At the 2019 MACo Winter Conference session, “Breaking Down the Blueprint: School Funding in Focus,” paenlists discussed the generational debate on school funding. Attendees learned more in depth about the Kirwan Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education recommendations and how they could translate into legislation for the 2020 Session as well as the budgetary reality for Maryland’s counties.

Vice President of the Frederick County Board of Education, Joy Schaefer, led audience members through a presentation on the background of Kirwan, what exactly Kirwan means for the future, and the necessity of implementing these recommendations.

Harford County Executive Barry Glassman, who served on the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future Funding Formula Workgroup as the MACo representative, delved into the financial side of Kirwan and what concerns counties have surrounding the Kirwan recommendations.

Montgomery County Council Member Craig Rice ended the panel by urging the counties to come together as one and prioritize education in Maryland.

The session was moderated by Senator Paul Pinsky and was held on Thursday, December 5, 2019.

The 2019 MACo Winter Conference, “Building for the Future,” was held on December 4-6, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Hotel in Cambridge, Maryland.