2019 Legislative Day Luncheon

Maryland Association of Boards of Education's Annual Legislative Day Luncheon

MABE’s 2019 Legislative Day Luncheon a Success!

Thanks to all of the legislators, State Superintendent Karen Salmon, and the local board members, superintendents and staff who attended MABE’s Legislative Day Luncheon on Thursday, February 21st in the Maryland Senate Conference Center. MABE President Tolbert Rowe kicked of the event by outlining MABE’s mission and legislative priorities. MABE Legislative Committee Chair Julie Hummer introduced the guest speakers and recognized the other legislators in attendance.

MABE heard from the following education and legislative leaders:

Dr. Karen Salmon, State Superintendent of Schools

  • Dr. Salmon shared her appreciation for MABE and the work of local boards and superintendents, and she highlighted her admiration of Joy Schaefer’s leadership and contributions as a fellow member of the Kirwan Commission. Dr. Salmon closed her address with a focus on the importance of funding and enhancing Career Technology Education (CTE) programs in Maryland's public schools.

 

 

 

Senator Adelaide C. Eckardt,                                              Member of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, MABE's Senate Sponsor

  • Senator Eckardt, please accept our sincere thanks for the excellent support you have provided to our association by sponsoring our legislative day luncheon. Thank you so much for your hospitality and for making our event a memorable experience for all.

 

 

 

Senator Paul G. Pinsky,                                                Chair, Education, Health & Env. Affairs Committee

  • Senator Pinsky called on MABE and local boards to support the complete package of Kirwan Commission recommendations, and to reject a piecemeal approach. He stressed that he considers this to be a generational opportunity. In addition, he received a big thanks from MABE as the lead sponsor of the bill just passed in the Senate to restore school calendar setting flexibility to local boards.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senator Nancy J. King,                                                  Chair, Budget & Taxation Committee

  • Senator King, as a former school board member, and co-sponsor of the school calendar bill. Senator King shared Senator Pinsky’s enthusiasm for restoring local control in this area. She also shared her strong support for meeting the funding needs of local school systems, which she believes are doing great things and could do better with more resources.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delegate Maggie McIntosh,                                          Chair, Appropriations Committee

  • Delegate McIntosh voiced her commitment to launching Kirwan funding initiatives in this and future years to address her greatest concern, the statewide gaps in student performance for minority
    students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delegate Anne R. Kaiser,                                              Chair, Ways and Means Committee

  •  Delegate Kaiser thanked board members for their
    service and she and Delegate Luedtke noted the helpful role MABE plays in informing the committee
    of our positions and providing background on the potential fiscal and policy impacts of legislative
    proposals.

 

 

 

 

Senator Bill Ferguson,                                                    Vice Chair, Budget & Taxation Committee

  • Senator Ferguson emphasized his support for Kirwan, especially improvements in early education programs, and shared his support for pursuing innovative strategies in public education.

 

 

 

Delegate Eric G. Luedtke,                                              Chair, Education Subct. of the Ways and Means Committee

  • Delegate Luedtke noted the helpful role MABE plays in informing the committee
    of our positions and providing background on the potential fiscal and policy impacts of legislative
    proposals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delegate Jason C. Buckel,                                              Chief Deputy Minority Whip

  • Delegate Buckel highlighted his appreciation for MABE’s consistent messaging on local control over curriculum and other policies and on unfunded fiscal impacts, which often results in MABE opposing bills before the Ways and Means Committee on which he sits.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senator Cheryl Kagan,                                                  Member of the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delegate Alice Cain,                                                Member of the House Education Subcommittee of the     Ways and Means Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delegate Eric Ebersole,                                                      Chair, Finance Resources Subcommittee of the            House Ways and Means Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senator Jack Bailey                                                            Member of the Education Subcommittee of the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senator Mary Beth Carozza,                                              Member of the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delegate Johnny Mautz,                                          Member of the House Economic Matters Committee

 

 

 

 

The Maryland Associations of Boards of Education sends our sincerest thanks to our esteemed guest speakers and attendees.

Thank you for sharing your insights and priorities on education funding and policy issues, and for another outstanding

Annual Legislative Day Luncheon.