Opinion ID: 2551501
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Public School Construction in Maryland

Text: We have recognized there exists a carefully conceived legislative structure in which the respective powers and limitations of local school boards, the State Board of Education and county governments are delineated and balanced. Bd. of Ed. v. Montgomery County, 237 Md. 191, 197, 205 A.2d 202, 205 (1964). The construction of public schools exemplifies those interwoven roles; State and local governments provide funding, and, along with the county boards of education, they provide oversight for the construction of public schools in Maryland. The Maryland State Board of Education (MSBE) establishes standards and planning guidance for construction projects and the State Superintendent must approve of all plans for new construction and the remodeling of school buildings exceeding $350,000. Md.Code (2008 Repl.Vol.), §§ 2-205( l ), 2-303(f) of the Education Article (E.D.). Annually, the MSBE must submit a public school budget to the Governor including appropriations for the Department itself and for aid to counties ... for the construction of school buildings. E.D. § 2-205(j); see also E.D. § 5-101 (requiring county boards to submit an annual budget including estimated receipts and requested appropriations for local school construction that has been approved by the local government). The Interagency Committee on School Construction, established by the Board of Public Works pursuant to E.D. § 5-302, provides a recommendation to the Board of Public Works on which submitted, locally approved construction projects should be funded through the Public School Construction Program. The General State School Fund, established by E.D. § 5-201, is a source of funding for school building construction aid described in E.D. § 5-301(c), which requires the State to pay the excess costs above available federal funds for approved school construction projects or improvements. County boards of education may undertake the construction of public school buildings as long as the plans conform to the bylaws, rules and regulations of the State Board and to the regulations of the Board of Public Works related to alternative financing, when applicable. See E.D. §§ 4-115(b), 4-126. The procurement of bids from contractors for school construction contracts, which is addressed in § 5-112 of the Education Article, is administered by county boards. The local county governments meet the requirements of the county board's approved annual budgets by levying and collecting taxes in their jurisdictions and appropriating revenues from other sources. See E.D. §§ 5-104, 5-107; see generally Montgomery County, 237 Md. 191, 205 A.2d 202 (1964). Once appropriated, county boards must keep school construction funding isolated in a separate and independent account. See E.D. § 5-305. The State, the State Superintendent, the county governments, and the county boards of education are all subject to school construction-related regulations promulgated by the Board of Public Works found in COMAR Title 23.03.02, et seq. (2011) (Administration of the Public School Construction Program). See E.D. § 5-301(g)(1). Clearly, in light of the aforementioned statutory provisions, [s]tate law provides for close supervision of county boards with regard to construction of school buildings. Patterson v. Ramsey, 413 F.Supp. 523, 530 (D.Md. 1976), aff'd, 552 F.2d 117 (4th Cir.1977).