Setting up Future Generations for Success

Maryland delivers some of the highest-quality education in the country by some measures, and yet too many students – particularly people of color – still see their educational opportunities limited based solely on where they live. This is because our investments in education have not kept pace with the standards we expect students to meet, and these investments are not distributed equitably among school districts or schools.

It is essential for Maryland children and for our economy that we provide schools across our state with the resources they need to deliver a first-rate education. When students have access to high-quality public schools, they are better prepared to succeed in college, find good jobs, and fully participate in their communities—and research shows that a well-educated workforce means a stronger economy for everyone.

Continuing to build on efforts to expand access to pre-K in Maryland is also important. Few educational interventions have been shown to bring greater returns both to children and to the community. Yet too many Maryland children are currently shut out of pre-K education due to high program costs and the inability of existing programs to meet demand.

Overall, the state currently does not put enough resources in schools to ensure that all Maryland students can access a first-rate education. This underinvestment falls hardest on the school districts where needs are greatest and undermines our economy. It’s time to ensure that schools across Maryland have the resources they need.

Policy Tools

• Make the K-12 funding formula more effective. Maryland has a rare opportunity to overhaul our education funding system, as the Kirwan Commission completes its work and makes recommendations to the legislature this year. Policymakers should embrace solutions that ensure that we are investing enough in education, and that those investments are well-targeted to the students that need state help the most.
• Universal Pre-K. Studies have found that students entering kindergarten from a high-quality pre-K program score higher on reading and math tests than children who did not attend preschool. These gains in achievement are substantial in all income groups, and greatest among children who grow up in families struggling to make ends meet. Because students who attend high quality pre-K programs need fewer targeted educational services during school and go on to pay more in income taxes, investments in pre-K can generate significant cost savings for the state over time.
• Fully fund school nutrition programs. Maryland has taken some innovative and highly effective approaches to ensure all students are able to get enough to eat while at school. Evidence demonstrates that children learn better and are more successful later in life because of these programs. However, right now not all schools that would benefit from these programs are able to implement them because of insufficient state support.

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