Maryland State Board of Education Issues Ruling in Charter School Funding Case

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MEDIA CONTACT:
Raven Hill, 410-767-0486
raven.hill@maryland.gov

BALTIMORE (December 4, 2024) — The Maryland State Board of Education issued a ruling on Tuesday that updates the historic formula for charter school funding.

The decision In the Matter of Commensurate Funding for Frederick County Charter Schools outlines guiding principles for calculating charter school funding in the era of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future consistent with long-held precedent on commensurate school funding for charter schools. The State Board calls for the development of regulations that will provide more comprehensive guidance on charter school funding.

In summary, the State Board ruled that local boards of education must use all funding streams to calculate what is considered commensurate funding to charter schools and must engage in good faith negotiations for providing central services to charter schools. The ruling also allows excess costs in special education to be deducted from the annual school system operating budget when calculating commensurate funding.

The State Board also ruled that local boards of education have significant discretion in the use of up to 25% of funding through the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future but must provide a proportionate amount of funding to charter schools.

The opinion can be found on the State Board’s website. The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) will work on recommendations to the State Board regarding charter school funding regulations in the coming months.

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