Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-27

projections OF future costs. IL
would be put into effect grad
'ually over a Swear period.
. The plan is commonly re-
.ferred to as the Mort Plan,"
for DR.. Paul r. Mort. Column
.bia University school finance
authority who has helped in
Its development. Behind 1t is
a co-ordinating committee in
.cluding all county superin-
'tendentS.
=, 1t would establish a firm As
IS partnership between the
State and the counties in foot
ing educational costs. The State
now puts up about IS per cent
OF the cost, according to
William S. Sartorius, assistant
State superintendent in charge
OF administration, finance and
Research.
lover the past 40 years the
Stete's share has ranged from
1877 per cent to 40.8 per cent.
School authorities charge the
State has Jagged behind the
counties about five years In
nesting increased demands for
school spending.
- Would Vary
Although the States total
share of school costs in Balti-
more City and the % counties
would stay at IS per cent. the
percentage each locality would
receive would vary from year
to year.
AS proposed now it would
range from 27.4 per cent in
Baltimore City to 81.3 per cent
in Calvert County.
Montgomery would get 35.4I
per cent of its total cost put up
by the State and Prince
Georges 53.8 per cent. Mont
gomery will get 90 per cent and
Prince Georges ALAS per cent
under the present system next
year.
Montgomery's program, which
which ranges from kinder
Igarten to junior college at
present, is recognized as the
broaEieSt in the State.
The new plan, unique in the
country, is aimed at encourag-
ing. every jurisdiction to seek
the. level of the most advanced
system in the State.
The Mort Plan in theory
would abolish the existing min
imum school program de-
manded by the State.
It would end existing aid
programs such as aid per class
room. aid per student and
equalization aid.
One Authority
The program in effect calls
for the abdication of budgetary
controls over schools by the
Governor and the Legislature
and leaves the entire program
Of spending in the hands Of the
educators, one fiscal authority
said Mandatory expenditures
lastsyear cost the State nearly
so Der cent Of its total budget.
The only check on what the
State would be called on to
spend each year would be the
unwillingness of local jurisdic-
tons to raise their real estate
tax rates to provide their per-
centage share.
And in many cases, such as
Calvert County, local residents
would be able to argue before
local bodies that for every
dollar we put up the State will
put.up a." when they seek new
programs.
The plan as now drafted Is
expected to get a cool reception
If the State Board of education
and School Supt. Thomas G.
Pullen, jr., decide to submit it
to the Legislature.
But school officials are busy
trying to work up public sup
port for it. 1t will be discussed
in annapolis October / and 2
when county school board
members convene there from
throughout the State.
It also will be the chief topic
of concern at a Statewide
conference on education in
Baltimore in November.
A foundation of the plan is
the equalization of assessments
throughout the counties at go
per cent Of sales value for com.
putting State aid.
No county's assessments were
that high last year. The aver
age ratio was 54.6 per cent.
The State board last Febru-
AIRY issued. a report which
showed that If all assessments
were equalized at go per cent,
equalization aid under the
'nroennt n1on would no red,icnd