District 36 Delegation Announces School Construction Funding Formula Changes for Maryland’s Small Counties

Annapolis, Md.— The District 36 Delegation is proud to announce a major victory for the Kent County Middle School project, all four counties in our district, and other small, low-wealth jurisdictions across Maryland. This follows the Interagency Commission on School Construction’s (IAC) approval of the Delegation’s long-advocated changes to the school construction funding formula.

The IAC voted last week, on March 12 th , to amend COMAR 14.39.02.06 to create a new “Small County State Cost Share” adjustment, which will significantly increase the state’s share of school construction funding for counties with limited tax bases including Cecil (63% increased to 88%), Kent (50% to 75%), Queen Anne’s (50% to 75%), Caroline (97% to 100%), Wicomico (99% to 100%), Garrett (95% to 100%), Allegany (95% to 100%), Dorchester (97% to 100%), and Somerset (98% to 100%).

Said Senator Steve Hershey, “For years, our Delegation has worked alongside local leaders to address this fundamental inequity in the State’s school construction funding formula that falsely assessed Kent County’s tax base, and made it impossible for them to get the necessary state support to replace their crumbling Middle School. With these changes, Kent County will finally have enough funding from the state to deliver our students the top-notch Middle School facility they deserve.”

Said Delegate Jeff Ghrist, “These changes are the result of many years of relentless advocacy. We have introduced legislation, worked closely with IAC leadership, engaged the Hogan and Moore Administrations, and pushed this issue with House and Senate leadership because our students deserve safe, modern facilities just like every other child in Maryland. Our district will now receive unprecedented funding for school construction, and deliver major relief to the local governments and taxpayers of Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, and Caroline Counties.”

Said Delegate Jay Jacobs, “Kent County’s children have been educated in crumbling, sub-standard facilities for too long, and our county was not going to be able to fix that until this change was made. Thanks to the work of our Delegation, our County Commissioners, Superintendent McComas, and the entire team over at the IAC, we have finally achieved a solution for our Middle School, and for our longer-term school construction needs.”

Said Delegate Steve Arentz, “This is great news. As a Delegation, we have worked hard with the IAC and other state leadership over the last several years to get this relief. Working as a team with the county and IAC, and having Delegate Ghrist and Senator Hershey on their respective committees, has kept this issue on the forefront for a very favorable outcome for our district, our schools, and the entire Eastern Shore.”

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