Who Should Pay the Tab for Teacher Pensions?

Maryland Public Policy Institute study examines proposals that would shift bill to counties

By Susan Firey
Published on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
ROCKVILLE, MD— As the Maryland General Assembly begins its new session, the Maryland Public Policy Institute today released a new policy report examining proposals that would shift the cost of teacher pensions from the state to Maryland’s counties. 

Cost Shifting of Teacher Pension Contributions in Maryland

By Gabriel J. Michael
Published on Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Over the past decade, the annual cost of funding Maryland’s public school teacher pensions has more than doubled, from $403 million in 2001 to $900 million in 2011. Although county governments employ public school teachers, the state pays the full cost of their employer pen­sion contributions. Costs will continue to increase despite several pension benefit reforms passed during the 2011 legislative session, soon exceeding $1 billion annually.   

Expanding Access to Online Learning Options for Maryland Students

By Lindsey M. Burke, Visiting Fellow
Published on Monday, December 19, 2011
Across the country, more than 1.5 million middle and high school students are taking courses online. This online revolution in K-12 education is being seen across the country, from large cities to rural school districts, except in Maryland. Just a fraction of the estimated one million students taking courses online last year were Marylanders.  

Annapolis Report 2011

By Gabriel J. Michael
Published on Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Unlike legislative report cards, The Annapolis Report is not dominated by a single issue, nor does it evaluate the performance of individual legislators. Rather, it considers the actions of Maryland’s General Assembly as a whole. The bulk of the report is made up of brief yet cogent analyses of selected legislation. Its goal is to act as an issue guide for Maryland’s citizens, taxpayers, and residents, by explaining policy and grouping related legislation together.  

Teacher-union thugs

Originally Published in the Frederick News-Post

By Marta Hummel Mossburg
Published on Wednesday, August 17, 2011
What a long, strange trip it has been for teachers. A century ago they were forced to abide by some of the most onerous rules governing a profession. Women could often not marry or date during the terms of their contracts and had to scrub the floors and light fires to keep their rooms warm when the season required it.

Online program keeps students from falling behind

Originally Published in the Frederick News-Post

By Pam Rigaux, Frederick News-Post staff
Published on Saturday, July 09, 2011
Olivia Robbins, assistant principal of Frederick High School, has never met a parent who didn't want his or her child to succeed.

Reverend Wright brings his anti-American crusade to Baltimore

Originally Published in the Baltimore Sun

By Marta Hummel Mossburg
Published on Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Forget hope and change; victimization is in. Dropped by the president and dismissed as a racist by many Americans, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright still draws crowds with his sometimes crotch-grabbing, always riveting soliloquies about black oppression.

Maryland's uneducated high school graduates

Originally Published in the Baltimore Sun

By Marta Hummel Mossburg
Published on Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Too many Maryland students require remedial education at the community college, or even four-year college, level.

Excellence in Action

Originally Published in the Frederick News-Post

By Marta Hummel Mossburg
Published on Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Over the past two weeks I visited two community colleges in Maryland to get a sense of what students know upon graduation from high school.

Solving the College Affordability Problem

Originally Appeared on TownHall.com

By Dan Lips
Published on Monday, April 04, 2011
How much should a college education cost?  According to the College Board, the average cost of earning a degree at a private, 4-year university is now more than $100,000.  If tuition prices continue to rise as quickly as they did during the past decade, a college degree will cost more than $200,000 by the time today’s third-graders are applying.  That price tag is enough to cause most parents to break into a sweat.