participants in the Member-to-Member Network receive a subscription to the free weekly legislative e-newsletter, This Week In Washington, via e-mail or fax. In addition, participants will receive National PTA Action Alerts, which are calls to action issued when PTA’s voice needs to be heard on Capital Hill. PTA members can apply online at www.pta.org/ptawashington, or by contacting Maryland PTA.

 

Maryland PTA Legislation Information - http://www.mdpta.org/bridge_legislation.html

 

National PTA's Issues http://www.pta.org/ia_issues.html

National PTA's priorities complement PTA's mission of advocating for services and policies that benefit children, educating parents to be advocates for their children, and engaging community members in support of public education.

Current Action Alerts and Legislation - http://capwiz.com/npta2/issues/

Member-to-Member Network - http://capwiz.com/npta2/mlm/signup/

 

Maryland PTA Talking Points on Legislative Priorities (2006-07)

Bridge to Excellence Act of 2002 (Thornton Commission Legislation)

Maryland PTA supports the Bridge to Excellence Act in it’s entirety. Maryland PTA supported the adoption of the Bridge to Excellence Act (Thornton) in 2002 to ensure that

• All students benefit from adequate educational resources;
• Each school system receives an equitable share of state funding; and
• That school systems are held accountable for individual student achievement.

 

Bridge to Excellence established (3) fundamental funding streams for public education in the state of Maryland.  They are

• Base per pupil spending;
• Additional funding for special populations using several formulas based on student subcategories; and
• Additional funding under GCEI* (Geographical Cost of Education Index) which applies to those districts where the cost of educating students is higher due to factors outside of the control of the local districts.
• The Act calls for significant increases in state funding for public schools through 2008.

 

We must assure that the upcoming fiscal budget includes the proposed funding levels. Full funding is needed to ensure that

• All students benefit from high quality teachers and programs designed to meet high student performance standards established by USDE and MSDE.
• Schools can provide much needed improvements such as reducing class sizes, eliminating achievement gaps and provide quality music, art, career technology, gifted & talented programs; and
• Schools can provide full-day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs to build the foundation for future learning.

 

• GCEI is a key component of Bridge to Excellence that has not been funded by the governor during the past 3 budget cycles.  The loss of GCEI funds has hindered eligible jurisdictions from allocating sufficient funds to support adequate educational resources.  Without these resources, students do not receive a strong academic program, which affects their ability to meet state performance assessments.  Without GCEI funding, certain jurisdictions cannot be expected to meet testing requirements mandated by the state.
• SB 4 addresses re-establishing funding for GCEI.  MDPTA supports this legislation.

 

Public Schools Facilities Act 2004

Maryland PTA supports funding the Public Schools Facilities Act of 2004 that was signed by the governor on May 11, 2004.   Full funding of this act is required to

• Ensure that $3.85 billion dollars is allocated over the term of the legislation to bring all schools up to the minimum standard for educational programming, health, and safety requirements as recommended by the task force to study public school facilities; and 
• A safe, healthy, and modern learning environment is provided to help raise academic performance, as we strive to meet the rigorous standards set forth in the No Child Left Behind Act and Bridge for Excellence Act.

 

The Task Force on School Facilities has identified the following criteria affecting school facilities in Maryland

• Too many temporaries are in use in many jurisdictions (Montgomery County has in use approx. 700 temporary classrooms)
• Aging facilities (defined as 25 years or older) have outdated and inefficient heating and cooling systems.
• Aging facilities are more likely to have leaking roofs, asbestos problems and/or mold problems (due to poor heating and or cooling systems)
• Local jurisdictions unable to meet reduced class size standards; all day kindergarten requirements and/or pre-kindergarten program requirements due to lack of classroom space
• Local jurisdictions unable to meet facility requirements for many special populations

 

The Task for On School Facilities had recommended a minimum of $250 million dollars per year to begin the process of renovating and building new schools for the state of Maryland.  However the governor has not allocated this amount since the inception of this legislation.  Therefore, additional funding is required to ensure that

• Local jurisdictions do not fall behind in construction schedules
• The cost of renovation and construction can meet current and future cost projections
• A minimum of $400 million is needed in this fiscal budget to meet past and current project costs

                                                                                        

Maryland Parent and Community Involvement Policies

Maryland PTA supports Maryland’s Parent Advisory Council (MPAC) vision and underlying principles for parent involvement. To achieve this vision we embrace

• Parents, families, educators and communities are mutually accountable for improving student achievement by supporting parent involvement.  This shared responsibility should be monitored and annually reported on by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE).
• Schools must offer a welcoming, trustful, and engaging environment.
• MSDE, institutions of higher learning, local school systems, and schools must provide ongoing training so that parents and educators can be full partners, informed decision-makers, and effective advocates for children.
• Schools and school systems must respond to the increasing needs of the state’s diverse families and communities.
• Parents must support their child’s learning at home and in school and must serve as their child’s advocate.
• Parents, educators, and community members must be advocates for all children.

The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2000 and the Bridge to Excellence Act of 2002 support parent involvement

• Law requires states to ensure parents play an integral role in education.
• Parents are full partners in their child’s education and are included in decision making and on advisory committees to assist in the education of their child.

In National PTA’s program, Building Successful Partnerships (BSP), please note the following standards

• Parents play an integral role in assisting student learning.
• Studies have shown that where parents are involved in decision making and advocacy there is increased student achievement.
• Effective partnership develop when each partner is respected and empowered to fully participate in the decision making process.
• The shared responsibility between home and school fosters parental trust, public confidence, and mutual support of each others efforts.– This is crucial in the collaborative decision making process.
• Parents and schools work together as knowledgeable partners.

 

HB141 addresses parent involvement at the state level.  Bill synopsis as follows-“Requiring a specified number of members of the State Board of Education to be, at the time of their appointment, parents of students enrolled in public schools in the State; providing for the application of the Act; etc.”

MDPTA supports this legislation based on the following

• To have two parents sitting on the state board of education was a recommendation of the Maryland Parent Advisory Committee (M PAC)
• To meet Goal 5 of Maryland’s Plan for Family, School and Community Involvement (a Maryland State Department of Education document, 2002), which  states, “In partnership for student success, parents, schools and community members will collaborate on all educational decisions that affect children, families, and school improvement.”
• To ensure full partners in decision making; to engage parents in education process is essential for student’s academic success; and to ensure that education is a shared responsibility between the home and school.

 

Talking Points for Legislation relating to Aging Schools (2006-07)

Maryland PTA supports the Bridge to Excellence Act which addresses the issue of aging schools.  The Maryland PTA Legislative Platform lists the following areas in which aging schools legislation applies to:

• Improving safety and accessibility of public school playgrounds
• Funding for resources to address security issues in older buildings and temporary school structures
• Improving facilities to implement programs such as class size reduction, all day kindergarten and pre-kindergarten classes.
• Improving conditions in public schools including but not limited to all health hazards and/or environmental hazards.

 

National PTA supports all legislation which addresses construction and renovation to promote healthy schools:

• 30% of public schools nationwide are in need of major repairs or replacement; the average public school building is 42 years old; the use of portable classrooms (temporaries) grows by more than 20% each year.
• Students learning in better building conditions earn 5-17% higher test schools than students in substandard buildings; overcrowding conditions make it difficult to maintain discipline and/or to offer instruction requiring space and special materials and forces the mainstreaming of students with disabilities.
• More than 50% of all US public schools have environmental hazards; such health hazards combined with long hours spent in school facilities create a higher percentage of students at risk for developing medical problems.

 

The Maryland Task Force to study Public Schools Facilities identifies several key areas where funding is needed to meet the criteria established in the Bridge to Excellence and No Child Left Behind Acts.  Significant funding is necessary to meet the current and anticipated needs of public schools.  Note the following areas identified by this report:

• Revenues to meet the growing needs of renovating or building new schools has declined during the past 4 years
• Costs for construction and renovation have increased at a dramatic rate which will impact future modernization and new school projects.
• Requirements established by Federal and State legislation have clearly defined timetables which is a driving force to re-vitalize funding sources for school construction.

 

While we support all legislation that addresses this issue, Maryland PTA recognizes that the needs of public school facilities outweigh current funding levels. We urge the General Assembly to reconsider increasing the funding levels defined for aging schools in the Bridge to Excellence Act.

High School Assessments Tests (HSAs)

Statement by the Maryland PTA

Maryland PTA and its 215,000 members believe that a quality education incorporates multiple measures of performance such as student grades, teacher evaluations, and assessment tests.  These combined indicators provide a balanced picture of student knowledge, skills and abilities, and can provide an objective way to broaden access to educational opportunities.  However, using any one of these indicators alone as a measure of attainment falls short of providing a complete picture of student achievement.  Therefore, the use of High School Assessment Tests (HSAs) should not be used as the sole determinant of a student’s academic achievement or graduation requirement.

National PTA believes that the overall goal of student assessment and testing programs should be to identify how instruction can be improved and learning increased.  A valid assessment of a student’s academic performance does not consist of a single test score.  Additionally, the development of indicators such as equity, the quality of teaching staff, adequate facilities, class size, instructional methods, accountability and parental involvement are important in providing a balanced representation of educational quality in school districts.

Since the adoption of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), progress has been made by local school districts to implement interventions that address the needs of students at risk for failure.  But there currently lacks a standardized program of initiatives that address HSA test failures that provide timely remediation for students in order to satisfy assessment requirements and graduation requirements.  Based on the 2006 test results of the 63,000 students in the class of 2009, as many as 25,000 students dispersed statewide are at risk of failing one or more of the HSA tests.

At the time of its adoption, the Bridge to Excellence Act (BEA) and Thornton Commission did not include the financial resources necessary to address the mandates outlined in NCLB and Maryland State Department of Education’s requirement for students to pass HSAs.  Inadequate funding results in the inability to administer intervention and remedial programs necessary to prepare students to meet the academic standards of NCLB and BEA. 

In conclusion, the members of the Maryland PTA on behalf of all children attending Maryland Public Schools are in full support of implementation of assessments that prepare students to move forward in their educational pursuits, as well as identify struggling students to assist them overcome the barriers that impede their learning. However, we have reservations about HSAs use as the basis for withholding diplomas.  Our efforts should be geared toward initiatives that address timely remediation for test failures coupled with educational funding that equitably supports the needs of all children in Maryland Public Schools.

Approved by MDPTA Executive Committee 1/24/07