Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) • Jan. 23
Gov. O’Malley called for recruiting “great principals” for the state’s most challenged schools to help improve student performance in science, technology, engineering, and math. He also urged the legislature to focus on reducing the dropout rate by making better career and technical programs available to high schools in every district. In his budget plan, released earlier this month, the governor proposed $333 million for school construction and $5.3 billion for K-12 public education statewide—an increase of $184 million, or 3.6 percent over last year. Nearly $79 million would go to districts where education costs are particularly high.
