Common sense prevailed in the Carroll County Board of Education election.  We kept a 4-1 conservative majority on the board, that is, a board that is focused on academic excellence, not wokeness.  Meritocracy, not social justice.

What’s next?

The challenges that lie ahead for our public education system impact not only the teachers, students, and their families, but every taxpaying citizen in Carroll County.

You may have heard about the Maryland Blueprint; a policy passed by the Maryland General Assembly that will “transform public education in the state into a world-class education system”.

On paper, the state-mandated Blueprint sounds like the best thing since sliced bread.  Free pre-K, free college credits for college-bound students, and additional resources directed towards student success based on “equity”.

But as you know, nothing in life is free, nor is it fair and equitable, and that’s especially the case for Blueprint despite its packaging.

The equity-based metrics that Blueprint uses to calculate how much the state funds school communities puts Carroll County nearly dead last.  According to MSDE we’re considered a wealthy and privileged county in Maryland, which is hard to imagine compared to our neighbors who are some of the richest counties in the nation.

So unlike Montgomery, Howard and other neighboring counties, Carroll will have to self-fund much of the state requirements brought on by Blueprint, and without any proof or research that shows how Blueprint will address the education gap brought on by the pandemic response.

How is this fair and equitable?

The result is a multimillion-dollar budget shortfall to our education system that is already operating lean.

Are there budget cuts the commissioners can make to other departments to help offset the cost of Blueprint?  Do they need to raise taxes?  Can our leaders work with the Maryland State Department of Education to receive more financial relief or adjust these mandates?

These are difficult decisions that will impact every Carroll Countian.

In the coming months, pay attention to local board meetings, particularly joint budgeting sessions with the commissioners.  How our elected leaders navigate this challenge will be crucial to the future of our county.

Be informed.  Bring ideas.  If you love Carroll County and our low taxes, you have skin in this game.