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Fiscal 2005 State Education Aid
May 7, 2004
The Prince George’s County Public Schools will receive nearly
$600 million in state education aid in the upcoming fiscal year, an
increase of more than $80 million, or 15.4 percent, from fiscal 2004.
The extra money represents the third installment of a planned six-year
major boost in funding under the Bridge to Excellence in Public Schools
Act of 2002, commonly known as the Thornton plan.
Overall, the budget adopted at the end of the 2004 session of the General
Assembly in April increased funding for public primary and secondary
education statewide by $314.3 million, or 9.5 percent. Total state spending
for public education in fiscal 2005 will be more than $3.6 billion.
Prince George’s will be the top recipient of state education funds
next year, with Baltimore City close behind at $590 million.
Although the legislature decided to provide full funding for Thornton,
it failed to add money for the “geographic cost-of-education index.”
An assistant state attorney general last year issued an opinion that,
because the Bridge to Excellence Act did not specify the amounts to
be spent for the GCEI in future years, the governor is not required
to include this money in his budget. Governor Ehrlich did not request
GCEI funding for fiscal 2005. Failure to fund the provision cost Prince
George’s $16-19 million it otherwise would have received.
In addition to the $3.0443 billion allotted for Thornton programs, the
state will spend another $590.4 million on its contribution to the teachers’
retirement program, non-public special education, and other programs,
bringing overall education spending in fiscal 2005 to $3.6347 billion.
The retirement program contribution has been mentioned as a possible
target for reduction or elimination in fiscal 2006, when the state will
need to close a massive projected budget deficit.
Also, on May 5, the Board of Public Works completed its allocations
of public school construction funds for fiscal 2005. The Board earlier
had allocated about $75.5 million to various counties, with Prince George’s
receiving $6.474 million. The capital budget approved by the General
Assembly designated another $41.1 million for school construction, bringing
the total to $116.6 million. Of the additional funds, the Board allocated
$3.7 million to Prince George’s, bringing the county’s total
for fiscal 2005 to $10.174 million. The county had requested $25.231
million for school construction and renovation for next year.
The following table shows the funding allocated to Prince George’s
under Bridge to Excellence programs for fiscal 2004 and fiscal 2005.
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Prince George's Allocation Major State Education Aid Programs Summary Excluding the Aging Schools Program |
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Program |
FY 2004 |
FY 2005 |
Dollar Increase |
Percent Increase |
| Foundation Program | 380,370,335 |
412,137,212 |
31,766,877 |
8.4% |
| Total Transportation Grants | 24,819,709 |
26,325,918 |
1,506,209 |
6.1% |
| Compensatory Education | 82,126,129 |
113,307,479 |
31,181,350 |
38.0% |
| Limited English Proficient | 10,789,148 |
15,868,451 |
5,079,303 |
47.1% |
| Special Education Formula | 19,942,286 |
25,873,710 |
5,931,424 |
29.7% |
| Extended Elementary Education | 1,731,575 |
1,515,137 |
-216,438 |
-12.5% |
| Guaranteed Tax Base* | 4,935,097 |
4,935,097 |
-- |
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| Total Direct Mandated Grants | 519,779,182 |
599,963,004 |
80,183,822 |
15.4% |
| *New in FY 2005 | ||||
PGBEA |