Read more about the article County Recap for Board of Public Works Meeting on Oct 1
Board of Public Works
County Recap for Board of Public Works Meeting on Oct 1

The Maryland Board of Public Works approved $4.2M in funding for counties and Baltimore City, including $1.4M for Anne Arundel, and a property swap between Salisbury University and Wicomico. During a regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Public Works on October 1, $4.2M was approved for allocation across eight counties and Baltimore City. Of those allocations, $3.6M was from Program Open Space (POS). The largest allocation totaled $1,437,684 and went to Anne Arundel for…

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October 9, 2025
Read more about the article Should Fossil Fuel Companies Pay Counties for Climate Change? MD Supreme Court to Weigh In
Courts / Environment
Should Fossil Fuel Companies Pay Counties for Climate Change? MD Supreme Court to Weigh In

Oral arguments were heard in front of the Maryland Supreme Court this past Monday on the matter of three local government cases looking to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for climate change. Three cases brought by local governments over the last almost decade are being considered for standing by the Maryland Supreme Court during the current term. Oral arguments were heard by both the plaintiffs and defendants for a little over an hour on Monday,…

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October 9, 2025
Read more about the article PIA Compliance Board Recommends 3 Legislative Changes in Annual Report
Public Information and Ethics
PIA Compliance Board Recommends 3 Legislative Changes in Annual Report

During the last two meetings of the Maryland Public Information Act Compliance Board (PIACB) three recommendations were made by the body for statutory changes to the PIA and the scope of authority for the PIACB. The PIACB reviews and resolves complaints related to disputes that arise under the Public Information Act in Maryland. This is a 5-member independent body that regularly sees the type of disputes that come up as well as how the nature…

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October 9, 2025
Read more about the article Federal Executive Order Seeks to Target Cashless Bail
Public Safety and Corrections
Federal Executive Order Seeks to Target Cashless Bail

The US Department of Justice has been tasked with developing a list of local jurisdictions that have "substantially eliminated" cash bail for certain offenses and withholding federal funds accordingly. Parameters, compliance standards, and consequences are still unclear. According to a recent executive order, the federal administration intends to take steps to end the practice of cashless bail because they claim it is a risk to public safety. The directives from the order were to identify…

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October 1, 2025
Read more about the article Juvenile Charging and Detention Changes Possible in 2026
Health and Human Services / Public Safety and Corrections
Juvenile Charging and Detention Changes Possible in 2026

Two legislators are attempting to tackle the problem of detaining youth in adult detention centers, with potential changes to be made during the 2026 legislative session. During the 2025 MACo Summer Conference, state and local leaders came together to discuss the problem of holding juvenile offenders in adult facilities, particularly local detention centers. What audience members saw at that session was something unique - overwhelming agreement, between state and local entities, that this is a…

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September 30, 2025
Read more about the article New Report: Mixed Delivery Pre-K Could Need More State Funding or a Revision
Education
New Report: Mixed Delivery Pre-K Could Need More State Funding or a Revision

An independent analysis by the University of Maryland shows school systems are employing the most promising strategies to expand private prekindergarten but providers are not coming to the table, some citing lack of funding reliability from Maryland State Department of Education. Researchers from the University of Maryland, College Park were contracted to conduct a detailed analysis of mixed delivery prekindergarten implementation in Maryland as mandated by the Blueprint for Maryland's Future (Blueprint). They recently presented…

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September 29, 2025
Read more about the article MD Department of Education Recommends Legislative Changes to Blueprint
Education
MD Department of Education Recommends Legislative Changes to Blueprint

The Maryland State Department of Education made multiple legislative requests to the Blueprint Accountability and Implementation Board to potentially aid in the recruitment of teachers and clarify access to post college and career readiness pathways. During a regularly scheduled meeting of the Blueprint for Maryland's Future (Blueprint) Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB), staff shared suggestions for legislative changes that were submitted by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). It was noted by the staff…

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September 25, 2025
Read more about the article Teacher Apprenticeship Program in St. Mary’s Spreads to Caroline and Washington
Education / Higher Education
Teacher Apprenticeship Program in St. Mary’s Spreads to Caroline and Washington

New state-sponsored apprenticeship program for aspiring teachers relies on model established in St. Mary's County and seeks to fill vacancies with more homegrown candidates.  Last week Governor Wes Moore announced Maryland’s first state-sponsored registered apprenticeship program for teaching that was built off a model started in St. Mary's County. The program will enable aspiring teachers to receive more hands-on training, mentorship, and paid work experience while reducing the out-of-pocket cost of earning a degree and…

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September 24, 2025
Read more about the article Comptroller’s Report Suggests Dedicated State Revenue for School Construction
School Construction and Capital Budgets / State Budget and Fiscal Issues
Comptroller’s Report Suggests Dedicated State Revenue for School Construction

A new report from Comptroller Lierman's office sheds light on dire needs in school construction, saying state funding and a change to the funding formulas could be in order.  According to a report by Comptroller Lierman's team, keeping up with school construction and renovation needs statewide is becoming a major challenge. In a 30-page document published last week, the agency covered an analysis of the state of school infrastructure, current school funding strategies, and a…

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September 22, 2025
Read more about the article MD Still 30K Students Short of Initial Blueprint Estimates
Education
MD Still 30K Students Short of Initial Blueprint Estimates

State officials say even a decade of optimistic growth will not bring school systems back in line with pre-COVID enrollment or Blueprint estimates following a recent report by the Maryland Department of Planning. Last Thursday the Maryland Department of Planning (MDP) presented the 2025 - 2034 prekindergarten through 12th grade school enrollment projections to the Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC). This is a statutorily mandated report and these estimates help the IAC anticipate school…

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September 18, 2025
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