Dear Interested Party:

In a press release dated June 16, 2000, the Commission on Education Finance, Equity, and Excellence announced that public hearings will be held in four regions of the State in July 2000. The purpose of the public hearings is to secure individual and organizational comments about issues before the Commission prior to the Commission's issuance of the first draft of its findings and recommendations. The Commission seeks to obtain specific input from the public as to how the current financing system can be improved so as to further the goals of equity, adequacy, and accountability. In order to focus the hearings on salient issues, the Commission has developed a list of questions that speakers should address at the hearings. A copy of these questions and the June 16th press release are attached hereto.

If you have any questions about the upcoming hearings or the work of the Commission, please contact Kathleen Boucher at the Department of Legislative Services (410-946-5530 or 301-970-5530) or Renee Spence at the Maryland State Department of Education (410-767-0469).

Sincerely,
Alvin C. Thornton
Chairman

AT/KMB/jac
Enclosure (2)

cc: Members, Commission on Education Finance, Equity, and Excellence
Governor Parris N. Glendening
President Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr.
Speaker Casper R. Taylor, Jr.

Questions for People/Organizations Who Will
Testify at the Public Hearings of the
Commission on Education Finance, Equity, and Excellence

I. Equity

1. What are the characteristics of an "equitable" school financing system? How equitable is the current school financing system? Could the level of equity be improved? If so, how?

2. What kinds of cost pressures affect school districts that are beyond their control (for example, those that might be related to students with certain needs, such as special education, or to district characteristics, such as enrollment change)? Does the current school financing system address those pressures appropriately?

3. Should the State place any limits on the amount of local funding that is provided to school districts?

4. Should a local jurisdiction's choice to limit its local effort or tax rates be taken into account as part of the State's school financing system? If so, how?

II. Adequacy/Accountability

1. How should the State determine whether public schools are "adequately" financed? How should the State measure "adequacy"?

2. Does the current school financing system assure that every school district has adequate revenues?

3. How can the State's school financing system be used to support the State's accountability system? Should the distribution of State aid be linked in any way to school district, school, or student performance? If so, how?

4. Should the State play any role in setting teacher salary levels (for example by using a statewide minimum salary schedule)?

III. Formula Structure

1. The State currently uses a "foundation" formula to distribute basic support. What do you think about this approach? If you think it is an appropriate way to distribute some State aid, could it be improved? If so, how?

2. The State uses a number of categorical programs to allocate aid for such things as special education, transportation, and teacher retirement costs. What do you think about the use of categorical programs? If you think they are an appropriate way to distribute some State aid, could they be improved? If so, how? Funding for several recent categorical aid programs expires at the end of fiscal 2002. Should these programs be continued? Have any of these programs been successful? If so, how do you measure the program's success?

3. The State plays a significant role in funding school capital costs. Is the current system for funding capital costs working? If not, how could it be improved?

4. What is the role of the private sector in the State's school financing system?

MEDIA ADVISORY - JUNE 16, 2000

CONTACTS:

COMMISSION ON EDUCATION FINANCE, EQUITY, AND EXCELLENCE
TO HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS IN FOUR REGIONS OF MARYLAND

Dr. Alvin Thornton, Chairman of the Commission on Education Finance, Equity, and Excellence, announced today that public hearings will be held in four regions of the State during July to allow the Commission to gain insight from the citizens of Maryland regarding issues that relate to the manner in which the State currently finances and ensures equity and excellence in public elementary and secondary education. Dr. Thornton stressed that "the Commission is seeking to include the public's perspectives in its complex deliberations before addressing strategic choices that must be made in the course of completing the Commission's work."

Dr. Thornton noted that "the Commission's statutory charge is very broad." The 27-member Commission, which was established by legislation in 1999, is charged with reviewing current education financing formulas and accountability measures and making recommendations for: (1) ensuring adequacy of funding for students in public schools; (2) ensuring equity in funding for students in public schools; (3) ensuring excellence in schools systems and student performance; (4) providing for a smooth transition when current educational funding initiatives sunset at the end of fiscal 2002; (5) analyzing whether it is more effective to provide additional State aid in the form of targeted grants or by increasing funding through the base formula; and (6) ensuring that local property tax policies do not affect the equitable allocation of funding for students in public schools.

The Commission seeks to obtain specific input from the public as to how the current financing system can be improved so as to further the goals of equity, adequacy, and accountability. In order to focus the public hearings on salient issues, the Commission intends to develop a list of questions that speakers should address at the hearings. These questions will be developed by the Commission at its next meeting on June 23, 2000, and distributed to the public immediately thereafter.

PUBLIC HEARINGS

The initial round of regional hearings in July is designed to secure individual and organizational comments about issues before the Commission prior to the issuance of the first draft of the Commission's findings and recommendations. The Commission will meet regularly throughout the summer and hold a second round of regional hearings in November after it issues the first draft of its findings and recommendations. The Commission will issue its final report to the Governor and General Assembly in December 2000. In the near future, Commission-related documents, including the Commission's schedule/workplan for the 2000 Interim, will be available on-line at www.mlis.state.md.us (under "Other Documents").

Speakers are encouraged to sign up to testify before the hearing by calling Kim Wilson or Judy Callahan at 410-946-5530 or 301-970-5530. Sign-up sheets also will be available at hearing sites one hour before each hearing. At the discretion of the Chairman, individual testimony at the public hearings may be limited to five (5) minutes or less. Speakers should submit fifty (50) copies of written testimony to the Commission's staff at the hearing. Individuals who would like to testify before the Commission, but are unable to attend a public hearing, may submit written testimony to Dr. Alvin Thornton care of the Commission on Education Finance, Equity, and Excellence, Room 214, Annapolis, Maryland, 21401. Written testimony may also be submitted via the Internet by sending e-mail to Education_Commission@mlis.state.md.us.