Julie Henn, Baltimore County Board of Education

04/08/2026

This course introduces participants to innovative, evidence-based tools and concepts, and provides a useful starting point for anyone interested in the latest research about how children learn to read. At the core of this course is a foundational survey of the five pillars of effective reading instruction on which the Science of Reading is based. These pillars are:

Phonemic Awareness
Phonics (Part 1: Alphabetic Principle and Part 2: Orthography)
Fluency
Vocabulary
Comprehension

The course is FREE for Maryland public school educators and includes a downloadable resource library. Others may enroll for a fee ($50).

Are you a Maryland public school educator with only preliminary knowledge about the Science of Reading? The SUNY New Paltz Science of Reading Fundamentals Microcredential is an online FREE introductory course in the Science of Reading designed for all educators.

Join today to enhance your knowledge and literacy instruction! 📚

For more information on the course and to register, visit [website]: https://learn.newpaltz.edu/pages/maryland-science-of-reading

04/07/2026

Easter is a celebration of hope, renewal, and the promise of new life through the Resurrection.

It reminds us that even in our most difficult moments, love endures and light overcomes darkness.

If you’ve tuned into any of our remote Board meetings over the past ten years, you may have occasionally heard a “woof.” Chances are, it was our “13th board member,” Toby.

On Easter Sunday evening, our family said goodbye to our beloved furry family member. He has been by my side throughout my service—usually quiet, always comforting.

This Easter was painful for our family, but where there is grief, there is also love—and that love remains very real and alive in our hearts.

Wishing you and your loved ones a blessed Easter season, and joy in the promise of life everlasting.

04/06/2026

Accountability Delayed — But Not Abandoned

Today, the Baltimore County Senate Delegation chose not to advance HB89 in its amended form.

Let’s be clear about what that means.

The original version of this bill would have given the Baltimore County Inspector General real authority to investigate Baltimore County Public Schools — a long-overdue and necessary step toward transparency and accountability.

That version had my full support.

What made it through the House, however, was not the same bill.

Instead of real oversight, it was reduced to a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding between the State Inspector General for Education and the County Inspector General — something that already could happen without legislation.

That’s not accountability. That’s a placeholder.

I support the decision to hold the bill rather than move forward with a version that risks delaying or weakening the establishment of a truly independent, effective Inspector General for BCPS.

But let’s also be clear about this:

We cannot afford to lose momentum.

Baltimore County families, staff, and taxpayers deserve:
• Independent oversight
• Real investigative authority
• Transparency they can trust

I will continue to advocate for legislation that delivers exactly that — not a watered-down substitute.

The expectation now is simple:
Bring this bill back next session in its original, meaningful form — and pass it.

Accountability should not be optional.

And I want to thank Senator Jennings, Senator Jackson, and Delegate Nawrocki for their leadership and for doing the right thing in demanding real accountability and oversight.

Senator J.B. Jennings
Senator Carl Jackson
Ryan Nawrocki

04/02/2026

Eight have applied for the at-large vacant seat. Only one has applied for the District 1 vacancy. On April 16, the nominating commission will decide the criteria for evaluating the applications and whether to extend the deadline for District 1 applications. Interviews will be conducted April 27 & 28 and possibly a third date in May. The commission will discuss and vote in open session on which applicants to forward to the Governor for consideration.

Eight applications are to fill the at-large seat left by Tiara Booker-Dwyer, and one is to fill the seat of former Vice Chair Robin Harvey.

04/02/2026

📘 Extended School Year (ESY) Services: Board Inquiry and Compliance Review

📝 I have submitted a formal inquiry to the Superintendent and Board leadership regarding Extended School Year (ESY) services in Baltimore County Public Schools, and requested a compliance review by the Office of Internal Audit.

🔎 This is not an isolated issue. The Board has received questions across multiple areas related to services, processes, and implementation, and additional review may be warranted in several areas. ESY is one area that has recently been brought forward for focused review.

📊 Recent information has raised questions about:
• A change in the percentage of students offered ESY services
• Statements that eligibility criteria have not changed, but are being applied differently
• Reports that some ESY services were modified as part of broader budget considerations

⚖️ Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, ESY (and all IEP services) decisions must be made based on each individual student’s needs. They cannot be limited by budget, staffing, or program availability.

💰 The Board also previously raised questions regarding reductions in IDEA-related funding that were not fully addressed. Given that context, it is important to understand how any budget decisions may relate to ESY service delivery and eligibility outcomes.

📌 My inquiry requests:
• Multi-year data on ESY eligibility rates
• Clarification on how eligibility decisions are being made
• Information on any changes to ESY services or programming
• Confirmation that decisions are not influenced by budget constraints

👥 This is not about any one student or any single program. It is about ensuring that systemwide practices are aligned with federal law and that decisions are made based on individual student need.

📣 I will share updates as more information becomes available.

04/01/2026

Wishing our Jewish communities a very blessed and happy start of Passover!

Chag Sameach 💛

04/01/2026

"Future Plans: Fly High." 🚀🌙

That was the senior yearbook quote for Commander Reid Wiseman at Dulaney High School, and today, he’s doing exactly that. As he leads the Artemis II mission—the first crewed journey to the Moon in over 50 years—the entire BCPS family is roaring with pride! 🦁

Commander Wiseman, your journey from the halls of Dulaney to the commander’s seat of the Orion spacecraft is an inspiration to every student dreaming big. We are cheering for you, Mission Specialist Glover, Mission Specialist Koch, and Mission Specialist Hansen as you venture further into the stars than anyone in our generation.

Godspeed to the crew of Artemis II. Bring those dreams back home safe. 🛰️✨

04/01/2026

AN APRIL FOOL’S JOKE ON BALTIMORE COUNTY TAXPAYERS 🤡

April 1st. A fitting day for the BCPS Inspector General bill (HB0089) to be heard in the Senate. The current version of this bill is an absolute mockery of accountability.

The IG bill has been gutted. ❌
The version that passed the House and is being heard in the Senate today does NOTHING it was created to do.

The "New" IG Bill lacks:
• ❌ Authority for the County IG to investigate BCPS.
• ❌ Power for the County Council to grant that authority.
• ❌ Enforceable oversight or accountability mechanisms.

So, what DOES it do?

It basically tells the State IG and the County IG to "try to find a way to work together." That’s it. A "Memorandum of Understanding" that isn't even mandatory to finalize.

We don't need a "participation trophy" bill. We need real oversight. The law already allows the offices to work together—we don't need a new law to tell them to have a meeting.

⚠️ WHAT YOU CAN DO
The Baltimore County Senate Delegation will weigh in today. You can tell them: DO NOT support this placeholder bill. Either fix it and restore the oversight authority, or kill it. No more smoke and mirrors.

📍 ACTION DELEGATION:
The hearing is TODAY at 1:00 PM in the Education, Energy, and the Environment Committee.

Contact the Baltimore County Senate Delegation NOW. Tell them Baltimore County residents deserve real oversight—not an April Fool’s prank.

🏛️ The Baltimore County Senate Delegation
• Senator Carl Jackson
• Senator Shelly Hettleman
• Senator Charles E. Sydnor III
• Senator Benjamin Brooks
• Senator J.B. Jennings
• Senator Chris West
• Senator Johnny Ray Salling
• Senator Mary Washington

03/31/2026

✅ The Board may elect to revote on the FY2027 Budget without a mandate from the State Board.

📝 Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised addresses this exact situation. For those interested, here’s what that looks like procedurally:

📌 Point of Order (23:1, 23:3)
When a member believes the rules have been violated, they may raise a Point of Order and require the Chair to rule and enforce the rules.

📌 Timing (23:6)
Normally, a Point of Order must be raised immediately.
However, when a violation is continuing—such as an action that remains in effect but was adopted improperly—it may be raised at any time.

🚫 This includes actions taken in violation of federal, state, or local law.

📌 Invalid Votes (23:8)
If a vote includes participation by an ineligible member—and that vote could have affected the outcome—the result must be declared invalid if the point is sustained.

🔍 What this looks like in practice:

1️⃣ A member raises a Point of Order
"I rise to a point of order that the budget vote taken on February 24 is null and void because it was adopted through the vote of an ineligible member."

2️⃣ The Chair rules
“Well taken” (agrees) or “not well taken” (disagrees).

3️⃣ If necessary, Appeal the Decision of the Chair
👩‍💻 “I appeal from the decision of the chair.”
🧑‍💻 Requires a second
👥 Limited debate (Chair speaks first and last)
🗳️ Vote: “Shall the decision of the chair be sustained?”

👉 A majority against the Chair—or a tie—overturns the ruling.

⚖️ If the ruling is overturned, the original budget vote is void—it’s as if it never happened.

📅 Next meeting: Tuesday, April 21.

03/29/2026

It takes true teamwork and dedication to make a performance like today happen. The lighting, set design, music, props, costumes, and of course, acting were all superb. But the Tinman surely did have a heart - as did everyone involved with the show. And they stole mine. 💙💛 Perry Hall High School Official PHHS Theatre Boosters

03/29/2026

A Budget of Values: Decoding the BCPS Fiscal Strategy 🏛️
The Board's fiscal governance responsibilities don't stop with the budget vote. It is important to look at our spending through two lenses: how we compare nationally and how our local choices align with our stated goals. I am sharing three visuals to help our community see the "big picture" of school finance.

While budgeting can often feel formulaic, it is ultimately a statement of values. I will be sharing the following observations and questions with our County partners to ensure we get the clear answers our students and taxpayers deserve.

1. Is our Budgeting Process Truly "Zero-Based"? 📉
The administration has stated that a Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) process was used for the last two years. In a true ZBB model, every expense must be justified from scratch, prioritizing school-based needs first.

The Observation: Our current proposal reduces instructional textbooks and supplies by 17.7% ($4.33M).

The Question: If we are truly using a "zero-based" priority model, why are classroom essentials being cut while Non-School Based Mid-Level Administration is projected to grow by 6.3% ($25.1M)?

2. The Federal Revenue Mystery 🔍
Our poverty rate is high—and even higher when measured by "direct certification"—yet our federal revenue is a national outlier.

The Observation: BCPS reports a 75.2% poverty rate, but federal aid accounts for only 4.4% ($105M) of our revenue.

The National Context: Comparable high-poverty districts like Philadelphia (100% poverty) and Dallas (85.4% poverty) receive 15.1% and 12.6% in federal revenue, respectively.

The Question: Why is our percentage of federal support significantly smaller than our peers? Are we missing opportunities for federal aid that could support our most vulnerable students?

3. "Stuff" vs. Students: Where is the Capital Outlay Going? 📦
Most school districts keep Operating expenditures (teachers and books) and Capital expenditures (buildings and large equipment) strictly separate to protect the classroom. In some cases, BCPS does not.

The Observation: While we are facing a "Textbook Cliff," we are increasing Category 15 (Capital Outlay) to $6,366,517.

The Question: Is this money being spent on equipment for our schools or for administrative offices? In a year of teacher and book cuts, what has been deemed more important than our educators and our students' learning materials?

Moving Toward Transparency ✨
A budget shouldn't just be a series of formulas; it should be a strategic roadmap for student achievement. If we continue to reduce the resources that most directly affect students—like teachers and books—we are choosing the status quo over progress.

I will be sharing my questions with our County partners in order to hopefully get these answers.

03/27/2026

I could not agree more.

Some of us have turned ourselves inside out trying to move toward consensus. Others have not given an inch. We will keep trying. It’s what we were elected to do. And it’s how we teach and lead by example.

A Baltimore County parent advocacy group wants the Maryland State Board of Education to step in and overturn the school board’s recent budget vote, arguing it was unlawful.