Blueprint Resources Planning Workgroup Formed In Howard County

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — One of the first Maryland Blueprint resources planning workgroup has been established in Howard County.

The 12-member, multi-agency workgroup will include representatives from Howard County government, Howard Community College, the Howard County Library System, the Howard County Board of Education, the Howard County Council and the Howard County State Delegation.

“We are fully committed to implementing the Blueprint for Maryland’s future to enhance the excellence of our public education system,” Howard County Executive Ball said. “While doing so, we must establish responsible and transparent fiscal priorities. This workgroup will help dismantle silos, improve collaboration among educational entities and establish a coordinated strategy to successfully achieve the goals set forth in the Blueprint, while respecting the use of taxpayer dollars.”

The Blueprint resources planning workgroup has five primary duties and responsibilities:

• Review the statutory funding requirements of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in each pillar area and identify critical deadlines to meet the key priorities of the plan.
• Establish a cost analysis of each pillar for each of the next seven fiscal years beginning in FY2025.
• Continue to work with the Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland Department of Legislative Services to forecast future state aid distributions for the thirteen major aid categories as defined in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.
• Work with the Howard County Office of Budget and the Howard County Public School System budget office to forecast sustainable local funding estimates for education for the next seven fiscal years beginning in FY2025.
• Recommend a funding plan and policy actions that may be needed at the local and state level to implement the Blueprint within the local and state budget estimates presented to the Workgroup.

“As we strive to implement the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, it is essential that our government partners collaborate to identify a long-term funding plan,” added County Council Chair Christiana Rigby. “The Blueprint resources planning workgroup’s efforts will ensure we develop a responsible plan for our education budget.”

Ball noted that in the current fiscal year, the HCPSS budget exceeded $1 billion for the first time and is expected to reach $1.1 billion in the next fiscal year.

"The Blueprint will truly transform education and it is absolutely critical that all stakeholders responsible for funding the school system and supporting the implementation of the Blueprint engage in this collective effort," said Michael J. Martirano Ed.D., superintendent of HCPSS. "As we have discussed during the current budget process, significant new revenues will be needed to meet the requirements not just in the short-term but to sustain the implementation of programs and services over the next 10 years and beyond."