Public schools in Maryland received an average of $14,917 per student for the 2015-2016 school year.
UPDATE: for the 2016-2017 school year, See Chart Shows Maryland’s 2017 School Funding Per Student.
Among the information contained in the Overview of Maryland Local Governments: Finance and Demographic Information is a chart of per-student funding in each Maryland county. The funding shows a range of funding for public education throughout Maryland on a per student basis.
The funding comes primarily from county governments and the State, with limited funding from the federal government and other sources. On average, in FY 2016, the State provided $7,233 (48%), the county government provided $6,914 (46%), and the federal government provided $675(.5%) per student.
In 2014, The Department of Legislative Services commented on the near parity of state and local funding as a change from prior years,
State and local shares of funding are nearly equal for the State as a whole, at 48% and 46%, respectively. This is a shift from fiscal 2002, when the State share was less than the local share.
As described by the Department of Legislative Services, on a county-by-county basis, the state provides more funding to less wealthy counties,
Most State funding is provided inverse to local wealth, and school systems with greater needs and higher costs also get additional State aid.
The State determines the wealth of counties according to a state formula. The formula takes into account the value of a county’s personal property, real property, and the income levels in the county.
For more information, see:
- Overview of Maryland Local Governments: Finance and Demographic Information, and the chart of per-student funding in each Maryland county;
- Education in Maryland, from the Department of Legislative Services; and
- the State Aid Calculations for FY 2017
