As reported in the Cumberland Times-News, two bills that will affect education policy and finances in Western Maryland are moving towards passage in the General Assembly.

One bill changes the make-up of the Allegany and Garrett County Boards of Education,

The ex officio bill abolishes seats for county commissioners on the Allegany and Garrett County boards of education. . . County commissioners and the board of education support the bills, legislators have said. Only three counties in the state have an ex officio board member.

The other bill provides some funding back to counties with declining state education aid, which has particular relevance to Allegany and Garrett counties, as described in the article,

Garrett County has lost about 18.5 percent of its budget in the last four years due in part to a decline in student enrollment. . . Allegany County has lost almost $12 million in state funding since 2009, which is 15 percent of the board’s budget, county school officials said.

For more information, see the full story from the Times-News and these previous posts on Conduit Street, “Half Harmless” Funding Bill Passing and Allegany School Board’s Focus: Funding and Process