1. Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education (Kirwan Commission)
Formed in June 2016

2. Purpose of Commission
Review and assess current education financing formulas and accountability measures
Review the Study on Adequacy of Funding for Education in the State of Maryland
Consider how the federal Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 will affect primary and secondary education in Maryland
Consider how best to prepare students to compete on workforce and the global economy

3. Commission will end May 31, 2018
Purpose of Commission
Recommend legislative and policy initiatives to increase the availability of innovative educational opportunities and make adequate and equitable the funding for State public education
Commission will end May 31, 2018

4. Timeline High Quality Teachers – January 2017
High Quality Teachers & School Leadership – April 2017
Early Childhood Education & Career & Technical Education – June 2017
World Class Student Learning Systems with No Dead Ends – June 2017
Equitable, Effective, & Efficient School Finance Systems – July 2017
Pulling It All Together Draft Recommendations – August 2017
Work Sessions – September through December 2017
Finalize Recommendations – Late December 2017

5. Study of Adequacy of Funding for Education in Maryland
Study based on Maryland’s College and Career Ready Standards was required to include:
Adequacy cost studies that identify, a base funding level for students without special needs, per pupil weights for students with special needs
Analysis of the effects of concentrations of poverty on adequacy targets

6. Study of Adequacy of Funding for Education in Maryland
Study required to evaluate:
Impact of school size
Supplemental grant program
Use of Free & Reduced Price Meals eligibility as the proxy for identifying economic disadvantage
Federal Community Eligibility Provision in Maryland
Pre-kindergarden services and the finding of such services
Equity and the current wealth calculation
Impact of increasing and decreasing enrollments on local school systems

7. Study of Adequacy of Funding for Education in Maryland
Components of recommended formula:
District Adequacy Targets
Student counts used
Base amount of funding per pupil
Adjustment for special needs students
Adjustment for regional cost of living differences
State & Local Shares for Paying for Adequacy Target
How to measure each districts capacity to pay for adequacy targets
If minimum state aid guarantees should be included & whether local jurisdictions should be required to appropriate the local share of special needs programs

8. Study of Adequacy of Funding for Education in Maryland
Recommendations:
Student Counts
Include declining enrollment in calculating total enrollment
Count low income students for compensatory total program
Include pre-kindergarten in full time equivalent enrollment
Base amount of funding per pupil
Increased based on blended results from an Evidence Based approach and a professional judgment approach of adequate resources needed for all students to meet the Maryland’s College and Career Ready Standards
Base adequacy funding significantly higher while special categories (Special Ed, LEP, etc.) lower—concept is that adequacy of funding for all students should be higher, and special needs are added in to achieve full funding of adequacy

9. Study of Adequacy of Funding for Education in Maryland

10. Study of Adequacy of Funding for Education in Maryland

12. Study of Adequacy of Funding for Education in Maryland
Recommendations:
Adjustments for special needs students
Compensatory Education and LEP weights are lowered
Special education weight increased
Prekindergarten weight added to fund programs for 4 year olds
Adjustment for regional cost of living differences
Use the comparable wage index approach to adjust for regional differences

13. Study of Adequacy of Funding for Education in Maryland
Recommendations:
How to measure each district’s capacity to pay for the adequacy target (Local Wealth)
Use only November net taxable income data to determine local wealth
Use a multiplicative approach for combining net taxable income

14. Study of Adequacy of Funding for Education in Maryland
Recommendations:
If any minimum state aid guarantees should be included and whether local jurisdictions should be required to appropriate the local share of special needs programs
Minimum state aid guarantees should be eliminated for foundation and special needs programs
All districts should be required to appropriate the full local share for all special needs programs

18. Study team suggests Phasing-in recommendations
Local Impact
• 25% Total funding increase for Prek-12 education, excluding transportation
From $10.6 billion to $13.2 billion
• 12% Local appropriations increase 12%
From $5.7 billion to $6.4 billion
• 39% State share increase
From $4.9 billion to $6.8 billion
Study team suggests Phasing-in recommendations