County Executive Ike Leggett released the following statement today on Bob Ehrlich's proposed cut to state aid for Montgomery County Public Schools.
Former Governor Bob Ehrlich’s proposal to eliminate Maryland’s Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI) will cost Montgomery County 32 million a year -- or $320 million over the next ten years. Over the past three years, Montgomery County has received over $80 million.
All Marylanders should be concerned with this short-sighted and damaging view of education funding which will be felt by parents, students, and teachers across Montgomery County and in other jurisdictions where the costs of educating our kids are higher.
Our school systems are already hard-pressed to meet present and future needs. This kind of action would just dig the hole that much deeper. Our kids are our future. We can’t afford to shortchange them.
