Change to funding formula gives principals spending power

Principals in Prince George’s County Public Schools set the course for their campuses — but only have say over 2 percent of the school’s budget. That figure would jump to 50 percent under a proposal from Superintendent William Hite.

The primary goal of the new plan is to “weight” funding coming from central office to schools, based on at-risk populations and high-need classrooms. But another prong allows principals, once they receive these weighted funds, much more discretion over how to spend them.