In the Middle of A Pandemic, Teachers of Color Had High Percentages of Voluntary Resignation, Community Meet ups, PGC 2023 Legislative Priorities.
In the Middle of A Pandemic, Teachers of Color Had High Percentages of Voluntary Resignation, Community Meet ups, PGC 2023 Legislative Priorities.
"In Maryland, Black and Hispanic teachers are most likely to not return to teaching in the state."
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The Pandemic And Teaching
In July of last year, the Maryland State Department of Education dropped some data about teacher shortages throughout the state. The study reveals that African Americans, Latinos, Pacific Islanders, and Multi-ethnic people had higher percentages of resigning from teaching positions throughout the state. See the chart below. This is a screenshot from the study.
Some more findings. Buckle up! You can read the study here.
In Maryland, new teachers are the most likely to leave teaching, with 13.6% leaving at less than 3 years.
The U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Educational Statistics reports a nationwide trend of 17 percent of beginning teachers leaving the field in their first five years on the job.
Section: Maryland Teacher Attrition Rates by Race/Ethnicity
In Maryland, Black and Hispanic teachers are most likely to not return to teaching in the state.
Nationally, teachers of color have an 18.9% turnover rate, compared to 15% for their white peers, and Black teachers have one of the highest rates of turnover, according to the Institute for Research and Labor Employment.
Even where schools have strategies in place to recruit teachers of color, recruiting and retaining teachers of color has been difficult.
Black teachers report that they shoulder additional responsibilities due to their race, also known as the “invisible tax.”
When the data narrows down to the county level, during the pandemic, Prince George’s County had the highest teacher vacancies in the state on the first day of school, 422.22 for the 2021-2022 school year. As the time school year went on, that number increased. So by the end of that same school year, that number had increased to 714 teacher vacancies. However, there is good news.
“According to the National Center for Education Statistics 44% of public schools reported full- or part-time teaching vacancies at the start of the 2021-2022 school year. More than half of the schools said those vacancies were due to resignations,” according to the study.
Compared to other counties in the study, from 2018-21, Prince George's County percentages were higher. However, specifically, during the 2021-22 school year, there was a significant decrease in resignations, which put those percentages below Montgomery County. However, those percentages were still higher than the other counties in the study.
2023: County Executive Angela Aslobrook’s Agenda
At the beginning of January, Alsobrooks laid out her plans for the future of Prince Georges's County. Below are quotes from the 2023 legislative agenda.
The Blue Line Corridor
“We will seek to continue building on the key investments we made during the 2022 Legislative Session to bring much-needed development and amenities to the Blue Line Corridor. Redeveloping this corridor will connect our communities and enhance our ability to maximize access from Central Avenue into districts generated by this area. This Session, we are pursuing State capital funding to continue our vision of a redeveloped Blue Line, including the next phase of the Central Avenue Connector Trail, the reimagining of Downtown Largo and Arena Drive, and the creation of residential, retail, and commercial parcels to maximize the potential of this corridor.”
Economic Development
“We will continue to ensure that residents, businesses, and institutions in Prince George’s County are competitive across the State and region and have the opportunity to grow in our County. Growing the commercial tax base in Prince George’s County is a top priority. During the 2023 Legislative Session, Prince George’s County will advocate for opportunities to bring economic growth and stimulation to our County. We will also be fighting to improve the road infrastructure that too often is a hindrance to business and a stimulus for traffic and congestion.”
Legislative Priorities
“The health and safety of all Prince Georgians is a top priority. That includes not only reducing crime, but investing in healthcare delivery, environmental stewardship, and a holistic criminal justice system that is truly just. While the County is undeniably a safer and more attractive place to live, work, and visit, we will continue our efforts to increase the resources that are available for County agencies to reduce and prevent crime. In addition to curbing crime in our communities, we are seeking support to ensure we have the resources to support formerly incarcerated members of our community and reduce rates of recidivism, moving towards a system that focuses on reformation, not simply incarceration. We will advocate for State support for vital crisis intervention and stabilization services for those in our community who have emergencies that are not suitable for a law enforcement response and ensure that mental health and the safety of residents are prioritized in law enforcement engagement.”
Children, Families & Seniors
“Supporting our families at every stage of life is vitally important to our administration and that begins with our work to support, educate, and engage with our youth. Since the beginning of our administration, we have been laser-focused on ensuring there was equity in school operational and construction funding, leading to historic investments that will impact our school system for decades. However, COVID-19 has shown us that we need to invest in wraparound services and support for students outside the walls of our school facilities. This year we are advocating for funds to expand out-of-school time programming and build partnerships with local non-profits focused on our youth. In addition to those services, we are seeking support to expand our public pediatric telehealth utility which circulates among campuses of schools that lack the physical space to provide on-site pediatric, mental health, and family health services.”
Read the rest of the report here.
Community Meetings
Housing Authority Board of Commissioners Meeting
Monday, January 23, 2023
Monthly Board Meetings will be held via Go-To-Meeting. If you would like to join, please email mkcrawford@co.pg.md.us for meeting information. If you are unable to join via Go-To-Meeting, you can dial into the teleconference: Dial In Phone#: 1-866-899-4679 Participant PIN#: 819-222-557
Human Rights Commission Meeting
Monday, January 23, 2023, at 5:30 p.m.
Please contact the Clerk to the Commission at OHRStaff (at) co.pg.md.us with any accommodation requests at least three business days in advance of any meeting. You can also attend via Zoom: https://mypgc.zoom.us/j/89815056304. The meeting agenda is here.
Animal Control Commission Hearing Via Zoom Teleconferencing
9:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Join Zoom Meeting Link: https://mypgc.zoom.us/j/83925511920