Advocacy

News from our PTA Council of Howard County Delegates

Cindy LaFollette and Karen McCaulley (ptachc@clespta.org)

QUICK LINKS

Local and Community Advocacy
Rock the Roof
PTACHC
FY27 Operating Budget
HCPSS Advisory Councils

ROCK THE ROOF! CELEBRATE OUR SCHOOLS!

On Friday, March 28 at 9:30 AM, community members from across Howard County will gather at the Harriet Tubman Cultural Center for Rock the Roof, a public event celebrating Howard County’s schools and calling for renewed civic focus on education as a core community priority.

For decades, families have chosen Howard County because of its public schools. That reputation was built through sustained public investment and a shared belief that education matters. Organizers say Rock the Roof is about making that commitment visible again.

“This is not a protest and not affiliated with any campaign,” said organizer Laura Darby. “It is a public affirmation that schools are foundational to this county. If they are not treated as a priority, the effects reach far beyond the classroom.”

The event will feature brief remarks from students, parents, educators, and community members reflecting on what Howard County schools make possible and why sustained attention to public education matters. Local media and elected officials are invited to attend.

Rock the Roof is open to the public and family friendly.

For updates and event information, visit:facebook.com/fixhocoschools

Community members interested in speaking or participating can learn more at:https://forms.gle/iADPaDrCsFZJ5bvz6

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FY 27 HCPSS Operating Budget

February 26, 2026 – Board Approves Requested FY27 Operating Budget

At its February 26 meeting, the Board adopted its requested FY27 Operating Budget in the amount of $1,676,717,627 and directed staff to submit the budget request to the County Executive.

The proposed budget emphasizes maximizing and tactically reallocating certain existing positions and resources, prioritizing critical funding investments in high priority needs aligned to the HCPSS Strategic Plan. Highlights nclude support and interventions for at-risk students, implenting Blueprint, and increased support for multi-lingual learners.

Second Residents’ Budget Hearing

The County held its second residents’ budget hearing on March 3. You can watch the full hearing here.

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Local and Community Advocacy

Immigration Support

2026 Elections - Candidate Forums

  • County Executive, State Senators and Delegates: March 14, 2026, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Wilde Lake High School

  • County Council and Board of Education: April 14, 2026, 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at Wilde Lake High School

Middle School Advocacy - CommonLit 360 Implementation

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PTACHC - Participate in Advocacy for Our Schools

We need you!

Effective communication is vital to our success. CLES PTA needs a communications officer. Please email any member of the executive board with your interest.

The PTA receives questions like:

  • How can we share our thoughts on the budget, policies, and county legisltation that affects our schools?

  • Why did the Board of Education defer redistricting Centennial Lane Elementary School?

  • What can we do to advocate for funding for important capital projects like CHS renovation?

Whether you’ve asked these questions yourself or have other school-related concerns on your mind, joining the PTA is a great way to stay informed and to work with others to advocate for all students in Howard County. 

The PTA Council of Howard County (PTA-CHC) welcomes our participation on advocacy issues throughout the year. There are usually shortages of community members advocating to fund our school system both at the local (Howard County) and the state level. Multiple issues are raised each year; the PTA-CHC cannot tackle all of them. School PTAs can pursue their own advocacy efforts. Individuals are also encouraged to advocate as needs/concerns arise. 

Please contact our PTACHC representatives (ptachc@clespta.org) for any advocacy related ideas or concerns. They can work with you on advocacy issues or bring them up with PTA-CHC. You are also welcome to join a PTACHC meeting at anytime. They are open to the public and the schedule can be found here.

All school community members are welcome to register to speak in person or virtually at school board meetings that are usually held twice monthly. You can register to speak up to 3 minutes at each meeting on almost any topic that you have concerns about. There are also opportunities to speak to the Howard County Council and state legislature. All are welcome. 

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Get Involved! Join an HCPSS Academic Advisory Council

Interested in improving education in Howard County? Academic and Community Advisory Committees offer opportunities for involvement and are comprised of parents, community members, students, and staff with a desire to work collaboratively to advise the Board of Education. More information here: https://www.hcpss.org/parents/academic-advisory-committees/

Current CLES advisory council members:

Shirley Zhao SECAC (Special Education Citizens Advisory Council)

Cindy LaFollette CAC (Community Advisory Council)

Open CLES advisory council members:

Elementary Curricular (ECAC), Fine Arts, GT/Advanced Programs, Early Childhood, Instructional Tech and Library Media,

Mathematics (MAC), School Health, Science (SAC), Secondary Language Arts, Social Studies, World Language (WLAC)

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Contact Us

Cindy LaFollette & Karen McCaulley, CLES PTA representatives to the PTA Council of Howard County ptachc@clespta.org

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