PRESS RELEASE
SUBMIT YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO MyMGA ON MONDAY, MARCH 9TH BY 5:00PM!
Dear Advocates,
SUBMIT YOUR WRITTEN TESTIMONY TO MyMGA ON MONDAY, MARCH 9TH BY 5:00 PM!
Thank you again to everyone who joined us in Annapolis on February 25 for Charter Advocacy Day. Your voices made a powerful impact, and we are grateful for your continued commitment to Maryland’s public charter school students and families.
Our advocacy continues next week with the House Appropriations Committee hearing on HB1430 – Maryland Public Charter School Program – School Facilities – Funding, scheduled for Wednesday, March 11 at 1:00 p.m. We encourage our advocates to submit written testimony in support of the bill so lawmakers can hear directly from families, students, and supporters of public charter schools. Testimony sign up is only on March 9th until 5:00pm.
Below are step-by-step instructions for submitting your testimony.
Important Information
- You must submit your testimony on Monday, March 9 by 5pm.
- Your file to upload must be in a PDF format to be accepted.
- You must upload any and all testimony yourselves. MAPCS, nor schools, cannot upload testimony on your behalf.
Step-by-Step: How to Submit Testimony
1. Create or Log In to Your MyMGA Account
- Create an account or log in here: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov
2. Select “Witness Signup”
- Once logged in, look at the left side of the screen and click “Witness Signup.”
3. Find the Bill
- Search for the bill using the bill number or title: HB1430 – Maryland Public Charter School Program – School Facilities – Funding
- Make sure you select the listing under the House Appropriations Committee.
4. Select Your Position
- Choose “Favorable” for your position.
- Select “Written” for the type of testimony.
5. Upload Your Testimony
- The “Upload Files” button on the right side of the screen will turn red.
- Click the button.
- Check the box confirming you understand the testimony will become part of the public record.
- Click Accept.
- Select your file using “Choose File.”
- Click OK once the file appears stored on the right side.
6. Save Your Submission
- Scroll back to the top of the page.
- Click “Save” on the left side of the screen.
7. Confirm Your Testimony Was Submitted
- Click “Signed Up Items.”
- You should see your testimony listed there.
Here is a video walk through from several years ago that can be a helpful visual tool. Please note that the bill numbers, hearing dates, and chamber information is not accurate. Also, everyone should be signing up for WRITTEN testimony only.
What to Include in Your Testimony
We made some sample testimonies that can be personalized for parents, guardians, students, and community members. We have also included a one-pager of talking points. To access the samples, please visit this folder.
Your testimony can be brief and personal. Consider including:
- Your name and connection to a charter school (parent, student, educator, alumni, or supporter)
- Why your charter school matters to you or your family
- Why facilities funding is important for charter school students
- More talking points can be found here
If you need help drafting testimony or navigating the MyMGA system, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We are happy to help.
We would also love to have you attend the hearing on March 11th at 1pm. We have been working to collect specific oral testimonies from several community members, as we do not want to overwhelm the Committee or make the meeting run long (this is also why written testimony is SO important), but we would love to have your support from the audience!
Thank you for continuing to raise your voice for Maryland’s public charter school students. Your advocacy truly makes a difference.
With gratitude,
McKenzie Allen
Executive Director
Maryland Alliance of Public Charter Schools
410-919-9678 ext 1