The importance of protecting education funding

As we near the start of Maryland's legislative session, we are reminded of the importance of properly funded schools. Today, NPR ran a story chronicling the school budget struggles in Texas where $4 billion has been cut from education this year and there has been over 12,000 educators and support employees laid off.

This is new for Texas. It's the first time in over 60 year that the state has not come through with it's funding promises. Schools are charging for more than lunches:

"In many school districts across Texas, though, parents are footing the bill for things like bus transportation, field trips, athletics and uniforms."

The Governor, Rick Perry, refuses to use money from the states $5 billion "rainy day fund" to help close the spending gaps. This is having a greater impact on the poor:

"Already, the $4.3 billion in school funding cuts seems to have made the disparity between poor and wealthy school districts worse. A poor district now gets $800 less per student from the state than a wealthy district.More than 300 school districts are now suing. They're hoping the courts will declare the cuts and the school funding formula in Texas unconstitutional."

When we look at situations like this, we see all to well the importance of ensuring full funding for our schools at the state and  county levels. That's why we have a Maintenance of Effort law. To ensure that funding does not decrease and force schools to then cut programs and charge for things they shouldn't have to.