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Committee hears legislative update as state bills could reduce school funding; board lobbied delegation in real time
Summary
Staff and the board’s lobbyist briefed the committee on multiple state bills including a Senate bill that staff said could reduce district funding by millions over the next four years and on several grant and program provisions that may alter how funding is distributed.
The Policy and Governance Committee received a legislative briefing on March 25 that covered numerous bills in the Maryland General Assembly and potential impacts to Prince George's County Public Schools.
Ms. Welsh and the board’s lobbyist, Jontell Green, briefed members on Senate Bill 4/29 (referred to in the meeting as SB 429) and other proposals under active amendment. Ms. Welsh said staff analysis showed a potential reduction in state foundation formula funding of “over the next 4 years of $126,506,426.” She added that for the coming year the county could lose $12,079,993 in state aid the district had expected, and that when combined with local impacts the one‑year total reduction could be about $20,443,949 and the four‑year combined state and local reduction could reach $214,097,061, figures Welsh presented to the committee.
Jontell Green explained the bills’ procedural path and the multiple committee referrals that allow both substantive and budget amendments. Green said the bill was double‑referred and that the House and Senate committee processes — Budget & Taxation and the education policy committee (referred to in the meeting as “Triple E” or Bridal E) — were exchanging amendments; some provisions could still be added or removed in conference committee before a final bill goes to the floor and the governor.
Staff and board members detailed several provisions under discussion: - Collaborative time and per‑pupil funding mechanics that, if changed, would affect the foundation formula and related formulas such as ELL and special education. - A proposed Academic Excellence program with large multi‑year grants (staff referenced a total figure of about $203,900,000 across four years in the Senate version) and other grant programs administered by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), including teacher recruitment and relocation incentive grants that staff described as small‑volume programs requiring significant administrative work. - Language requiring countywide community school implementation plans and periodic reviews; Ms. Welsh noted the Senate version would require school implementation plans be reviewed at least every two years. - A proposal to shift additional pension costs to counties; Ms. Welsh said this would increase Prince George’s County costs and therefore could affect local decisions about school funding.
Committee members and staff also raised concerns about other amendments that could route additional workforce development funds through the county’s workforce board, a change PGCPS staff said has been problematic in local experience. Board members asked staff to flag that issue with the county delegation.
Board members described active advocacy in Annapolis: the board and staff were contacting delegation members in real time and hosted students at an advocacy day to meet legislators. Several board members asked staff and the lobbyist to prepare a letter of support for the House‑amended version of HB 504 that preserves many board priorities, while noting specific technical amendments the board wanted added, particularly to support teacher recruitment.
Provenance: The legislative update discussion begins at the committee’s handoff to Ms. Welsh and the lobbyist around 828.555 seconds into the meeting and continues through the committee’s close of the legislative segment at about 3330.405 seconds.
