The Maryland State Department of Education turned down a chance at millions of dollars in federal education funding because of state laws unfriendly to trends in school reform.
Now, Maryland Republicans, angry at what they see as Democratic pandering to teachers unions, are garnering support for changes to legislation, some of which are also pushed for by State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick.
Maryland was one of 10 states that did not submit an application for a share of $4 billion in Race to the Top funds — federal dollars to encourage educational reforms popular with the Obama administration. Winning the money depends partly on how well a state’s laws support reforms such as more time on the job before earning tenure, teacher evaluations linked to student performance, or “incentive pay” for teachers willing to teach at tough schools.
Maryland’s laws currently don’t support reform trends well. A nationwide study by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce gave Maryland an F for its ability to remove ineffective teachers. The Center for Education Reform ranks the state’s charter school law as ninth weakest of 41 in the nation.
“The current [Gov. Martin O’Malley] administration likes to crow about Education Week magazine saying Maryland is number one for education, but if you look at the Race to the Top criteria, we’re not close to being number one,” said Allan Kittleman, a Republican state senator from Howard County.
Kittleman, with the Senate Republican Caucus, blames “the teachers union and their stranglehold over Democratic legislators” for the failure to pass reform-friendly laws, according to a caucus statement.
Grasmick has been pushing for legislative changes that, among other measures, would lengthen tenure requirements and provide “incentive pay.” She has not recommended changing the laws governing charter schools.
Until laws change, the state stands small chance of securing much-desired Race to the Top funds in a second round of applications due in April.
“We’re hopeful the General Assembly will make some changes,” a Department of Education spokesman said.
But in an election year, Republicans are less optimistic that Democrats will risk upsetting teachers unions.
Doug Prouty, president of the Montgomery County teachers union, said his teachers are not opposed to reform, but to statewide legislative changes that could interfere with county efforts already in place.
“People forget there are some school systems already doing a lot of good work, and in those places it’s often because of the involvement of the employees’ associations,” he said.
