It’s been eleven months since I entered the House chamber.

The action we took today will have an impact for a decade and beyond.

 

We adjourned early last March because of the pandemic.

Committees have been meeting virtually for the last three weeks.

Today was our first floor session.

We voted to override Governor Hogan’s veto of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.

 

The need to reform our pre-K-12 public school system is even greater than when we passed this bill last March.

Children of color, children who live in impoverished circumstances have fallen even further behind their contemporaries.

They lack access to the Internet.  Their  parents can’t work from home and assist in their schooling.

Addressing that disparity remains at the heart of the Blueprint.

Implementing the Blueprint is an investment in programs that have worked in other states and abroad.

Expanding pre-kindergarten to three-year olds means children will come to kindergarten ready to learn.  Better training and higher pay will keep better teachers in the classroom.

Many of our students and their families will get the help they need to address social problems that hinder their classroom performance.  Students will choose either college credit courses or a career track by 10th grade.

I know how important my public school education was to me.  We need to provide that same opportunity to all of our state’s children.