In accordance with State law, the Board of Public Works released revised State-County School Construction Cost Share figures for FY 2013-15 on January 5.  The percentages, which are determined by formula, vary by county and indicate the maximum State funding percentage of eligible costs.  Counties experiencing a cost share reduction greater than 5% will have the reduction phased-in over the three-year period.   The   FY 2012 cost share percentages, which were calculated during the last revision cycle, are included for…

Maryland's public education system has been named the nation's best overall for the third consecutive year by Education Week .  Education Week produces an annual report, evaluating the status of each states' educational performance in six areas including, school finance and policies related to transition across stages of education.  The Washington Post reports:   Maryland received a B-plus from the news outlet Education Week, a grade that took into account student achievement, school finance and various education policies. New York and Massachusetts,…

A December 16 Capital article describes the proposed budget for the  Anne Arundel County School System, which would add $37.5 million and 20 teachers over last year's budget. The county school system is grappling with state standards and rising enrollments, but is proposing no furloughs or layoffs in the school budget for next year. Instead, at least 20 new teachers will have to be hired to meet state standards for the availability of teacher mentors, schools…

The Workgroup to Study State Participation in Public School Construction Funding held its first meeting on November 23.  The Workgroup, an initiative by the Public School Construction Program, will examine all aspects of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP).  Ancillary programs like Aging Schools or Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZABs) will not be reviewed.  The Workgroup will focus on three main areas:  (1) the best method to determine need; (2) project eligibility and prioritization; and (3) equity in funding distribution. Workgroup members include representatives from…