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Yahoo
7 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Science is on the federal chopping block and North Carolinians will suffer
A student works in a biology laboratory. (Photo by Jess Daninhirsch/Capital News Service) Americans have long maintained a healthy instinct to be skeptics. We pride ourselves on demanding proof. Unfortunately, in recent years, the explosion of social media in which every person has a public platform has allowed this natural skepticism to fuel a situation in which distinctly unscientific conspiracy theories get way too much attention. And this, tragically, has led millions of people to waiver in their faith in science. This trend is on display right now in Washington where federal budget writers are planning to slash scientific research funding at a time in which the need in numerous realms — like combating disease and developing clean energy – has never been greater. Here in And that would be a terrible mistake. The bottom line: Science — genuine science — is the ultimate expression of a skepticism-based search for the truth. By forsaking it, we head down a very dangerous road indeed. For NC Newsline, I'm Rob Schofield.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Liberals missed the boat on school spending accountability; Maryland aims to get on board
Baltimore City pre-K instructor Berol Dewdney, the 2022-2023 Maryland teacher of the year, works with her students. (Photo by Shannon Clark/Capital News Service) We liberals have failed to learn the lesson that more money isn't enough for schoolchildren to succeed. We must pay equal attention to accountability for how efficiently and effectively the money is spent. Liberals' failure goes back about 50 years when federal funds started to flow, particularly to assist low-income students and students with disabilities. The money came but the expected results didn't. Students made little progress, which is what happens when accountability is absent from school. Nationally, the message has still not sunk in. A milestone in the retreat from accountability was Congress's revocation of the tough requirements in the landmark No Child Left Behind law. Instead of good faith efforts to raise their standards, state and local districts lobbied the Congress, fiercely and successfully, to let them off the hook. In NCLB's place, Congress, with liberal backing, passed the Every Student Succeeds Act that is widely considered 'the largest devolution of federal control to the states in a quarter-century.' Student progress has declined. And to make things worse, Trump wants to eliminate the federal role altogether. Maryland Matters welcomes guest commentary submissions at editor@ We suggest a 750-word limit and reserve the right to edit or reject submissions. We do not accept columns that are endorsements of candidates, and no longer accept submissions from elected officials or political candidates. Opinion pieces must be signed by at least one individual using their real name. We do not accept columns signed by an organization. Commentary writers must include a short bio and a photo for their bylines. Views of writers are their own. Which brings us back to the reason for NCLB in the first place: State and local school systems were defaulting on their duty to ensure accountability then, and they're still doing it now. Summarizing the problem, eminent policy analyst Chester E. Finn, Jr. writes that, 'The country's multi-decade commitment to results-based accountability has badly eroded and may not be recoverable.' Finn was an influential member of the Kirwan Commission which was boldly determined to buck the tide. The commission drafted the Blueprint for Maryland's Future accountability scheme. It's anchored in the Blueprint Accountability and Implementation Board, a national model for holding state and local educators responsible for how well funds are spent and how well students are achieving. The Blueprint includes intricate accountability measures, among them specific outcomes to be achieved, data collection, frequent reports, and evaluation. It's a giant leap forward. Still, it has a distance to go. For starters, accountability is undermined if state standards aren't genuinely high. Yet, many states are doing the opposite and lowering the bar instead of raising it. In contrast, the Blueprint calls for career and college standards to be raised, and that's in progress. Fortunately, our state schools superintendent is doing all she can: A national article reported that 'Maryland's new education chief, Carey Wright, an old-school champion of rigorous standards, is pushing back against efforts in other states to boost test scores by essentially lowering their expectations of students.' Also, accountability suffers when test scores are inflated by easier questions and grading policies. The result of lower standards and easier tests is the national scandal of grade inflation. Parents are deceived into thinking their children are succeeding when, in what's known as 'social promotion,' many are passed from grade to grade despite being far below meeting grade-level standards. One further note. Though the connection is not readily visible, the inadequate funding of the Blueprint (which is now well recognized) makes it hard to hold state and local educators completely responsible for student outcomes. When students don't succeed, how much is attributable to poor funding and how much to poor management? In any event, school systems must not be allowed to evade accountability. They must be held completely responsible for whether there are maximum returns on available resources. The Blueprint Accountability and Implementation Board is supposed to be the primary guardian of rigorous accountability. However, while the AIB has done much excellent work, it's way overworked and has neglected what should be its core function: evaluation that is the ultimate measure of accountability. Unless the AIB steps up on evaluation, the Blueprint's promise of accountability probably will be broken. And Maryland will lose the chance to be a national model and steer the boat of accountability in the right direction. Our schoolchildren will suffer. Let's not let that happen.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Federal layoffs drag down state employment gains for second month, new numbers show
Supporters cheer for federal workers who lost their jobs at the Department of Education in Washington, D.C., in a photo from March 28, 2025. (Photo by Jess Daninhirsch/Capital News Service) Maryland added around 4,900 new jobs in April, but labor officials said those gains were dragged down by a loss of 2,600 jobs in the federal workforce in the same month. The Maryland Department of Labor reports that mass federal layoffs and other actions by the Trump administration are 'tempering the state's overall jobs growth,' according to new data released Wednesday. The federal impact was even sharper in March, when the state's 2,300 new jobs were eclipsed by the loss of 2,700 federal jobs for the month. 'April's report is the second to reflect actions taken by the new federal administration that impact federal employees and contractors, including reductions in force (RIFs), terminations of federal contracts, and grant cancellations,' according to a state Department of Labor press release Wednesday. And the March and April numbers may not even show the full scope of the problem in the state's federal workforce, the department said. 'The April jobs report does not reflect the most recent RIFs, employees who were placed on administrative leave or who accepted 'buyout' offers and are still being paid, federal employees who selected deferred retirement, or the ongoing tariff situation,' the department statement said. March was the first month that Trump layoffs began showing up in the state's data. 'Layoffs among federal workers and contractors are impacting every county in Maryland,' Labor Secretary Portia Wu said in written statement Wednesday. 'These workers have dedicated their careers to public service and they are an incredible asset to our state, so it's essential that we do everything that we can to support them.' The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Maryland's preliminary unemployment rate rose to 3.1% in April, up slightly from a flat 3% in March. The Maryland unemployment numbers come as the Trump administration continues its push to bring down federal spending by slashing the federal workforce, among other things. The result is hundreds of thousands of federal workers suddenly without jobs over the last few months – many of whom live in Maryland. About 269,000 Maryland residents are employed by the federal government, as of late March data. Maryland has the nation's second-largest share of residents who work for the government, trailing only Washington, D.C. And Maryland has another 225,000 federal contractors – reflecting about 10.5% of the state's total gross domestic product in 2023, according state data. As the Trump administration cuts down on federal spending, some state contractors are also in danger of being on the chopping block. Wu said in a recent interview that federal unemployment claims are at a 'significantly higher level than what we typically see' and noted that the state has not seen the full scope of impact due to layoffs and other moves in the Trump administration. She said getting a full scope of the impact on the state is also challenging: Some workers who live in Maryland may file unemployment documents with Washington, D.C., or nearby states, for example. Ongoing lawsuits challenging federal layoffs can also muddy the picture by temporarily ordering jobs restored. Maryland federal contractor layoffs increase as Trump slashes federal spending 'Many people don't file for unemployment right away,' Wu said. 'With all the litigation, maybe they haven't lost their job yet, or have taken some kind of administrative leave or delayed layoff or a separate situation.' According to May 10 data, the Maryland Labor Department had received more than 1,600 federal unemployment claims since the start of the Trump administration. Some of the federal workers who have been laid off are finding refuge in Maryland agencies. A communications official with the Department of Labor reports that since February, 150 former federal workers have landed a job with a Maryland state agency. 'We have a bunch hired in our own agency,' Wu said. 'We know that there are a lot of talented people out there and we're excited to welcome them to state government.' The labor department is not the only Maryland agency picking up laid-off federal workers. Others include the departments of Health, Human Services, Public Safety and Correctional Services, Education and Information Technology, the Office of the Attorney General and the Comptroller of Maryland. 'They are in a very broad range of roles – from administration and program management to health, IT, and legal fields. This includes experts in specialized and technical positions, such as information systems auditor, GIS (Geographic Information Systems) analyst, natural resources biologist, veterinarian and hydrographic engineer,' according to a labor department official. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ulman to step down in June as Maryland Democratic Party chair
Maryland Democratic Party Chair Ken Ulman. (Photo by Emily Condon/Capital News Service) Maryland Democratic Party Chair Ken Ulman, a longtime player on the state political scene, announced Wednesday night that he plans to resign effective June 13. Gov. Wes Moore (D) intends to nominate Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman (D) to replace Ulman when the state Democratic Central Committee next meets at its regularly scheduled meeting late next month — shortly after the state party holds its annual fundraising gala June 12 in Baltimore County. The party's first vice chair, Charlene Dukes, does not intend to seek the top job but will remain in her current post. Ulman, a former Howard County executive, has told top Democrats that he wants to return full time to his development consulting company, Margrave Strategies, which is involved in several high-profile economic development projects across the state. He has served as state party chair since November 2023 Ulman announced his intention to resign in a Zoom call Wednesday evening with county chairs, before sharing it during a meeting with the state party's trustees — an advisory group of top donors. 'I am grateful to Ken for his willingness to lead us through an intense and demanding election,' Moore said in a statement. If Pittman is elected state chair — and he is unlikely to be the only candidate for the position next month — he too would split his time between his full-time gig as county executive and the state party post. Moore called Pittman 'the right leader for this moment.' Pittman is termed out of office in December 2026 and has been pondering his next political move. Heading the state party would enable him to stay in the political arena — though he has also been mentioned as a possible candidate to succeed veteran U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-5th) whenever Hoyer decides to end his 60-year political career. 'With an all-out assault on our state and our values underway from Washington, D.C., I know Steuart Pittman will put his experience and his moral clarity to work to defend our state, fight back against the Trump administration, and ensure Democrats win elections,' Moore's statement said Ulman and Pittman did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. The state party in the 2026 election cycle will be preoccupied with reelecting Moore – who could face a tough race, especially if former Gov. Larry Hogan (R) runs again – and other statewide elected officials, who should be on firmer political ground. Party leaders are also determined to field a strong challenger against the state's lone Republican member of Congress, Rep. Andy Harris (R-1st); Jake Day, the secretary at Maryland's Department of Housing and Community Development, is actively exploring a bid. Ulman's looming departure from the Maryland Democratic Party ends a short-lived reentry into the state political fray. Ulman, 51, was considered a rising political star after four years on the Howard County Council and eight years as county executive. He was the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor in 2014, losing in an upset to a Republican ticket headed by Hogan Ulman launched his development firm shortly after that election and, before becoming state chair, worked on the fringes of politics, using his contacts to firm up development projects. As state chair, Ulman helped now-U.S. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D) win her first term in 2024, kept the Democrats' 7-1 advantage in the state's congressional delegation, helped defeat several conservative school board candidates throughout the state, and raised more than $5.5 million for the state party. Pittman was a political novice when he ran for Anne Arundel executive in 2018, when better-known Democrats chose to skip the race. He ousted Republican incumbent Steve Schuh in an upset. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A former community organizer in Chicago, where he met a young Barack Obama, and in Des Moines, Iowa, he has proven to be an unconventional politician but has also been an effective messenger on policy and big-picture political matters. The state party is having its annual gala on June 12 at Martin's West, a catering hall that regularly hosts political events. U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), who, like Moore, is a potential presidential candidate in 2028, is the featured speaker. Hoyer's annual bull roast is scheduled for the next night in Mitchellville. Attendees may be looking for clues as to whether the congressman, who turns 86 the next day, will decide to seek a 23rd full term in 2026.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Maryland overdose deaths fell 30% in 2024, preliminary national data shows
Two tranquilizers, xylazine and medetomidine, increasingly appear alongside opioids like fentanyl in Maryland drug samples. (Ian Round/Capital News Service) Maryland recorded 746 fewer overdose deaths in 2024 than in 2023, a 29.2% drop that mirrored a sharp decline nationally, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The decline – from 2,493 in 2023 to 1,747 in 2024 in Maryland – continues a promising trend that indicates that overdose prevention efforts have been effective, federal health officials said. The trend began in 2023, when deaths nationally fell 10% from the year before, and in Maryland they fell 6.16%. Maryland's slightly outpaced the national decline last year, when overdose deaths fell an estimated 25.6% from 2023, according to the CDC's annual Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts released Wednesday. While the data suggests a significant improvement, federal health officials say there more work to be done to prevent overdose deaths nationwide – including in Maryland. 'Despite these overall improvements, overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44, underscoring the need for ongoing efforts to maintain this progress,' the CDC said in a written statement. Last year, there were more than 79,500 people who died from overdoses across the United States, according to the new estimates, down from the 106,881 people who died from overdose in 2023. CDC says Maryland, and most of the nation, has had fewer overdose deaths in 2024 'Since late 2023, overdose deaths have steadily declined each month — a strong sign that public health interventions are making a difference and having a meaningful impact,' the CDC said. It was a shift from 2018 through 2023, when the United States struggled with an increasing number of deaths due to overdoses, partially fueled by the rise in opioid use and increased prevalence of stronger substances such as fentanyl. Other factors included increased drug use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The decrease that began in 2023 is believed to be the result of greater overdose prevention efforts, such as increased education and distribution of the opioid overdose-reversal drug, naloxone. The substance leading to the most overdose deaths still appears to be opioids, in both the U.S. and in Maryland. Maryland's Overdose Data Dashboard says that through the first three months of this year, from January through March, there were 283 deaths due to overdose. Of those cases, opioids were involved in 233 deaths, with 209 deaths related specifically to fentanyl. There were also more than 1,393 emergency room visits related to opioid overdose from January through March, according to the dashboard. While Maryland's decrease was steep, and sharper than the national average, it more or less fell in the middle of the pack when compared to other states. Neighboring West Virginia was estimated to have the steepest decline in overdose deaths among states, falling 42.4%, from 1,389 deaths in 2023 to 800 in 2024. Washington, D.C., also showed a greater drop in its overdose death rate than Maryland. District overdose deaths fell from 635 in 2023 to 396 last year, a 37.6% decline. Just two states are estimated to have had increases in overdoses last year. South Dakota had an increase of 4.8% in overdose deaths, from 84 deaths in 2023 to 88 deaths in 2024, while Nevada saw 4.6% more deaths due to overdose, rising from 1,400 in 2023 to 1,465 in 2024. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
