The Education and Workforce Development Committee on Sept. 30 held CB 87, a bill that would create a county match to the state incentive for national board‑certified teachers who teach at state‑identified low‑performing schools in Prince George's County. The committee voted to hold the bill in committee by a 4‑0 roll call.

The bill, sponsored by Councilmember Hawkins, would match the state's supplemental stipend for certified teachers who work in low‑performing schools. Committee staff explained the state provides an additional $10,000 to teachers who hold National Board Certification and an extra $7,000 if they teach in low‑performing schools; CB 87 would match the $7,000 for a county contribution, bringing the total local-plus-state supplemental pay to about $24,000 for eligible teachers.

Why it matters: Committee members said the proposal could help retain and recruit experienced teachers in schools with the greatest need, but they pressed staff and the school system for details about eligibility, subject areas and the fiscal impact before advancing the bill.

Caleb Callender, policy analyst with the Budget and Policy Analysis Division, told the committee the fiscal impact estimate in draft 1 was prepared using data from Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS). "There are currently 122 NBCTs who work in state‑identified low performing schools within the county," Callender said. Based on that count, staff estimated a minimum annual cost of about $854,000 if the program were fully funded under the draft. Committee staff also said the sponsor intends to request $1,000,000 from the Maryland General Assembly to support the program, which would reduce immediate county cash needs if approved by the state.

The county executive's office told the committee it "recommends this bill favorably with the amendments that were added on page 4 lines 1 through 6," and the Office of Law advised the drafts reviewed were in proper legislative form.

Councilmember Sheila Adams Stafford, who said she is a former national board‑certified social studies teacher, expressed support for NBCTs but asked for clarification on who would qualify for the stipend (subjects, grade levels and whether the teacher must be employed by PGCPS). Stafford also proposed a possible amendment to target the incentive to fields with staffing shortages, including a suggestion to prioritize special education if feasible. Committee staff pointed to the bill language that ties eligibility to schools classified as low performing "based on the Maryland state and Prince George's County Public Schools classification and identification system," and said staff would follow up with PGCPS for more precise subject‑level and certification details.

After discussion, a motion to hold CB 87 in committee carried 4‑0. Committee members noted calendar constraints: the committee's next scheduled meeting falls after the deadline for bills to exit committee, so staff said they would return to the committee about whether to discharge CB 87 to the Committee of the Whole for consideration on the county timeline once outstanding technical questions are resolved.

Next steps: Committee staff asked members with specific questions to consult the bill sponsor directly and to provide outstanding questions to staff so the committee can decide whether to discharge the bill to the Committee of the Whole before the committee cutoff date.

Votes at a glance: CB 87 — Motion to hold in committee; outcome: held (4‑0).