$318M for unenrolled students and a $2.5B budget: Maryland school oversight bills flop

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WBFF) — Maryland’s 90-day legislative session in Annapolis is winding down. This year, lawmakers debated hundreds of pieces of legislation. Five of which were education-related bills introduced following FOX45 News investigations. But none of them passed – including two bills, which dealt with school funding and accountability.

The first bill, The Education Funding Accuracy Act, was introduced by State Delegate April Rose, who represents Carroll and Frederick Counties. The Education Funding Accuracy Act attempted to change the process by which Maryland funds public schools.

Right now, Maryland schools are funded based on student enrollment counts that are taken one day a year – September 30. Rose’s bill aimed to change Maryland’s one-day enrollment count to two counts – once in September and once in the spring. School funding would then be determined by the average of the two counts.

“We work very hard for our money as citizens, and we pay a lot in taxes. And educating our students is important, but we need to make sure we’re doing it in a proper way,” Rose told Project Baltimore in March.

Delegate Rose’s bill would have changed the way Maryland funds its public schools (WBFF)

Rose introduced her bill after a FOX45 News investigation found Maryland taxpayers gave public schools around $318 million, over the last two school years, to educate students who stopped attending class. Opponents to Rose’s bill, such as Baltimore City Schools, argued the two counts could have a “detrimental effect” on funding.

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The Education Funding Accuracy Act was never brought up for a vote in the Maryland House Appropriations committee. The bill died.

The second bill, The Inspector General Authority Over Baltimore County Public Schools act, was introduced by State Senator Carl Jackson who represents Baltimore County.

“I think we’re in a time now where taxpayers want to know how their money is being spent,” Jackson told Project Baltimore in January.

Baltimore City Schools opposed Delegate Rose’s bill (WBFF)

More than half of Baltimore County Public Schools roughly $2.5 billion budget comes from Baltimore County taxpayers. But, as of now, the Inspector General for Baltimore County does not have jurisdiction to investigate the school system. Jackson’s legislation would have allowed for the IG’s jurisdiction to include BCPS.

Maryland’s two largest school systems have IG oversight. Montgomery County’s Inspector General has jurisdiction over the school system. Prince George’s County Public Schools has its own Inspector General. Baltimore County has the state’s third largest school system. Jackson’s bill would have given Baltimore County Council the authority to expand the IG’s jurisdiction to include BCPS.

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Opponents, such as Baltimore County Councilman Julian Jones argued Maryland already has a statewide Inspector General for Education and BCPS does not need additional oversight.

Four Baltimore County Democratic Senators, Ben Brooks, Shelly Hettleman, Charles Sydnor and Mary Washington voted against the bill.

Sen. Jackson’s bill died with a vote of 4 to 4. It needed five votes to pass (WBFF)

Democratic Senator Carl Jackson along with Republican Senators JB Jennings, Chris West, and Johnny Ray Salling voted for expanding oversight.

The bill died with a vote of 4 to 4. It needed five votes to pass.

Follow Project Baltimore’s Chris Papst on X and Facebook. Send news tips to cjpapst@sbgtv.com