Two Cost Studies in Maryland Call For Billions More For Schools

On June 7th, two independent studies of the cost of providing sufficient funds to enable students to meet Maryland's achievement standards were released. Both recommend large increases in annual state aid to Maryland school districts - as much as 44% more.

The state's Commission on Education Finance, Equity, and Excellence, established by the legislature and governor to study Maryland's school funding system, hired a nationally known school-finance firm to determine the cost of meeting the state's constitutional obligation to provide an adequate education for all children. Separately, the New Maryland Education Coalition, a nonprofit citizens' advocacy group, hired a different nationally known firm to do the same. Although the firms used different methodologies to analyze school funding needs, they reached similar conclusions.

Besides recommending how to ensure enough money for schools, the Maryland commission's charge includes reporting on how to reduce inequities among the state's school districts and how to ensure excellence in schools and student performance. The Commission has held public hearings across the state and is expected to release its final report in time to put school funding at the top of the agenda for the next legislative session.

In CFE v. State, when Justice DeGrasse issued his decision in favor of plaintiffs in January 2001, he held that the New York education finance system is unconstitutional and concluded that the "threshold task" for the State in developing a new, constitutionally acceptable system is a determination of the actual costs of providing a sound basic education in districts around the State. CFE and other organizations in New York have called for formation of a commission or panel to implement the court's mandate and determine the cost of providing the opportunity for a sound basic education to all students. Several other states, in addition to Maryland, have prepared "costing out" studies, as explained briefly in A Costing-Out Primer.

Prepared June 2001