Posted under Education
In February, Governor O’Malley announced that the federal stimulus package would enable the state to restore planned cuts to education funding. Specifically, “For the first time in the history of Maryland, the Geographic Cost of Education Index, a funding formula which awards more money to districts where the cost of education is greater, will be funded at 100 percent in FY2010 and FY2011.”
Now, that might be changing:
The state Senate’s budget and tax committee surprised everyone in the education world. Rather than adopting its subcommittee’s recommendations for school funding as expected, it passed a modified version including deeper cuts. It would fund GCEI at 60 percent next year, rather than the 100 percent pledged by the governor, and use the remaining 40 percent (or about $50 million) to cover planned school construction costs.
The committee also, “would limit in fiscal years 2011 and 2012 the annual inflation increases to school districts that were supposed to return next year.” If these changes are approved Baltimore City, for example, “would have to cut at least $12 million out of the budget the school board approved last week.”
The governor, for his part, seems to be taking a middle ground. O’Malley told the Baltimore Sun, “he hadn’t seen the specifics yet, but he was concerned about any change to GCEI. However, he said several lawmakers don’t believe that the state should be guaranteeing inflation increases to any agencies — school districts included — until the economy improves. He’s inclined to agree.”
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