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BILL: SB 735
TITLE: Workgroup to Study the Wages of Education Support Professionals
DATE: March 8, 2023
POSITION: Support with Amendments
COMMITTEE: Budget and Taxation / Education, Energy, and the Environment
CONTACT: Mary Pat Fannon, Executive Director, PSSAM
The Public School Superintendents’ Association of Maryland (PSSAM), on behalf of all twenty-four public school superintendents, supports Senate Bill 735 with one amendment.
Senate Bill 735 would establish the Workgroup to Study the Wages of Education Support Professionals to determine what percentage of education support professionals in the State earn a living wage, as well as look into increasing the wages of education support professionals in order to attract and retain talent.
PSSAM supports the establishment of this workgroup. The COVID-19 pandemic truly highlighted the imperative role educational support staff play in the learning environment, and superintendents champion any initiative to recruit and retain these team members.
PSSAM requests one amendment - that one member of the group is a superintendent or a representative of PSSAM. As the chief executive of their school districts, superintendents play a critical part in any budgetary discussions and consideration involving the education workforce. Maryland’s superintendents value education support professionals and the work they do in all public schools, and PSSAM would welcome the opportunity to be a part of this study to ensure living wages for everyone working in our school systems.
Again, educational support professionals are essential to achieving the goals outlined by the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, and in providing a world-class education for all students. For these reasons, PSSAM supports Senate Bill 735 and requests a favorable report with the amendment described above.