Responding to MSDE’s 11/25 Recommendations
Overview
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has advanced recommendations that do not reflect the voices or experiences of Maryland’s public charter school community. Despite receiving thousands of letters from families and educators, MSDE’s current proposal relies heavily on data and assumptions from Baltimore City Public Schools rather than engaging directly with the schools that will be most affected.
Charter schools are public schools, serving Maryland families and students who deserve the same fairness, clarity, and stability as every other public school in the state.
What’s at Stake
Without clear limits on how much funding districts can withhold, many Maryland charter schools will face severe financial strain, some may be forced to close.
Charter schools already operate with tight budgets and must cover their own facility costs, unlike district-run public schools, and overwhelmingly serve students who are Black, Brown, and come from low-income families, the very students who need funding the most.
The proposal as written could reduce per-pupil funding by well above the 5% currently permissible under the law. This would destabilize funding at public schools that serve thousands of Maryland families.
The result would be fewer high-quality public-school options for families, especially in communities where charter schools have provided academic excellence and innovation.
Our Position
Maryland Alliance for Public Charter Schools (MAPCS) strongly urges MSDE and the State Board to adopt a cap of 2% on additional funds districts may withhold from charter schools, with a hard ceiling of 5% in cases where more funding is requested and approved.
This framework ensures:
Funding predictability and sustainability for public charter schools.
Accountability and transparency for local education agencies.
Fairness for families who depend on these schools.
The Path Forward
MSDE should re-engage charter school leaders, educators, and families to inform policy with real-world data and firsthand experience.
The State Board must affirm that equitable treatment of all public schools, district and charter alike, is a matter of principle, not politics.
Maryland’s leaders have the opportunity to restore trust by ensuring that every public education dollar directly supports students, not bureaucracy.
Messages to Use When Speaking Publicly
“We’re asking MSDE to do what’s right for Maryland students, listen to the communities most affected, ensure transparency, and adopt a fair, capped approach that keeps all public schools strong.”
“Charter schools are public schools. Our families pay taxes, our students deserve fairness, and our educators deserve a system that values their work as much as any other public school in Maryland.”
“We’re not asking for special treatment, we’re asking for equal treatment. A 2% cap, with a 5% ceiling, is a fair and sustainable path forward for all public schools.”
What You Can Do to Protect Maryland Charter Schools
Maryland’s public charter school community has spoken clearly: we need fair, capped, and transparent funding rules that protect all public-school students, including those served by charter schools.
Although our community has already submitted thousands of letters, we do not yet have the result that we need. We must keep the pressure on. As we continue to fight for fair funding for our schools, there are two people in particular who need to hear from our community: MSDE Board President Joshua Michael and Governor Wes Moore.
Here is what we are asking of school leaders:
Take five minutes to send your own emails to Gov. Moore (Use this form: Contact the Governor: Governor.maryland.gov Forms) and Joshua Michael (joshua.michael1@maryland.gov).
Reach out to your communities and ask them to do the same. We need everyone to take meaningful action right now.
Post a message on social media tagging Gov. Wes Moore. (Facebook: @govwesmoore; X: @GovWesMoore; Instagram: @govwesmoore)