Issue Position: Closing the Gap

Issue Position

In every corner of our country, parents work each and every day to improve the quality of life for their families -- to give their children more opportunities than they had themselves. So often, it's a dream built on education. And here in Maryland, more and more of our children and young adults are living that dream. They're learning more and doing better in our elementary schools, and then finishing high school and graduating from our world-class, affordable colleges at a rate we've never seen before.

Over the past seven years, our progress has been tremendous for all of our students: today, our African American and Latino students are exceeding the national average in standardized test performance. And we aren't willing to settle for just "above average." Maryland's African American students are ranked #3 in the country in 4th Grade Reading (1) and #2 in 8th Grade Reading(2). Our Latino students are ranked #2 in 4th Grade Reading(3), #4 in 8th Grade Math(4), and #1 in 8th Grade Reading(5).

We've made more progress to close the income achievement gap than any other state(6), with Maryland low income students posting the greatest gains in the nation(7). Today, Maryland students are ranked #3 in the country in 4th Grade Reading(8) and #6 in 8th Grade Reading(9).

By working together -- with educators, community leaders, school administrators, parents, and the students themselves -- we've built one of the best school systems in the country. But for all of our progress, an achievement gap continues to exist based upon income and race, and we still have schools -- and students -- who are in danger of being left behind. For example, Maryland's low income(10) students underperform their peers at an average of 33%(11). Among elementary school students, the achievement gap for African Americans and Latinos is about 18% and 16%, respectively(12). In middle school, the difference between White and African American students is approximately 26%; and 19% between White and Latino students(13). Perhaps most concerning, African American and Latino students are, respectively, 2.5 and 3 times more likely to drop out of high school than White students(14). This is unacceptable.

While the achievement gap is not unique to Maryland, we must continue to search for new and innovative solutions that are focused on our neighborhoods and our students. We must also invest strategically beyond the classroom. This includes delivering wrap-around services for students and parents where they live so that every home is engaged in their child's educational experience. We won't be satisfied until all of our schools are blue-ribbon schools; until all of our children have an equal opportunity to succeed.

Ken Ulman and I have a ten-point plan to eliminate the achievement gap among Maryland students. Together, we will: 1) establish the Governor's Office of Educational Disparities and Opportunities; 2) implement universal Pre-K; 3) expand career and technology education (CTE); 4) invest in school construction; 5) expand school breakfast availability; 6) increase the number of Latino liaisons in schools; 7) create a minority teacher scholarship fund; 8) empower teachers to identify and address achievement disparities; 9) increase school-based health services; and 10) expand the reach of education from the classroom to the community.

Building a better Maryland for more Marylanders starts with a fundamental promise we make to our children: no matter where you live, no matter who you are or what your parents do for a living, you will get the education and skills you need to succeed. Together, we can fulfill that promise to our children and eliminate our state's achievement gap.

Sincerely,

Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown

Mission: The Brown-Ulman Administration will address the educational achievement gap that persists among students of color and limited income. Together, we will ensure that every Maryland child receives a world class education and achieves their full educational potential.

1. Establish the Governor's Office of Educational Disparities and Opportunities

We will establish the first Governor's Office of Educational Disparities and Opportunities with the sole mission to close the achievement gap. The Director of the Office of Educational Disparities and Opportunities will report directly to the Governor. The Office will serve as the State's hub for innovation and policy related to closing the achievement gap. It will inform, connect and empower families, communities and educational agencies through funding, planning, research and analysis. To achieve measurable outcomes, the GOEDO will coordinate grant administration and technical support. The GOEDO will be responsible for promoting coordination and collaboration with State and local agencies, as well as the non-profit community, toward improving educational achievement for low income and minority students.

Under the direction of the GOEDO, we will establish an advisory council, comprised of representatives of our State agencies, educators, health care professionals, business and community leaders, which will recommend innovative actions to close the achievement gap.

Cost: $500,000 annually for staff and operating costs.

2. Implement Universal Pre-K Education

Universal Pre-K -- We will bring voluntary universal Pre-Kindergarten to all Maryland 4 year olds by 2018 and expand to full-day Pre-K by 2022.

A recent Pew study explained the importance of Pre-K, noting that, "It multiplies the effects of later reforms by narrowing early achievement gaps and ensuring that children are fully prepared to learn and thrive academically, physically, socially and emotionally."(15) In fact, the College Board argues that states seeking to increase college readiness "must intervene in the earliest years" and recommends expanding
Pre-K.(16)

3. Expand Career and Technology Education (CTE)

Expand CTE -- We will expand CTE opportunities by dedicating $100 million to CTE facility construction from 2015 to 2018 and increasing the number of high school students graduating with both a CTE certification and a diploma.

National statistics show that, on average, high school students engaged in CTE programs graduate at a rate of over 90%, compared to the national average of close to 75%.(17) Students are also eight to ten times less likely to drop out at 11th and 12th grade when enrolled in a CTE program.(18)

4. Invest in School Construction

Invest in School Construction -- We will set a new high water mark for public school construction by reaching $500 million in annual investments. In order to meet this goal, we will increase our annual funding $160 million by FY2019.

In order for our students to reach their greatest potential, we must provide the resources they need. We will ensure that every child and educator has a modern classroom with the technology they need to prepare for a career in the 21st century.

Cost: The costs of Pre-K, CTE and school construction programs have been discussed in the following proposals: Running Start Maryland and Ready to Work.

5. Ensure No Student Goes Hungry by Increasing School Breakfast Participation

We will increase participation in the Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMA) program to 100% by FY2019. MMA offers a free in-class breakfast to all students in schools with a free and reduced price meal eligible population of 40% or greater. The program facilitates the delivery of nutrition directly to students and removes the stigma of free meal participation for low income youth. We will ensure every Maryland youth has access to the nutrition they need to achieve their full academic potential.

Today, 366(19) out of 835 (43.8%) eligible schools participate in the program(20). By fully-funding MMA and working in collaboration with Maryland's local superintendents and local school boards to resolve implementation challenges, we will achieve 100% participation among eligible schools by 2018. Current program funding is $5,180,000(21), with $6,900,000 proposed for FY2015(22). Expanding to full funding will require an additional $5.6 million over the next four years(23).

Cost: To expand to 100% school participation, the State will invest an additional $1.4 million per year over the next four years.

6. Increase the Number of Latino Liaisons in Schools

We will dedicate funding to allow school districts to hire and train additional Latino liaisons to assist Maryland's growing Spanish-speaking community. Latino liaisons help bridge the language and cultural divides between students, parents and educators. They serve as translators and aides, helping families to understand their child's academic progress and challenges. For many parents, Latino liaisons are the sole conduit for information about their child's education.

More than half of Maryland's 66,000 new residents reported in the 2010 census were Latino(24). Today, over 110,000 Latino students attend Maryland public schools, or about 12.8% of the total student body.(25) As our Spanish-speaking population continues to grow, we will provide the supports necessary to ensure their academic success.

Cost: $500,000 annually in competitive grant funding.

7. Establish a Minority Teacher Scholarship Fund

We will create a minority teacher scholarship fund for college students who commit to teach in a high needs Maryland public school for 4 years upon graduation. While African Americans comprise 35.1% of all public school students, African American teachers only account for 16.6% of all educators(26). Similarly, Latinos make up 12.8% of our students, but only 2.24% of our teachers(27). By increasing the diversity of educators in Maryland, we will create a greater diversity of role models for youth and help resolve language and cultural challenges to education.

Cost: $750,000 for scholarship funding, beginning in FY2016, and increasing $750,000 each year for new students entering college, up to $3,000,000 in FY2019.

8. Increase School-Based Health and Dental Services

We will increase comprehensive medical services in our schools to ensure fewer absences for preventable medical conditions and improved focus in the classroom. Poor health is a common impediment to education, particularly among low income and minority students(28).

This approach will include creating new school-based health centers, similar to the successful partnerships between Washington County Public Schools and Meritus Medical Center. These centers make access to services convenient and affordable, while keeping children out of hospitals for minor ailments.

We will also work with our private and non-profit partners to bring more dental services to children in Title I schools to ensure that they receive the care they need. This may include duplication of successful partnerships like the dental service program offered by the Baltimore City Public Schools.

Cost: $2,000,000 annually for grant funding.

9. Expand Education from the Classroom to the Community

Our public education experience cannot begin and end at the school bell. We will help more students to overcome academic challenges by bringing services to families where they live.

We will deliver wrap-around community-based supports, including:

Literacy and language programs that help students and parents learn together, including additional English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) programs for adults and children;
After-school programs where children can play and learn in a safe, supervised environment;
Voluntary in-home services that help families enhance their child's educational experience; and
Mentorship programs for students in need of adult role models.

We will also assist our public and private partners to support federal planning grants for the Promise Heights Project in the Upton and Druid Heights communities, as well as the Langley Park Promise Neighborhood in Prince George's County. These innovative projects replicate the Harlem Children's Zone model to integrate intensive student and family supports that drastically improve educational outcomes in struggling neighborhoods. We will see these important projects to implementation and look for opportunities to replicate their success in other high-need communities.

In collaboration with our families, educators and communities, we will help every child achieve their greatest academic potential and reduce educational disparities for more Marylanders.

Cost: $1,000,000 annually for grant funding.

10. Empower Teachers to Recognize and Address Disparities

We will expand specialized training and professional development opportunities that assist our educators to better recognize achievement impediments and methods of improving outcomes. Through continued partnership with our educators, we will better identify both the challenges and the solutions that will reduce educational disparities among Maryland students.

Programming will focus on a variety of issues that address achievement gaps, including:

Methods to meet the needs of culturally-diverse student populations;
Utilizing technology in the classroom to enhance the educational experience and target struggling students; and
Remedial supports aimed at reducing dropouts and preparing 12th graders for career and college, consistent with the new PARCC assessment and Common Core standards.

Cost: $1,000,000 annually for grant funding.

By responsibly investing in the programs outlined above, including universal pre-K and CTE, we will reduce overall costs to the State and our counties by driving down the expenses associated with school dropouts.

Nearly half of all high school dropouts enter Maryland's juvenile justice system(29), and it costs $172,757 annually to detain each juvenile. Among adults in Maryland prisons, 57.2% are dropouts and each incarcerated person costs $34,842 a year to house(30) . Dropouts also cost the State and local government $193 million each year in foregone tax revenues due to decreased work productivity and access to employment(31). A modest (5%) increase in male graduation rates alone would reduce crime-related costs in Maryland by $160 million a year(32).

A major risk factor for high school dropouts is elementary reading proficiency(33), which is considerably improved through pre-K education and thereby reduces crime and incarceration(34). Furthermore, investments in CTE have been identified as a successful tool in reducing dropouts and preparing students with skills they need to secure employment(35).

Through our proposed investments in universal pre-K and CTE, we will drive down the costs of incarceration associated with high school dropouts. The savings achieved by graduating more Marylanders will offset the costs of the investments above.

Citations

[1] Excluding Department of Defense -- NAEP State Comparisons -- 4th Grade Reading -- African American, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013
[2] Excluding Department of Defense -- NAEP State Comparisons -- 8th Grade Reading -- African American, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013
[3] Excluding Department of Defense -- NAEP State Comparisons -- 4th Grade Reading -- Latino, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013
[4] Excluding Department of Defense -- NAEP State Comparisons -- 8th Grade Math -- Latino, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013
[5] Excluding Department of Defense -- NAEP State Comparisons -- 8th Grade Reading -- Latino, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013
[6] "President Obama and Governor O'Malley: Strengthening the Middle Class," Governor's Website, 7/25/13
[7] "Another No. 1 for Maryland," The Washington Post, 6/14/13
[8] Excluding Department of Defense -- NAEP State Comparisons -- 4th Grade Reading -- Low Income, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013
[9] Excluding Department of Defense -- NAEP State Comparisons -- 8th Grade Reading -- Low Income, National Center for Education Statistics, 2013
[10] As defined by free and reduced price meal eligibility.
[11] 4th and 8th grade performance by reduced price meal eligible students in math and reading, as measured by the National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) -- NAEP State Comparisons -- 4th & 8th Grade -- Low Income,
[12] 3rd grade performance, as measured by the Maryland School Assessment (MSA) -- Maryland Report Card, Maryland State Department of Education, 2013
[13] 8th grade performance, as measured by the Maryland School Assessment (MSA) -- Maryland Report Card, Maryland State Department of Education, 2013
[14] Maryland Report Card, Maryland State Department of Education, 2013
[15] "Transforming Public Education: Pathway to a Pre-K-12 Future," Pew Center on the States, September 2011, Page 4
[16] "The College Completion Agenda," College Board Advocacy & Policy Center, 2010, Page 8
[17] "CTE Works for America," National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium Website, Citing U.S. Department of Education, Office of Vocational and Adult Education, Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006, Report to Congress on State Performance, Program year 2007-2008. Washington, D.C.
[18] "CTE Works for America," National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium Website, Citing Kulik, James, Curriculum Tracks and High School Vocational Studies (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 1998)
[19] Maryland Meals for Achievement Classroom Breakfast Program Participating Schools 2013-2014 School Year, Maryland State Department of Education Website, Page 9
[20] Maryland Hunger Solutions Newsletter -- August 2013, Maryland Hunger Solutions Website
[21] "Public Education -- 2014 Operating Budget Analysis," Maryland Department of Budget and Management Website, Page III-63
[22] "Maryland Budget Highlights -- FY2015," Maryland Department of Budget and Management, Page 20
[23] "Letter to Governor Martin O'Malley," Maryland Hunger Solutions, 11/16/12, Page 1
[24] "Hispanics Pump Up Maryland and Virginia Populations," The Washington Post, 6/11/10
[25] "Maryland Report Card -- Demographics," Maryland State Department of Education, 2013
[26] Fiscal and Policy Note -- "Senate Bill 548 -- Education -- Minority Teacher Recruitment -- Study and Report," Maryland Department of Legislative Services, 2013, Pages 3-4
[27] "Complexion of Maryland Teaching Corps Fails to Reflect Student Body," Capital News Service, 5/14/13
[28] "Addressing Root Causes of the Achievement Gap for California's Latino Youth," Patricia Gandara, University of California Los Angeles, 2011, Page 3
[29] "School Dropouts and their Impact on the Criminal Justice System," Task Force to Study High School Dropout Rates of Persons in the Criminal Justice System, December 2012, Page iii
[30][30] "School Dropouts and their Impact on the Criminal Justice System," Task Force to Study High School Dropout Rates of Persons in the Criminal Justice System, Dece
"High-Quality Pre-K: A Lifetime of Benefits" Dollars and Sense: A Review of Economic Analyses of Pre-K, Pre-K Now Research Series, May 2007, page 11mber 2012, Page iii
[31] "School Dropouts and their Impact on the Criminal Justice System," Task Force to Study High School Dropout Rates of Persons in the Criminal Justice System, December 2012, Page ii
[32] "School Dropouts and their Impact on the Criminal Justice System," Task Force to Study High School Dropout Rates of Persons in the Criminal Justice System, December 2012, Page ii
[33][33] "School Dropouts and their Impact on the Criminal Justice System," Task Force to Study High School Dropout Rates of Persons in the Criminal Justice System, December 2012, Page 7
[34] "I'm the Guy You Pay Later -- Kansas Report," Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2013, Page 4
[35] "School Dropouts and their Impact on the Criminal Justice System," Task Force to Study High School Dropout Rates of Persons in the Criminal Justice System, December 2012, Page 16

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