TOWSON, MD—The Board of Education of Baltimore County passed resolutions at its January 21 meeting to endorse the Built to Learn Act and the Kirwan Commission’s proposed funding and policy reforms.

“The Baltimore County School Board’s Legislative and Governmental Relations Committee,working with our staff liaison, Tony Baysmore, has exhaustively examined both the Built to Learn bill and the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future (Kirwan) to make sure that they are doing what is right for all children in our county and state,” said Board member and committee chair Cheryl Pasteur. “The tenets of both speak to commitments to our children and the larger community. It was a proud moment to have the Board join the Maryland Association of Boards of Education by supporting these two critical initiatives. We are counting on our legislators to ensure that both bills can be funded in a sustainable manner.”

The following resolution passed unanimously:

Whereas the Board of Education of Baltimore County believes that the Built to Learn Act of 2020 will provide increased state funding for school construction and renovation projects to invest in Baltimore County Public Schools’ aging facilities, and whereas the Board further believes that Baltimore County Public Schools will benefit from the legislation to provide equitable access to 21st century facilities and programs in order to deliver the highest quality education for every student to be career and college-ready, and whereas the Board is united with the Maryland Association of Boards of Education and their support of this legislation. Now therefore, be it resolved that the Board of Education of Baltimore County, herewith assembled in regular session on the 21st day of January in the year 2020, wishes to convey its support of House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 1, Built to Learn Act of 2020, being introduced during the 2020 Maryland General Assembly session.

The Kirwan related resolution passed with just one abstention and no opposition:

Whereas the Board of Education of Baltimore County believes that the Kirwan Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in 2020 to develop funding and policy reform will provide sustained and increased local investments in education and improve the quality of Maryland’s public education system to benefit Baltimore County Public Schools’ 115,000 students, and whereas the Board also believes that Baltimore County Public Schools will benefit from the legislation to expand early education opportunities, provide high-quality and diverse teachers and leaders, raise standards to be globally competitive, be equitable in funding across the state, and deliver the highest quality education for every student to be career and college-ready, and whereas the Board is united with the Maryland Association of Boards of Education in their support of this legislation, now therefore, be it resolved that the Board of Education of Baltimore County, herewith assembled in regular session on the 21st day of January in the year 2020, wishes to convey its support of the Kirwan Commission’s Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in 2020 being introduced during the 2020 Maryland General Assembly session.

“There is truly no time to waste in improving our school facilities and improving curriculum and instruction for the children of Maryland,” said Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams. “The work that the 2020 Maryland General Assembly is undertaking could help alter the course of public schools throughout the sta