Households earning $160,000 would probably identify themselves as middle class, yet a quick breakdown of U.S. incomes shows just how far from the middle they are.

How much should you earn to be considered middle class? To be considered rich? Pinning down clear numbers is more complicated than you might think. During his presidential campaign, Mitt Romney stirred controversy when he grouped households earning $250,000 with the middle class. Rich and poor are relative terms, and our judgment of these categories is often informed by feeling, not fact.

For example, households earning $160,000 would probably identify themselves as middle class, yet a quick breakdown of U.S. incomes shows just how far from the middle they are. The bottom 20 percent, a large portion of which falls below the poverty threshold, earns $0–$17,500. The second lowest quintile makes $17,500–$33,400. If your household takes in $60,000 a year, you’re making more than 60 percent of the country does. Overall, the median household income in the U.S. as of 2011 is roughly $50,054, according to the U.S. Census.

So where would a household with an income of $160,000 fit in all this? It would rank in the top 10 percent, tripling the median household income and earning more than 90 percent of all households. And if you’re earning $250,000, you’re even better off — you’re among the top 4 percent of all earners in the U.S. Which begs the question: if you’re doing better than the vast majority of your peers, aren’t you rich, not middle class? 

These terms are also influenced by a multitude of other factors such as geography and lifestyle — money doesn’t go as far in expensive coastal areas such as New York City or San Francisco. And if you live in an affluent neighborhood of multimillionaires where you feel pressured to spend more to fit in, $250,000 might not feel like enough. But even accounting for such adjustments, it’s clear that these six-figure incomes represent an elite minority — not the broad-based majority.

 Defining the middle class is a crucial step toward creating a fair tax system that evens the playing field for struggling American families. As of 2011, the income gap between the rich and poor is the widest it’s been in four decades, and the poverty rate has remained at a near 20-year high. Median household incomes among the bottom 80 percent fell 1.7 percent last year while the top 1 percent saw their earnings rise by 5.5 percent. Incredibly, the top 1 percent of the country (earning $506,553 or more) captured 93 percent of the country’s income growth in 2010.

 We shouldn’t lose sight of our fight to stem the growing concentration of wealth at the very top. But we must also understand that no matter what our income, spending more than we make will always ensure that we’re poor. Unsustainable spending, ballooning debts, and lack of savings always leave you one paycheck away from financial disaster. That’s why developing a sound financial budget should be a part of everyone’s plan, whether you’re part of the top or bottom five percent.

True wealth isn’t defined by fancy cars or designer clothes — it comes from living within your means and creating a savings plan that leaves you in a position of financial strength and security for years to come.   

Race to the Top is a $4.35 billion competitive federal grant program that provides a financial reward to states that develop and implement programs which create the conditions for significant educational improvement by closing achievement gaps, increasing high school graduation rates and college preparedness.

Adoption of standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace in order to compete in the global economy is one of the fund’s four education reform areas.

While Maryland did not apply for the first round of funding, it does intend to compete this June. To bolster the state’s efforts the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) was formed by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the National Governors Association (NGA).

The CCSSI is in the process of creating a set of grade-by-grade voluntary state standards for what students should know in English/language arts, math, and eventually science.

 Critics of the concept of common core standards are concerned that curriculum may be “dumbed down” to meet the academic needs of a student population that grows more diverse each year. Supporters believe it is the best way to ensure uniformity and academic accountability.  

To provide an overview of the program and help parents make an informed decision on the merits of a common core curriculum the CCSSI provides answers to the following frequently asked questions:

What are educational standards?

 Educational standards help teachers ensure their students have the skills and knowledge they need to be successful by providing clear goals for student learning.

 Who leads the Common Core State Standards Initiative?

The nation’s governors and education commissioners, through their representative organizations the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers led the development of the Common Core State Standards and continue to lead the initiative. Teachers, parents, school administrators and experts from across the country together with state leaders provided input into the development of the standards.

 Why is the Common Core State Standards Initiative important?

 High standards that are consistent across states provide teachers, parents, and students with a set of clear expectations that are aligned to the expectations in college and careers. The standards promote equity by ensuring all students, no matter where they live, are well prepared with the skills and knowledge necessary to collaborate and compete with their peers in the United States and abroad.

Unlike previous state standards, which were unique to every state in the country, the Common Core State Standards enable collaboration between states on a range of tools and policies, including:

the development of textbooks, digital media, and other teaching materials aligned to the standards;

and the development and implementation of common comprehensive assessment systems to measure student performance annually that will replace existing state testing systems; and

changes needed to help support educators and schools in teaching to the new standards.

How do the Common Core State Standards compare to previous state standards?

The Common Core State Standards were written by building on the best and highest state standards in existence in the U.S., examining the expectations of other high performing countries around the world, and careful study of the research and literature available on what students need to know and be able to do to be successful in college and careers.

No state in the country was asked to lower their expectations for their students in adopting the Common Core. The standards are evidence-based, aligned with college and work expectations, include rigorous content and skills, and are informed by other top performing countries. They were developed in consultation with teachers and parents from across the country so they are also realistic and practical for the classroom.

Will there be tests based on the Common Core State Standards?

Yes. States that adopted the Common Core State Standards are currently collaborating to develop common assessments that will be aligned to the standards and replace existing end of year state assessments. These assessments will be available in the 2014-2015 school year.

Next week- Part II Common Core Standards

Jayne Matthews Hopson is an education writer and mother of a son attending college. She believes education matters because “only the educated are free.” 

Gregg Bernstein, meet John L. Brady.

Mr. Bernstein, who became Baltimore’s state’s attorney after running a campaign complaining about what a horrible state’s attorney Patricia Jessamy was, just met Brady the hard way.

All you brilliant Balti-morons that voted Jessamy out, that bought into Bernstein’s okey doke about what a pathetic job Jessamy did as state’s attorney should now tell us how you feel about Bernstein’s office committing one of the most egregious Brady violations ever.

 I’m not saying Jessamy’s office never committed a Brady violation. But it certainly wasn’t one as, as, well, as downright Brobdingnagian as the one Bernstein’s office committed. And the Brady violation certainly wasn’t committed in a high-profile case.

Baltimore Circuit Court Judge Alfred Nance, who was supposed to sentence Michael Maurice Johnson for murdering Phylicia Barnes, instead ordered that Johnson be given a new trial. Then he nailed Bernstein’s prosecutors for committing the Brady violation associated with the case.

A brief summation might be in order. In 1963, the Supreme Court handed down a ruling in the case of Brady v. Maryland. The justices contended that prosecutors, by law, must turn over any evidence to defense attorneys that might point to the innocence of their clients.

The Brady case involved two losers: one was named John L. Brady and the other was named Charles Donald Boblit. Both were charged with felony murder after a man named William Booth was fatally strangled during a robbery Brady and Boblit committed.

Both men were tried, convicted and sentenced to death. Brady’s lawyer contended that since his client didn’t commit the actual murder, he shouldn’t have received the death penalty.

It transpired that prosecutors did indeed withhold statements from Brady’s attorney in which Boblit admitted to strangling Booth.

NOTE: Bernstein’s office committed a major screw-up in a major case.

The Brady violation in the Phylicia Barnes case involved prosecution witness James McCray, who testified that Johnson told him about the murder and asked McCray for help in disposing of Barnes’ body.

Throughout Johnson’s trial, prosecutors contended that McCray was in a Charles County jail when Johnson was arrested. There was no way, prosecutors repeatedly hammered home to jurors, for McCray to know details of the case unless Johnson provided them.

McCray, prosecutors alleged, had no access to either the media or the Internet at the Charles County facility.

Nance ruled that, at the time of Johnson’s arrest, McCray was in the Baltimore County Detention Center, where he could easily have heard about Johnson’s arrest and details of the Barnes case. Nance said the prosecutors were late in providing that information to Johnson’s lawyers.

Oh, this tale of prosecutorial incompetence and misconduct just gets better and better, but not for Bernstein.

Having nailed prosecutors for a Brady violation, Nance moved on to what he called “newly discovered evidence” in the case. That would be the revelation that a Montgomery County detective with the last name of Ravin did an interview with McCray. After that interview, and after talking with detectives from other jurisdictions, Ravin concluded that McCray wasn’t a credible witness.

“This Court finds that the newly discovered evidence is material and persuasive,” Nance ruled. “As discussed…..the State rested its argument that McCray was credible, because he could not have known any facts about the case other than first-hand knowledge because he was incarcerated in Charles County without access to the Internet.

 “However, evidence also shows McCray was also incarcerated in Baltimore County and Montgomery County for periods of time where he may have had access to the media. The State’s handwritten disclosure of McCray’s record fails to meet Brady requirements. “The newly discovered evidence that asserts that McCray was found not credible in Montgomery County compounds with the Brady violations…..and indicates material prejudicial to the Defendant.”

Allow me to break that down into plain, simple English: Bernstein’s office committed a major screw-up in a major case. I challenge this guy that had the nerve to dog Jessamy about her record to find a similar screw-up in a similar case on her watch.

“So please ask yourself: What would I do if I weren’t afraid? And then go do it.” Sheryl Sandberg

In a stroke of marketing genius befitting the Chief Operating Officer of the social media phenomenon, Facebook, Sheryl Sandberg chose Women’s History Month to launch her new book, Lean In, and begin a national dialogue about “Women, Work and the Will to Lead.” Ruth Standish Baldwin was a co-founder of the National Urban League more than a century ago and the inclusion and empowerment of women has been one of our most important priorities. Today, Former Labor Secretary Alexis Herman serves as Senior Vice Chair on our Board, and almost half of our 95 local Affiliate CEOs are women. For that reason, we applaud Sandberg for her new book and are proud to join in the conversation.

We all know that historic barriers of gender discrimination, as well as the responsibilities of bearing and caring for children have made it more difficult for women to balance work and family. But Sandberg contends that women too often “hold ourselves back in ways big and small, by lacking self-confidence, by not raising our hands, and by pulling back when we should be leaning in.” Lean In appears to be written by and for women for whom the path to executive leadership has always been a realistic, if somewhat difficult, journey. But the book has sparked another conversation in Black America about how women of color have always had to “lean in” to overcome the dual hurdles of racial and gender bias.

Consider how Harriet Tubman leaned into the face of death to lead a thousand slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Or how Sojourner Truth stood up and boldly asked “Ain’t I a woman?” at the 1851 Ohio Women’s Rights Convention. Consider how Fannie Lou Hamer who was “sick and tired of being sick and tired,” fought for African American voting rights as an organizer of the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Summer and Vice Chair of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party. Or how a quiet seamstress named Rosa Parks, leaned in, sat down on a bus and lit the fuse of the civil rights movement.

Decrying the lack of women at the top of corporate America, Sandberg does admit that, “The gap is even worse for women of color, who hold just 4 percent of top corporate jobs, 3 percent of board seats and 5 percent of congressional seats.” But, with rising numbers of Black women in college, preparing themselves for successful careers, clearly a lack of drive or ambition is not the problem.

Lean In urges women to “Sit at the Table,” “Seek and Speak Your Truth,” “Don’t Leave Before You Leave,” and “Make Your Partner a Real Partner.” These recommendations present a road map of success that has obviously worked for Sheryl Sandberg. But, it is largely the lack of support, the pressures of single parenthood, and systemic racial and gender discrimination that continue to keep women of color from getting a foot in the corporate door. The empowerment of all women depends on closing the wage gap, protecting women’s reproductive rights, providing greater workplace flexibility, having more women in non-traditional professions like science and engineering, and supporting common sense measures such as the Violence Against Women Act which was recently reauthorized and signed into law by President Obama.

If men and women lean in together, we can foster gender equity and a better America.

Marc H. Morial, former mayor of New Orleans, is president and CEO of the National Urban League.

An estimated 14,000 black students were not able return to campus this fall. Their absence was the direct result of a reinterpretation of a loan program designed to help poor and minority students cover the cost a college education.

The story behind this crisis is a disturbing mix of unfulfilled campaign promises and a seemingly callous disregard for the academic mission of Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

Early in the first Obama administration a gap funding loan program was created to cover the difference between PELL grants and other government backed college funding. The program is known PLUS, an acronym for Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students.

PLUS loans were designed for parents whose credit history would disqualify the family from securing a traditional bank loan to cover college expenses. When the program was launched parents with good credit history with the last 90 days (no bankruptcy, garnishments, liens etc.) would qualify for a loan.       

However, in October 2011 the Department of Education added new underwriting standards, which made it significantly harder to get approval for a PLUS loan. Instead of 90 days parents were required to prove their credit worthiness for five years. “Based on last year’s trends, nearly half of would-be PLUS borrowers this academic year might be turned away” says Mark Kantrowitz, publisher of Finaid.org.

An estimated 90% of black students rely on loans to help pay for college. “The denials have hit particularly hard at historically black colleges and universities,” said Johnny Taylor, director of the Thurgood Marshall Foundation. The concern that HBCU students might not return to college because they can’t get loans has proven true for thousands sophomores, juniors and seniors.

Parents have come to rely more on PLUS loans to pay the tuition bills, “as college prices continued to rise and home equity lines of credit have dried up” says Inside Higher Ed writer Libby A. Nelson. “Historically, the approval process for the loans has been relatively lax” Nelson writes.

“The change was made quietly -- the department didn’t convene a rule-making panel or issue a letter to colleges explaining it -- but the impact was dramatic,” Kantrowitz said. “Denials for PLUS loans jumped after the new requirement took effect, midway through the 2011-12 academic year. According to preliminary Education Department data, 38 percent of applicants for the loans were denied -- 10 percent more than in the previous year.” 

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), is  encouraging Marylanders to take advantage of free tax preparation and e-filing services available through the IRS Free File program. Since its inception in 2003, Free File has offered 70 percent of taxpayers free access to leading commercial tax preparation software. This year, every taxpayer with a 2012 Adjusted Gross Income of $57,000 or less may visit www.IRS.gov/freefile to prepare, complete and e-file their federal tax returns at absolutely no cost. This service is made possible through a partnership between the IRS and the Free File Alliance, a coalition of industry-leading tax software companies.


“This tax season, I encourage constituents to take advantage of free tax help available through the IRS Free File program,” said Senator Cardin. “Free File provides access to online tax software that helps you prepare and e-file you federal tax returns – at absolutely no cost. The service is available to everyone who made $57,000 or less last year. This is a valuable tool I hope people will use.”

To begin, taxpayers should visit the IRS website - www.IRS.gov/freefile. Users will find a list of Free File Alliance member companies and may either choose one that fits their needs or utilize the “Help Me Find a Company” tool. After selecting a tax software company, users will be transferred to the company’s website to prepare, complete and electronically file their federal income tax returns. The service is also available in Spanish.

The Free File Alliance is also partnered with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA) — a walk-in service for low-to-moderate income taxpayers — which offers Free File software on self-assist kiosks at VITA sites in 29 states.

Quote: This “let’s protect our children” ploy is

a cheap, tawdry appeal to the emotions, which is probably why it’s popular among Democrats and liberals.

Et tu, Howard County?

That ritzy subdivision to the south and west of Baltimore doesn’t have much gun crime, or much of any other type of crime either. Out of all of the state’s subdivisions, Howard County is probably the one that needs a gun buyback program the least.

But the county had one anyway on Saturday, March 16.

County residents – and  non-county residents, I suppose – just drove to a Howard County government parking lot along Route 108 and handed in their firearms. In exchange, they got $100.

According to a story in The Baltimore Sun on March 18, county leaders are now convinced that they live in a much safer place.

chief William McMahon of the Howard County Police Department: “This is part of an overall gun safety program.”

Howard County Executive Ken Ulman: “There are now hundreds of fewer rifles and handguns in Howard County that could fall into the hands of children or thieves.”

I see a bright future for Ulman in Democratic Party politics in this state. Notice the sly, sneaky way he gratuitously implied that we’re doing this all for the safety of the kiddies?

That’s what all this “gun buyback” business is about, you know: protecting “the children.”

After the Newtown massacre of Dec. 14, protecting “the children” – through more draconian gun laws, through gun buy-back programs – became all the rage among liberal Democrats.

The implication was clear: liberals and Democrats love “our children” and want to protect them at all costs. Conservatives, Republicans and those nut jobs in the National Rifle Association HATE “our children,” and want to see them slaughtered in our schools and on our streets.

This “let’s protect our children” ploy is a cheap, tawdry appeal to the emotions, which is probably why it’s popular among Democrats and liberals. After Newtown, Democrats and liberals ratcheted up the emotional appeal, “arguing” that we must do something, ANYTHING, to solve the gun problem.

So we have renewed proposals to ban so-called assault weapons. We have laws proposed that would limit the capacity of rounds a particular firearm can have. We have calls for more thorough background checks.

Here’s the problem: none of that would have prevented the tragedy at Newtown.

The weapons Adam Lanza used to kill his mother, Nancy Lanza, himself, 20 students at Sandy Hook Elementary School and six staff members belonged to Nancy Lanza, not Adam. She would have passed any background check.

It has come to light that Adam Lanza was indeed a very disturbed young man. The signs were there for Nancy Lanza to see.

Instead of getting her son the help he needed – or, at the very least, getting all firearms out of her house – Nancy Lanza, according to news reports, aided and abetted Adam Lanza’s use and knowledge of firearms.

The Newtown tragedy was completely preventable; the person that could have prevented it was the one person that didn’t: Nancy Lanza.

Let’s bring this closer to home for a second. Robert Gladden Jr., the nut job that recently pleaded guilty to shooting up Perry Hall High School on the first day of the 2012-2013 school year, sent a text message the night before he went on his mini-rampage.

“I am going to bring a shotgun and 21 shells,” the text read. “I’ll let your imagination do the rest. And I trust you not to tell anyone about this so please don’t.”

Gladden couldn’t have had any better luck if he’d dialed “m” for “moron.” The hapless twit he texted kept quiet, apparently oblivious to the carnage that could have unfolded at Perry Hall the next day.

Democrats and liberals want to protect us – especially “our children” – from guns. Who’s going to protect us from the clueless cretins among us?

“Do something great! I love you!” As he prepares for school each morning Brendan Canty’s mom speaks these heartfelt words of support and encouragement to her son Brendan, a Coppin College Preparatory Academy student who wants to be an animated and live action documentary filmmaker.

His mom’s words brought him a bit of magic. Brendan’s dream to work on a movie set made a quantum leap when he was selected to participate in the 2013 Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey and Essence Magazine. He overcame tremendous odds beating  out than more 5,000 students nationwide who applied to the program.

Brendan, one the 100 students awarded an all-expense-paid trip to the Walt Disney World Resort will participate in hands-on, full-immersion workshops covering a range of career paths from animation to zoology. His mom will accompany him to Florida, all her expenses paid as well.

This is indeed a great accomplishment. However, Brendan is no stranger to beating the odds. Diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism, neither he nor his family have let a learning disability limit his dreams.  An excellent student at Coppin Academy, a charter school affiliated with Coppin State University, Brendan says he gets his inspiration from his mother. 

During his four days at the Disney Dreamers Academy Brendan will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet with and receive mentorship from a Hollywood movie producer. And there are plans for him to create a short film to launch his portfolio of work.

Entering its sixth year, Disney Dreamers Academy takes place in a magical setting: The Walt Disney World theme parks. Both on stage and behind the scenes, the parks become vibrant ‘classrooms’ leading to career discoveries, the pursuit of dreams and fun memories to cherish for a lifetime.

Motivational speakers and celebrities share their stories and provide insight on how to achieve success and pursue their dreams. Dreamers have the opportunity to cultivate relationships with other students from across the nation while they gain first-hand knowledge from Disney experts and world-renowned entrepreneurs and executives.

“Over the past five years, we have helped 500 Dreamers unlock their potential and get started on their journeys in life,” said Disney Dreamers Academy Executive Champion Tracey D. Powell. “The sixth Disney Dreamers Academy marks another year of continued motivation, education and success. Everyone leaves this program inspired to live their best life.”

Steve Harvey, syndicated radio and television personality, and Essence Magazine will host the students. “Disney Dreamers Academy gives hope and inspiration and exposes youth to a world of possibilities,” said Harvey. “We are excited about another opportunity to transform lives and give students an inside look at what their future can hold.”

Essence Communications President Michelle Ebanks added, “We are excited about the sixth Disney Dreamers Academy. This program transcends the normal classroom setting, taking learning to the next level. This year we plan to go above and beyond to encourage  Dreamers.

Applicants answered a series of essay questions about their personal stories and life dreams. Students were selected by a panel of judges that included Powell, Harvey, Ebanks, Mikki Taylor (Editor-at-Large, ESSENCE Magazine), Yolanda Adams (gospel music legend), Terrence J (actor and host of E! News), Stephen A. Smith (broadcaster and sports analyst), and Dr. Steve Perry (education advocate and CNN commentator).

Education Matters gives The Disney Dreamers Academy two thumbs up for its selection of students that includes children diagnosed with a learning disability. Their capacity to see beyond labels and perceived limitations not only makes dreams come true, it helps make a better world for all. Kudos to Brendan Canty and his family! 

Jayne Matthews Hopson, an education writer and the mother of a college-aged son believes education matters because “only the educated are free.”