The Montgomery County Council can fund its school system below state requirements, Maryland school officials ruled Wednesday, denying a petition from the county’s school board that has aggressively fought the cuts. The school board had asked the state in March to reaffirm the “maintenance of effort” rule, which compels counties to keep or increase the amount of per-pupil spending for the school system each year.

County Executive Ike Leggett and the county council had repeatedly said Montgomery, facing a $300 million shortfall, could not meet the schools’ request for an additional $82 million.