Senate committee approves Maryland education reform amendments

The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee voted on Friday to amend Maryland's education reform plan, known as the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. This amendment aims to find a middle ground between the House and the governor's administration versions of the plan. The committee decided to pause funding for teacher "collaborative time" for four years, a move supported by the administration. However, they also chose to maintain funding for community schools, which the House insisted upon. The Senate Bill 429 will now go to another Senate panel for review, with just two weeks left in the legislative session before it ends on April 7. The Blueprint for Maryland's Future is a 10-year plan designed to improve education statewide, especially amid ongoing financial challenges. It was created in response to requests for more flexibility in how schools implement reforms. The governor's plan aims to delay some funding and implementation, including a proposal to decrease teachers' classroom time from 80% to 60% to allow more collaborative planning. The House rejected the governor's delay on collaborative time, suggesting it should start in 2026. In contrast, Senate committee chair Guy Guzzone noted that pacing the initiative could be more effective. The committee did agree with the House to protect funding for multilingual learners and low-income students, and also added protections for students at the Maryland School for the Blind and the SEED School. The Senate also proposed a more generous budget for mental health and support programs for students compared to both the House and the administration. On the other hand, they agreed with the administration to slow down the growth of per pupil funding under the Blueprint. Senate Majority Leader Nancy King expressed support for the delays in certain Blueprint goals, noting the positive changes already made by the plan. The Senate's Education, Energy, and Environment Committee is set to review other sections of the bill soon. Ongoing negotiations between the Senate and House will continue in an effort to finalize the Blueprint before the legislative deadline.