ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A new report released this month by Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman warns that the vast majority of the state’s public school buildings are in poor condition, with more than 80 percent needing repair, renovation or replacement. None of the state’s 24 districts, including Charles, St. Mary’s and Calvert counties, earned an overall rating of “good” or better.
The study, part of Lierman’s State Spending Series, reviewed nearly 1,400 schools statewide and found only 20 percent to be in “like new, good or satisfactory” condition. The rest were classified as 34 percent needing repairs and 46 percent functionally unreliable.
Lierman said the data highlight an urgent challenge for state and local governments. To bring all schools to at least “satisfactory” levels, 1,090 facilities would require significant upgrades, a task that could cost tens of billions of dollars when factoring in modern needs such as pre-K classrooms, science labs and energy-efficient systems.
The report also notes wide disparities among counties. Jurisdictions including Kent, Garrett, Allegany, Washington and Cecil ranked worst on average facility condition scores.
For Southern Maryland, the data illustrate both funding and capacity pressures. In Charles County, schools are operating at 95 percent of overall capacity, making it one of only three jurisdictions in the state facing systemwide crowding on top of aging facilities. The county currently receives a 64 percent state cost share for construction projects, which will rise slightly to 66 percent by fiscal 2027. St. Mary’s County holds steady at 58 percent, while Calvert’s share is set to drop from 56 percent to 54 percent, meaning local governments must cover nearly half the cost of most eligible projects along with ineligible expenses such as site acquisition and design.
While Maryland spends close to $1 billion annually on school construction, the report concludes that capital investment has not kept pace with rising costs. Local governments shoulder about 74 percent of school construction spending, compared to 23 percent from the state.
In addition to general tax revenue, Maryland has dedicated streams from gambling and cannabis taxes that support public education. However, most of those dollars flow into the state’s Education Trust Fund to cover operating expenses such as staffing and programs, rather than bricks-and-mortar construction. Lierman’s report warns that without new or expanded sources of dedicated funding for facilities, counties will continue to shoulder the majority of costs.
House Minority Leader Jason Buckel criticized the findings as evidence of misplaced priorities in Annapolis. “It is amazing that after increasing our spending on public education by billions of dollars in recent years and Governor Moore and Democrats in Annapolis pushing through the largest combined tax and fee hikes in Maryland history, we still cannot seem to take care of our actual school buildings and facilities in a reasonable way,” Buckel said in a statement. He added that while new construction and renovations are needed, relying on additional tax hikes rather than reprioritizing spending “is not right,” saying taxpayers “are not an endless piggy bank for the continual expansion of state government and salaries.”
The findings arrive as policymakers debate how to balance the ambitious goals of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, climate mandates and basic maintenance needs. Lierman said a reimagining of state and local funding formulas will be critical to addressing the backlog and ensuring safe, modern learning environments for students across Maryland.
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Dang! Perhaps if Gov. SpendMoore didn’t pump all of the State’s tobacco, cannabis, gasoline, gambling and alcohol tax dollars into pet projects and his cronies pockets, there might be enough to attend to the children of Maryland’s needs.
Stop buying smart boards . Tf
Virtual learning no more busses or schools needed