Gov. Martin O’Malley is considering a 5 percent across-the-board cut to Maryland’s K-12 public education system, unwelcome news to school districts already scrounging for money. T. Eloise Foster, secretary of the State Department of Budget and Management, said in a letter to Prince George’s County Superintendent William Hite that his request for an additional $139 million in state aid “suggests that you believe that the governor’s winning re-election is the equivalent to winning the lottery.”
O’Malley emphasized his protection of education funding during his campaign, often trumpeting that his investments in education had propelled Maryland schools to the top rank in the country; a popular data point of O’Malley’s campaign was the $5.7 billion he invested in public education in the past year.
“Martin O’Malley, even in the toughest of times, has made record investments in public schools,” a campaign spot declared. “With Martin O’Malley, our children always come first.”
But the toughest of times have gotten tougher, and schools are not necessarily exempt from cuts this go-around.
The state has cut $5.6 billion from its budget and eliminated 4,200 state positions over the last four years, and still faces a $1.2 billion deficit.
“To submit a budget that asks for $139 million more than last year simply disregards the situation we’re in,” said Shaun Adaemc, O’Malley’s spokesman. “No one should feel as though they are not part of the solution. No one should feel exempt from sharing the pain.”
Prince George’s schools received more than $1 billion is state funding last year, the most of any district in the state. Hite’s total budget proposal of $1.69 billion is up just $49 million over last year, but as federal grants have dried up, Hite asked for an additional $22 million from the county government as well.
A 5 percent cut “would be catastrophic for us,” Hite said. “That would mean dramatic cuts in terms of classrooms, staff, teachers, administrators and other support services. That would pretty substantial.”
Hite’s current proposal already suggests freezing salaries and cutting staff and middle school athletics to stave off class size increases.
In Montgomery County, Superintendent Jerry Weast requested an additional $27 million from the state — for a total $516 million — to cover its own booming enrollment. Spokesman Dana Tofig said it was too soon to know what effect a 5 percent cut would have. “We’ve already increased class size and don’t want to do it again. We’ve already cut 450 positions and don’t want to cut any more,” Tofig said.
Montgomery is also requesting an additional $82 million from the county.
