Latest news with #MarylandStateDepartmentofEducation
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Freeze being placed on Maryland's Child Care Scholarship program
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) announced earlier this week that, starting next month, it will be temporarily freezing a program that assists thousands of families by paying for child care expenses. There are over 45,000 children currently enrolled in the Child Care Scholarship (CCS) program. That number was closer to 21,000 in 2023. Now, an enrollment freeze is being implemented due to increased demand. Man dies in hospital after being hit by car in Montgomery County 'The success of this program means we have far exceeded the original demand and availability,' Assistant State Superintendent Sarah Neville-Morgan said. Neville-Morgan says the CCS Program has seen an 87% increase in the last two years. Due to such rapid growth, the program is on pace to nearly exceed its $270 million budget for the year, forcing the MSDE to freeze new enrollments starting May 1. 'We will not be able to award scholarships until we get some attrition and move down below that threshold,' Neville-Morgan explained. Tara Phillips is the executive director of the MSDE's Early Childhood Division. She says several factors have contributed to the surge in families enrolled in the CCS Program since January 2023. 'We began to use presumptive eligibility to determine what families were eligible,' Phillips said, 'and we implemented a fast track. We did indeed advertise the program more at that time as well.' So, what does the freeze mean for families already in the program? 'We will continue to pay the Child Care Scholarship payments on behalf of those families,' Phillips added. Neville-Morgan stated, 'We want to maximize this program. We want every single dollar that we can use to go out and to support Maryland's children and families.' As of now, there's no word on how long the enrollment freeze will last. The MSDE will continue to accept and review CCS Program applications while the freeze is in place. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maryland joins 18 states, sues Department of Education for threats to pull funding over DEI
Maryland's Attorney General joins 18 state attorneys general in a lawsuit over the U.S. Department of Education's threats to pull funding from public schools with diversity, equity and inclusion programs. 'With these blatantly unlawful actions, the Trump administration is playing politics with children's futures, threatening to defund schools just because they promote policies that ensure equal education for all students,' wrote Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown. This year, the Maryland State Department of Education received over $286.7 million in federal funding, making up nearly 69% of the department's total funds. In March, the Trump administration revoked $400 million in pandemic relief funds to Maryland public schools, all of which had already been spent or allocated. The complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts and argues that the administration's newly announced requirement for public schools to certify that they no longer employ DEI practices to receive federal funding violates several laws, including the Administrative Procedure Act. DOE's policy argues that the public schools receiving federal funding are required to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, and that schools engaging in DEI practices violate this requirement. This argument is rebuked in the lawsuit, which calls it an 'ambiguous and unsupported interpretation' of Title VI. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Stephanie Gallagher issued a 48-page ruling in a Maryland lawsuit against DOE initiated by the American Federation of Teachers over the agency's new requirements, blocking its mandate in public schools. Have a news tip? Contact Mathew Schumer at mschumer@ 443-890-7423 and on X as @mmmschumer.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Maryland school districts try workaround to Trump order to cut DEI, but judge makes it moot for now
Maryland schools will not be required to sign a certification of compliance with the U.S. Department of Education's demand to cut diversity, equity and inclusion — for now — but had planned a workaround to avoid signing anyway. A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Trump administration's mandate against DEI efforts in public schools, which they argue is as illegal based on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. In February, the Department of Education sent a letter to state department of education demanding schools remove DEI from 'all aspects of student life' or lose all federal funding. This year, the Maryland State Department of Education received a total of $285.6 million in federal funds. That letter was followed up on April 3 with a letter insisting all local school superintendents sign the certification, setting a deadline to return the document by Thursday. While other states, including Colorado, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Wisconsin, refused to sign the certification point-blank, Maryland's Department of Education was considering returning an alternative certification. In an April 7 memo obtained by The Baltimore Sun, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Carey Wright asked local superintendents to sign an alternative certification, hoping it will allow them to retain federal funding without dismantling DEI programs. State officials revised the certification to say only that school districts are in 'full compliance' with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and do not discriminate based on 'race, color and national origin.' The federal government's proposed certification letter goes further than Wright's alternative. It requires schools to 'acknowledge…compliance with the below' — apparently referring to a section later in the document that says, 'any violation of Title VI — including the use of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion ('DEI') programs to advantage one's race over another — is impermissible,' and 'the use of certain DEI practices can violate federal law.' In the memo to Maryland superintendents, Wright appeared to question whether the federal department's original certification would hold up in court. 'I disagree with the [U.S. Department of Education's] current interpretation of Title VI and its view of SFFA v. Harvard University and the certification required,' Wright wrote. 'While [the Maryland State Department of Education] is unaware of any legal authority obligating it to comply with USDE's request, MSDE is reaffirming its commitment to complying with Title VI and other relevant federal laws.' Wright wrote that the federal memo does not clearly outline the purpose or legal authority of the request. The state department advised districts to consult with their attorneys before signing the certification or taking other action. A few Maryland districts have said they signed Wright's certification, though the state education department declined to comment on whether they would be sending the certifications along to the federal department. The Howard County Public School System signed the alternative certification, according to district Communications Director Brian W. Bassett, who did not comment about the reasons for the decision. Carrol County Public Schools also signed the alternative certification, a spokesperson said Thursday. Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Harford County schools did not respond to emails asking whether they signed the certification. It is unclear whether the federal government would have accepted Maryland's modified version, if MSDE does send the letter. The Department of Education did not respond to questions Thursday. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by the National Education Association and the American Civil Liberties Union, which accused the Republican administration of violating teachers' due process and First Amendment rights. This article will be updated. Have a news tip? Contact Bridget Byrne at bbyrne@ or 443-690-7205. Contact Mary Carole McCauley at mmccauley@ and 410-332-6704.
CBS News
18-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Gov. Moore announces more resources for Maryland federal workers impacted by mass layoffs
Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced additional resources to support federal workers displaced by recent efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce. The resources include a one-stop shop and job pages for human resources, procurement officers, accountants, fiscal accountants, and technicians. Moore said the new process will streamline hiring for state government positions that are difficult to fill, due to recent efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce. Applications on those pages are funneled into an expedited pathway to get considered and potentially interviewed for available openings. Within weeks, the governor's office said. The applications are live and will remain open until May 2. Due to recent efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce, additional waves of positions will open on a recurring basis within weeks. Moore announced expanded resources for federal workers impacted by workforce cuts through a new partnership with Work for America in March, he announced Monday. Through the partnership, federal workers and public servants can access the Civic Match talent platform to find targeted state and local government jobs. The state also launched the Maryland Public Service Resource website , a hub for unemployment information, job search tools, legal resources, and guidance on federal employment rules. In February, the governor directed three state agencies to improve their hiring processes to manage the influx of federal workers searching for job opportunities. The Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission are working together to identify opportunities for federal workers in teaching , with hopes that that effort will address Maryland's teaching shortage. In Howard County, County Executive Calvin Ball has also announced resources for impacted federal employees. In early February, Ball expanded resources related to job search assistance and childcare. In addition to hosting hiring fairs, and business expos for former federal employees who want to start their own business, Ball also said federal workers who apply for job openings in the Howard County government will have their applications expedited. The Trump administration has stated its goal to reduce the size of the federal workforce, and "wasteful" spending. In February, President Trump described the federal government as "bloated" before later issuing an executive order laying off all probationary federal employees. According to experts , the federal government has grown little since 1980. In March, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown led a coalition of 20 states in filing a federal lawsuit , challenging the Trump administration's mass layoffs of federal probationary employees. Maryland has approximately 160,000 federal civilian employees, representing about 6% of the state's total jobs as of March 2025, according to the governor's office .
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Maryland faces $418M ‘catastrophic' loss in pandemic-era relief funds
State Superintendent Carey Wright, second from left, at a September news conference at the Maryland State Department of Education building. Board of Education President Joshua Michale, left, listens. (File photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) The U.S. Department of Education told states Friday that it was canceling previous approvals to spend down remaining COVID-19 recovery funds, a change that could mean $418 million to the Maryland Department of Education. The change was announced in a letter from U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon that was dated Friday at 5 p.m., and said the decision to cancel the pandemic funding was effective — Friday at 5 p.m. 'Shock does not begin to describe our reaction when we received the notification late Friday evening,' Maryland State Superintendent Carey Wright said Monday. 'This jeopardizes over $400 million in funding.' Wright called the federal agency's decision 'catastrophic,' nothing that the money has already been spent or at least committed to the state's 24 school systems. She said the money is being used for tutoring, reading materials, after-school programming, even some construction projects such as repairs for heating and air conditioning units, among others. State officials said about $305.2 million has already been spent but not reimbursed by the federal department. Another $112.8 million is in 'encumbered' funds not paid out by the state, which means school systems must immediately stop any ongoing work on capital projects, or educational programs. 'It may be a tutoring program that's going on right now in schools that was intended to go through this school year, or it might be an improvement to a health room in a school,' said state Board of Education President Joshua Michael. 'There's going to be significant disruption.' $7 million payment to substitute among issues in Prince George's schools audit Officials said it remains unclear if the state would need to cover costs for ongoing programs, or if the local school systems may have to return any money already spent. 'The federal government is breaking the trust that it has once held strong with states across America,' Michael said. School officials said they are consulting with the Office of the Attorney General on the possibility of filing suit against the federal department. 'I think it's fair to say that we are exploring all legal options at this time given the severity of this action,' Michael said. He said the majority of the money comes from the American Rescue Plan's Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ARP ESSER, program. The state last year requested and received approval for an extension on how it would draw down the ESSER funds it had left over. Wright said the state sought extensions because of supply chain issues and construction delays. The approval was given before a Jan. 28 deadline set by former President Joe Biden (D) before he left office that month. But in her letter Friday, McMahon dismissed the approvals by the previous administration. 'The extension approval was issued recently, so any reliance interests developed are minimal,' McMahon wrote. 'Moreover, an agency may reconsider its prior decision. So you could not rely on the Department adhering to its original decision. That is especially true because the extension was a matter of administrative grace.' She said that extending deadlines to allocate 'COVID-related grants … years after the COVID pandemic ended is not consistent with the Department's priorities and thus not a worthwhile exercise of its discretion.' But McMahon also wrote the department would reconsider funding for states if the could explain 'how a particular project's extension is necessary to mitigate the effects of COVID on American students' education, and why the Department should exercise its discretion to grant your request.' Wright said ending the program at 5 p.m. Friday and offering to consider appeals from states 'seemed to be contradictory,' but she said her department plans to send a letter to justify why money for Maryland is necessary. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A U.S. department spokesperson said that specific projects would be assessed if funds are used directly to mitigate the effects of COVID-19. 'COVID is over. States and school districts can no longer claim they are spending their emergency pandemic funds on 'COVID relief' when there are numerous documented examples of misuse,' said Madi Biedermann in a statement Monday afternoon. 'The Biden Administration established an irresponsible precedent by extending the deadline for spending the COVID money far beyond the intended purpose of the funds, and it is past time for the money to be returned to the people's bank account,' Biedermann's statement said. In part because of the Education Department's decision, the Maryland Senate approved an amendment to a budget bill Monday that would require the governor's budget team to track federal cuts and, if they hit $1 billion, recommend state spending cuts to the General Assembly's Legislative Policy Committee. 'If we have a $1 billion problem from combined actions by the federal government, we would begin a process of review through our policy committee, and work with the governor to come up with solutions,' said Sen. Guy Guzzone (D-Howard), chair of the Budget and Taxation Committee. 'We have to be wide-eyed open about what could be happening because it is happening.' Sen. Chris West (R-Baltimore and Carroll) asked if any recommendations that may come from the policy committee would be for the legislature next year. 'Could very well be,' Guzzone said.
