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BILL: HB 1191
TITLE: Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact
DATE: February 28, 2024
POSITION: Favorable
COMMITTEE: House Ways and Means Committee
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 House Bill 1191.
This bill allows Maryland to enter into the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact for the purpose of authorizing regulated teachers who hold multistate licenses to teach in each member state.
Local superintendents support the General Assembly's assistance and efforts to address the
critical shortages of qualified teachers and school personnel. The teacher shortage in Maryland is well-documented and dire. According to the MSDE 2022-2023 First Day of School Vacancy Data Collection, there were 2,572 total vacancies, with the highest number in special education (581); these vacancies vary significantly across LEAs due to local recruitment and retention efforts. More alarmingly, teacher attrition has increased from 9.1% in 2014 to 11.2% in 2023, representing over 7,000 educators who did not return to teaching in the 22/23 school year. Lastly, the issuance of conditionally certificated teachers has increased by 136% over the last five years (MSDE - Updates on the Maryland Educator Workforce; 9-12-23 before the House Ways and Means Committee).
We applaud the State’s initiative to enter into the Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact to create reciprocity among participant states and help reduce barriers for out of state residents to teach in Maryland.
For these reasons, PSSAM requests a favorable report for HB 1191.