The League of Women Voters of Maryland (LWVMD) has supported a foundation program based on a weighted per pupil formula supported from general state revenues at a level high enough to eliminate inequities since 1972. 

LWVMD supports the Maryland General Assembly leadership’s proposed funding plan to add $325 million in FY 2020 and $750 million in FY 2021 to support SB 1030/HB 1413 The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, based on the Maryland Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education (Kirwan Commission) interim report recommendations for 2019. Given that Maryland is not funding our public schools adequately or equitably, this legislation is overdue: 20 of our 24 school systems are currently underfunded by a total of $2.9 billion, based on the state’s own calculations. We must continue to remedy the adequacy gap in years beyond FY2021.

We especially support some of the provisions of the bill that address eliminating inequities such as early support and interventions for young children and their families, including full-day prekindergarten that is free for low-income 3- and 4-year-olds; high-quality and diverse teachers and school leaders, including elevating the teaching profession to be comparable to other fields with the same education requirements and with comparable compensation; additional resources, supports, and services for students who need them to achieve the College and Career Readiness (CCR) standard, including English learners, students with disabilities, and students from low-income families, with particular attention to the Community Schools programs for students in schools with high concentrations of poverty.

Please ask your senators and delegates to support full funding of the original programs in the Kirwan legislation and not to cut $100 million from the special education provisions.

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