Redistricting Resource Kit
Michael J. Martirano, Superintendent of the Howard County Public School System, proposed a plan for redistricting County schools on August 22, 2019. That plan has been, to say the least, controversial, taking as its goal an attempt to equalize school populations on a socio-economic basis. The Republican Party of Howard County encourages all County residents to make their concerns known via testimony. Public meetings begin September 17, 2019. The posted schedule for these meetings is here. Access to these meetings may be limited to families with children in specific schools.
Testimony will also be accepted via email.
Below are some resources which may be helpful in understanding the issues involved, and in preparing testimony.
Make your voice heard!
Summaries:
Research:
- FuturedEd – A Reality Check on the Benefits of Economic Integration
- Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel – Here’s what you should know about ‘student churn,’ and how it affects your kids
- The American Psychological Association – Frequent School Moves Hurt Low-Income Children’s Math Scores
- Citylab – Long School Commutes Are Terrible for Kids
Opinion:
- The Baltimore Sun – Howard school redistricting plan uses outdated, inflammatory language
- Westhowrd..org – This is What Equity in Action Looks Like
- Westhowrd.org – The Curious Case of Polygon 1200
- Politico – School Busing Didn’t Work. And to Say So Isn’t Racist.
- Time – 10 Things Your Commute Does to Your Body
Maps, Data and Documents:
- Maryland School Report Cards – Howard County
- Maryland Census Data Comparison Tool(The top 50 most diverse zip codes in the state of MD include 21044 and 21075!)
- HCPSS budget
- Board of Education Policy 6010(Contains official redistricting policies)
Polygon map - Current ES, MS, HS Attendance Area Maps:
- Per-polygon enrollment projections
- Per-polygon FARM rates
- Per-school FARM rates, non-suppressed
- Per polygon race data
- Polygon locator
- HCPSS 2019 Feasibility Study(Contains school capacities and utilization)
- HCPSS Deferred Maintenance Cost List(From Dr. Chao Wu, Howard County Board of Education member)
A Time for Choosing
The 2019 Lincoln Day Dinner, the first of our post-Election Day fundraising activities, was a great success, with 135 attending, including local elected officials past and present, central committee members, past candidates, Republicans and independent voters. David Bossie, Chairman and President of Citizens United, and Deputy Campaign Manager for Donald Trump’s successful 2016 Presidential bid, was the keynote speaker. Liz Matory, 2018 Republican candidate for Maryland’s 2nd Congressional District and author of Born Again Republican, was our Honorary Chair for the evening.
Bossie offered an insider’s view of President Trump’s surprise 2016 victory and his administration, challenging local Republicans to speak out, build local coalitions, and get voters registered. As the Democratic Party turns harder and harder left, conservatism is more relevant than ever, and messages like “A Time for Choosing,”which was at the core of the Reagan Revolution, still speak to voters today.
Matory urged local party members to reach out to unaffiliated voters and conservatives who nonetheless vote Democrat on Election Day, referencing African Americans (“folks who go to church every Sunday!”), Asian Americans and rural Democrats who believe their Judeo-Christian values are not being served by their Party.
Keep an eye out for more fundraising activities, and please think about getting involved with the Howard County GOP. Each of us can make a difference! Contact us to learn more!
