Commission’s Education Recommendations Hold Promise, but the Real Test Lies Ahead

Maryland’s Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education (also known as the Kirwan Commission) laid out an ambitious set of policy recommendations in its preliminary report last month. The commission’s proposals for early childhood education, funding equity, and building a world-class teacher workforce would make big changes to the way we deliver education in Maryland—and potentially big improvements in student achievement. But significant gaps remain in the commission’s plans, which so far do not include specific funding recommendations. The real test of how serious policymakers are about improving Maryland’s education system will come when they decide whether to invest the resources needed to make the commission’s framework into reality.

The Kirwan Commission’s preliminary report is the product of more than a year’s work since the commission held its first meetings in 2016. During this process, members heard from local and national education experts on the state of Maryland’s education system. While some Maryland schools rank among the best in the country by some measures, too many don’t have the resources they need to provide a high-quality education, and overall funding for Maryland schools has failed to keep up with inflation. A funding system that is both inadequate and unequitable is especially harmful to students in low-income families, who often live with chronic stress and other barriers to learning.

The commission’s preliminary report outlines several promising reforms that could go a long way toward guaranteeing every child in Maryland an excellent education:

• Early learning and supports: A large volume of research indicates that children who receive a solid foundation in their first five years have a better chance to excel in school and thrive later in life. The commission calls for full-day prekindergarten for all four-year-olds in the state, with no tuition for children in low-income families. The commission also calls for expanded learning opportunities for low-income three-year-olds and more investment in child care and other supports for families.
• Added investment where barriers are highest: Children who grow up in low-income families often face an array of challenges in school such as hunger, health problems, and physiological stress. These challenges are greatest for children who grow up in neighborhoods and attend schools where the majority of their peers also face financial hardship. The commission calls on the state to invest additional funding in schools in high-poverty areas, which these schools can use for before- and after-school programming, summer learning, and supportive services like physical and mental health care.
• Focus on teacher quality: All 24 of Maryland’s local school districts face a critical shortage of qualified teachers, according to the State Department of Education. An independent analysis has also found that Maryland is in the bottom 10 states for multiple measures of adequate teacher supply. The commission proposes an overhaul of Maryland’s teacher workforce policies, including higher standards for teacher preparation programs, compensation comparable to other professionals, and increased time for collaboration and planning.
• Other reforms: The preliminary report includes many other recommendations, such as revamped teacher career ladders, a greater focus on career and technical education, and changes to the way schools, local districts, and the state interact with one another.

The commission report embodies an ambitious vision for what public education can be. This vision is achievable—but only if policymakers back it with a commensurate investment in schools. So far, the commission has avoided specifics about how much funding schools would need to implement its proposals, but it is clear that the status quo is not sufficient. Since the Great Recession, Maryland has moved backward on school funding while at the same time increasing the standards we expect schools and students to meet. A state consultant group in 2016 estimated that we would need to invest nearly $3 billion more each year in state and local funding to make the state’s academic standards realistic. We will know that policymakers are serious about the Kirwan Commission’s vision if they strengthen our state’s investment in public schools and ensure that the students who face the greatest challenges have the resources they need to meet those challenges.

The commission has introduced legislation for the General Assembly to consider during its current session. While the full reform package will not be final until later this year, this bill serves as a down payment on the changes that lie ahead. Here are some highlights:

• $5 million in annual funding for before-school, after-school, and summer programming in schools where at least 90 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals. According to 2017 MSDE data, less than 2 percent of the state’s schools meet this need threshold.
• $2.5 million in annual funding for evidence-based literacy instruction in schools that are eligible for federal Title 1 funding.
• $2 million for the Maryland Teaching Fellows scholarship, plus an outreach campaign to encourage high-achieving high school students to become teachers.
• Increased funding for prekindergarten expansion.
• $2 million in annual funding for improved career and technical education.

Each component of the 2018 bill would make a difference—especially to current students for whom a future phased-in package will come too late. At the same time, if we want to guarantee a world-class education to every child in Maryland, policymakers will have to set their sights on a more ambitious investment.