by Maureen Lei, Page Editor
In a Sept. 28 letter to the 24 public school superintendents in Maryland, President of the Maryland State Board of Education (MSBE) James H. DeGraffenreidt Jr. requested information regarding the classroom fees, related to instructional materials, that Maryland public schools charge, jump starting an investigation into whether such fees violate the principle of a state funded, free public education.
DeGraffenreidt said he wrote the letter after hearing of a lawsuit in California that was filed in September regarding similar fees in public schools. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California filed a lawsuit in a state court in Los Angeles arguing that by allowing its public schools to charge classroom fees for art, music and gym classes, California has failed to guarantee a full state funded, free public education.
DeGraffenreidt asked that all of the superintendents send the MSBE information regarding their school systems’ classroom fees by Nov. 30. He asked that each county supply its policy on the fees, provide a list of fees charged by each school, and describe its waiver process.
DeGraffenreidt said he wrote the letter to make sure that classroom fees, which are often charged for materials like laboratory equipment, art supplies and uniforms, do not stop Maryland from meeting its constitutional responsibility to fund the public school system. "I wanted to find out what was going on in each of the local systems to see whether we are fulfilling our obligation everywhere in the state to provide a free public education," he said...continues here.
DeGraffenreidt said he wrote the letter after hearing of a lawsuit in California that was filed in September regarding similar fees in public schools. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Southern California filed a lawsuit in a state court in Los Angeles arguing that by allowing its public schools to charge classroom fees for art, music and gym classes, California has failed to guarantee a full state funded, free public education.
DeGraffenreidt asked that all of the superintendents send the MSBE information regarding their school systems’ classroom fees by Nov. 30. He asked that each county supply its policy on the fees, provide a list of fees charged by each school, and describe its waiver process.
DeGraffenreidt said he wrote the letter to make sure that classroom fees, which are often charged for materials like laboratory equipment, art supplies and uniforms, do not stop Maryland from meeting its constitutional responsibility to fund the public school system. "I wanted to find out what was going on in each of the local systems to see whether we are fulfilling our obligation everywhere in the state to provide a free public education," he said...continues here.
As a parent of two Montgomery County students, I have been very concerned about issues related to busing and transportation.
ReplyDeleteI recently wrote about this topic on my "At Home in Bethesda" blog. Here's a link if anyone is interested:
http://hilaryhausman.posterous.com/montgomery-county-bus-transportation-for-ibma