Maryland laws protect school budgets

A 2002 law prohibiting Maryland counties from decreasing funds year-to-year for public school systems may save Montgomery County classrooms from the deep gouges expected in Fairfax.

For years, the two districts have been compared more for their similarities than their differences — both have long-standing reputations for wealth and academic excellence. But as county budgets have shrunken during the economic downturn, Maryland’s laws are proving more gentle, and the funding gap between the districts is widening.