On March 9, 2022, Associate Policy Director Brianna January testified before the House Ways and Means Committee in support of HB 1124 – Primary and Secondary Education – Local School Systems – Budget Reporting. This bill requires each local school system, on or before November 1 and March 1 from 2022 through 2032 to report to the Accountability and Implementation Board on all expenditures in the local school system’s annual budget, disaggregated by each major budget category; and requiring the Board to provide a local government with a copy of the report on request.

From the MACo testimony: 

This bill would improve transparency in Maryland’s public education funding and expenditures, for which counties have long advocated. Counties especially welcome the increased transparency offered by HB 1124 as the State and its local education jurisdictions embark on implementing the landmark reforms of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and work to provide its accompanying escalation of local funding. In addition, the transparency encouraged in HB 1124 is timely as the State and its school systems continue to receive and manage a substantial influx of federal pandemic recovery funds to support public education.

More on MACo’s Advocacy:

Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2022 legislative session on MACo’s Legislative Tracking Database.
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