The administration of Gov. Larry Hogan is working to strengthen Maryland’s investments in public charter schools and their students with new charter school funding in its budget, as well as introducing legislation to ensure more dollars go directly to the classrooms at public charter schools.

Thirty-four percent of public charter schools in Maryland performed in the top 20 of their respective school districts, and charter schools make up more than half of the top 20 schools in the City of Baltimore, according to the Maryland Alliance for Public Charter Schools. Hogan announced that his fiscal 2020 budget will designate a combined $3.8 million for construction projects, as well as heating and air conditioning issues and other necessary maintenance improvements, at public charter schools across Maryland.

Hogan also announced that he has introduced the Public Charter School Facility Fund Act of 2019, which will provide $1,600 in per-pupil funding for each public charter school student. According to the Governor’s Office, public charter schools often face financial constraints that force them to divert resources intended for programs and classroom activities to facility repairs; the legislation will ensure that funds intended to go to the classroom will truly be dedicated to learning.