Montgomery schools threatened by $46 million fine

[Zywiec]

Montgomery County's top officials have lost one more battle in their long struggle to stop the state from inflicting a $46 million fine on the public school system.

Now, unless the General Assembly passes legislation to spare the schools, Superintendent Jerry Weast and his team will need to chop more money from an already meager 2010 budget.

The fine, which has yet to be finalized by the State Board of Education, would result from the county's failure last year to fund the school system at the same level as the year before, as required by Maryland law. In fact, the county met the school system's request, but used some fancy bookkeeping to meet the state's full requirements under the law.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/local/Montgomery-schools-threatened-by-_46-million-fine-82172502.html


Some of the best schools in the country probably know what's best for their students. Here's a law that mandates spending money, or you'll be fined!

[shawcomm]

1. That doesn't make any sense

They didn't spend enough, so they're being fined a huge amount, probably guaranteeing that they won't be able to spend enough next time? And the school system is being fined because the county didn't give them enough money? Why fine the school system?

[LiberalEsto]

2. How does taking money away from them help?

If they don't have the money to fund the schools according to some formula, why fine them and make it harder on the school system to provide the funding? This sounds counterproductive.

BTW, the Examiner is very right-wing and I would take anything they print with several grains of salt.

[Zywiec]

3. I wasn't aware the Examiner was right wing

I actually heard this on the radio yesterday and just did a quick Google search.

The reason I thought it was crazy is MCPS always performs so well regardless of what's spent.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Montgomery County has more money than most small European countries. nt