ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Changes are coming to Maryland's Blueprint education plan, as the state grapples with a 3.3 billion dollar budget deficit.
The State House adjourned 'sine die' around midnight Monday into Tuesday, officially marking the end of the 2025 legislative session. One of the last pieces of legislation considered by lawmakers regarded changes to the state's landmark 'Blueprint for Maryland's Future' education plan.
Governor Wes Moore had proposed delaying the implementation of 'collaborative time' for teachers, which is essentially time outside of the classroom for professional development and lesson planning. The Governor also sought a pause in funding increased for community schools, or schools that receive 'Concentration of Poverty' grants. State lawmakers largely rejected both of those proposals.
Rural county leaders have long expressed concern about the financial requirements of the Blueprint, with Dorchester County Council President Lenny Pfeffer warning last month that the county could be forced to increase property taxes to the highest of any county in the state if lawmakers in Annapolis don't back off on financial requirements on counties, including from the Blueprint.
Pfeffer told WBOC Tuesday that property tax is still on the table.
"We don't think there was any legislation passed that will lower the amount of money we have to pay for the school system," he said.
During a bill signing Tuesday morning, Governor Moore touted the education plan. "We've delivered the largest single investment in K-12 education in the history of our state," he said.
State lawmakers representing the Eastern Shore share Pfeffer's concerns.
"The financial challenges are going to be in the hands of our locals, our county councils, our municipalities. They're really going to have to hunker down and see what they can do," said Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes, a Democrat representing Dorchester and Wicomico Counties.
"The reality is the mandates of the Blueprint, if you look at Dorchester County it's actually hurting students. They've had to cut programs, they've had to cut 5 million dollars and they've got 5 million more they have to cut," said Senator Johnny Mautz, a Republican representing Talbot, Dorchester and Wicomico Counties.