PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release:
June 12, 2009
For more information:
James P. Keary
Communications Director
Prince George’s County
Office of the County Executive
301-952-4670, cell, 240-882-1004
jpkeary@co.pg.md.us
COUNTY TO APPEAL DENIAL OF MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT WAIVER REQUEST
UPPER MARLBORO, MD – Prince George’s County today appealed a ruling by the Maryland State Board of Education to deny the county’s waiver request of $23.6 million for Maintenance of Effort funding to the county Board of Education.
On May 15, 2009, the Maryland State Board of Education issued its opinion denying the County’s request for a waiver of the maintenance of effort funding requirement for Prince George’s County Public schools.
The County Council and the County Executive both recognized the need to fully fund the school system’s core and major functions. As a result, the County’s Fiscal Year 2010 Budget has appropriated sufficient funds to meet the maintenance of effort requirement.
The county, however, has made a decision to seek judicial review of the State Board of Education’s decision denying the request for a waiver. In pursuing judicial review of the State Board’s decision, the county is in no way seeking to reduce the funding of the Prince George’s County Public Schools as reflected in the adopted Fiscal Year 2010 Budget.
The downturn in the economy, which has been characterized by President Obama as a national crisis, presented fiscal conditions that significantly impeded the county’s ability to fully fund the maintenance of effort requirement, thereby justifying a waiver. The county believes that the State Board did not properly apply the criteria for considering a waiver request, and as a result failed to appreciate the unique circumstances faced by Prince George’s County in the current economic crisis.
The Prince George’s County Board of Education and Prince George’s County Public Schools officials have been notified of the county’s intent to appeal the ruling.
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(Posted 12 Jun 2009)
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