“The Blueprint sounds great on paper; however, funding it is a great challenge for every county in Maryland,” St. Mary’s County school board candidate Elena Brewer said.
Local News Network
On school safety, Maryland school board candidates push for officers, mental health services
The school safety problem is a national one. Violent incidents increased 49% in the nation’s schools the 2023-2024 school year, according to the Educator’s School Safety Network.
Should Maryland schools ban cellphones? Here’s what school board candidates say
Of the 74 candidates who responded to the Local News Network’s campaign questionnaire, 64 favored strict restrictions on cellphones in schools, and only 10 expressed reservations about limiting cellphone use or touted their positive aspects.
Support for book bans varies in Maryland school board races
Amid parents, activists and school boards challenging books across the state, Gov. Wes Moore signed the Freedom to Read Act into law earlier this year in an attempt to put an end to book bans in Maryland public schools.
On gender identity in schools, Maryland school board candidates are divided
School boards that set policy for those districts face a dilemma: Do they prioritize a student’s autonomy over their identity or the parents’ right to know who that child really is?
On child care, a fitful search for local solutions to a national problem
America’s child care shortage extends far beyond Maryland, the overall condition of child care in the U.S. being described as a “dumpster fire”.
Maryland’s pre-K expansion plan proves to be unpopular with child care providers
As Maryland expands its pre-K program, the state is counting on private child care to take part, despite reluctance from providers.
Finding child care in Maryland is hard. Finding the right child care is even harder.
Interviews with several Maryland families showed that while finding child care is hard, finding a facility that fits a family’s needs and budget is even harder.
Child care is scarce in Maryland and the nation — and the pandemic made matters worse
In many parts of Maryland, child care has gone missing, made worse by the pandemic. Take a look at these county-by-county child care trends.
Child care in Baltimore County
The number of child care providers in Baltimore County fell 18.16% between Jan. 1, 2020, and Jan. 1, 2024. That’s the seventh largest decrease in the state. Meanwhile, the number of child care slots in Baltimore County decreased from 30,625…