Issue Position: Education

Issue Position

Minority Achievement Gap

Maryland pride also demands that we acknowledge our biggest moral stain: Maryland shamefully has the second largest minority achievement gap in the country for K-12 education. That's why closing the minority achievement gap will be one of Doug's most important causes.

Doug has highlighted steps we can take to tackle the education achievement gap in Maryland. Part of his ongoing seven-day campaign announcement swing through the state, Doug discussed the growing inequalities in our schools and ways we can work to ensure every child has access to a quality education.

It is time to fully fund, full-day pre-k programs for all qualifying families. The original bill bringing table games to Maryland linked gambling revenue to fully funding full-day pre-k programs.

Early care and education is one of the best ways to address the school-readiness and achievement gap. But not every Maryland child has the opportunity to enroll in public pre-k programs. Currently the state funds half-day pre-k programs, but many working parents miss out in these opportunities because their jobs require them to seek out full-day childcare. Offering full-day public pre-k programs would help close the readiness gap and expand access to early education for all Maryland families.

Doug also calls on Maryland college students and our public universities to be part of a Maryland Matters volunteer corps to help provide parents with the tools needed to support what their children are learning in their pre-k programs.

By mentoring parents whose children are enrolled in these programs in best practices for increasing their children's social, emotional, and cognitive skills, we can leverage the value of our pre-k programs.

Gansler addressed the value in partnering older students with the many non-profits that currently provide these pre-k programs. Highlighting his own work starting Charm City Lacrosse, a non-profit youth lacrosse league in Baltimore, Doug talked about the significant impact of bringing in older students as mentors to give back to their communities.

Doug's seen what happens when students get involved -- when they decide they want to contribute time and effort and be a part of something that makes a difference in people's lives. Closing our achievement gap and ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn and succeed -- that's a goal we all share, and together Doug knows we can make a real difference.

Student Eye Health

Identifying the need for eyeglasses for students arose out of the one of the issue-based "Building Our Best Maryland" forums held statewide over the past several months. The Gansler/Ivey campaign will connect the dots by increasing existing vision tests done by schools and following through and delivering the eyeglasses to students who need them. By leveraging Medicaid, working with the private sector and foundations and having mobile vans come to Maryland schools and deliver the eyeglasses to students who otherwise would not be able to afford them, a Gansler/Ivey administration will help give those children an equal start towards a great education.

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