The return on education is undeniable. People tend to stay "where they grew up." If these folks have strong educations, they are likely to keep higher standards of living, better jobs, higher tax brackets, etc. If we lose sight of providing a strong foundation for future community members, we risk spending more on crime and punishment. It is a very real situation. Look at other school districts across the nation that don't put money into education....they have higher crime rates and many people leave their communities. The strongest communities are the ones with education as a top priority. MD ranks #5 overall in the nation because we've traditionally been a state that strongly funds education. If these counties continue to lose the support of their commissioners (Frederick is in an even worse boat right now with their BCC), then our state will slip toward the middle of the nation. If that is okay for our children, start saving your tax dollars now because the jail will need to get bigger and the good jobs will begin to move on out!

Fund at MOE. all those teachers and public school employees and any citizens who have no problem paying more taxes can electively pay a school tax voluntarily and they'll have their money...I am extremely dissatisfied with the public school system as a whole and want another way for people who agree with me to have other options in the way of a voucher system.

Well after the showing of the community at the board meeting the other night, it would appear most people in the county are very satisfied with the public education system. So because a few marginal people are afraid of a system that obviously works (top 10 percent across the nation), then we should stop everyone else from reaping the benefits?

Carroll County has the best schools in the state because we give our schools what they need to be the best. I see on a weekly basis the good things that the teachers and staff at my kids school do. We cannot afford to lose our great teachers to other counties. It seems to me that the majority are in agreement that the school systems's budget should be fully funded. The will of the people should not be denied. If our county commissioners do not fully fund the budget I will make it my mission to join forces with other Carroll County residents and parents who are in agreement with me and do whatever is necessary to ensure that the commissioners are replaced during the next election. They were voted into their positions by people who trust them to do what we want them to do. If they cannot or will not do that then we the people will find commissioners who are willing to do what we ask of them.

Absolutely not one penny under $164, preferably what Mr. Gutherie is asking for! I don't know how much more info Mr. Roush could possibly need. The citizens have spoken, we want our education system funded at the level requested! It's good for business, it's good for our kids, and if it doesn't happen, there will be at least three more people in the county (besides media clerks and kindergarten assistants) looking for new jobs.

1. The story's lead statement is factually inaccurate: the Commissioner forums were 2-man presentations; the other Commissioners were excluded. (More Commissioners would have required that the forums be official meetings, with minutes kept, recorded and broadcast for general public viewing and comment, etc.)

2. The Community College meeting was packed with and by the teachers' union and its members; no surprise, they all advocate full funding. But to say that the "marginal" speakers are "afraid of a system that...works" is inaccurate to the point of disingenuousness. Given what they're tasked with, our teachers do a great job. No, any fear is of costs spiraling out of control, especially given the current deepening national and local economic climate.

3. Like it or not, we're broke -- at all levels of government. The "Salad Days" were fun but they're over; it's no longer possible to fund everything, for every one, all the time. Our steadily declining school population tells us that there are fewer and fewer taxpayer households to fund fewer and fewer students -- at ever-increasing per-pupil cost levels. That's unsustainable.

Taxpayers aren't just taxpayers; they're customers. If they perceive rising school (tax) costs to be out of line with the perceived benefit, they'll take their "business" elsewhere. Then the teachers will follow, and eventually you're left with a wealthy teachers union -- and an empty education system. Is that what we really want?

So because enrollment is declining the rest of the student population should suffer? I won't accept that. My children, all Carroll County children deserve better than that. The commissioners can cut somewhere else in the county budget...I'm sure if we dig deep enough there is waste somewhere...we are talking about gov't here, we all know there is waste somewhere. The school system has sustained cutting $20 million over the last 2 years I think they have cut their fair share.

It would seem that Carroll students have been taught to learn early in their curriculum.
This could be the key to extremely efficient teaching later in the curriculum. Students that have been taught to learn actually simplify the education process.
May be a good idea to focus on improving the curriculum to save on the cost to educate....early learning being the focus.

It is simply logical that funding at the minimal allowed by law (a law which was enacted to stop places like Baltimore City and Prince Georges from gutting their already broken systems - is this the bar and the examples we want?) will result in minimal results! Our children deserve more than the bare minimum. If you are unhappy with the schools, you don't gut them in order to have a voucher, you work to improve them. We moved here because these schools are as good as private schools elsewhere. My children, our educators, and the entire county deserve better. Keep your miniscule, self-serving tax grab (and in fact no one is asking for a tax increase) and fund the schools at the requested amount. Which -- by the way -- was approved by the same County Commissioners last year! They are going back on what they already agreed to! AND the county has a surplus so there is no reason to take out your knife and start surgically removing parts of our children's future. SHAMEFUL.

Here's some interesting information worth checking out as well...we need to seek balance..
http://www.offthegridnews.com/2013/03/07/the-founding-fathers-in-your-homeschooling-classroom/

Bud, no one has mentioned raising taxes so I take issue with that scare tactic. But the overwhelming majority of people in this county are involved with the schools in some way -- either as parents, educators, or benefactors of the educated workforce which results. We are customers, and taxpayers, and we expect to get what we pay for. Nobody is asking for a refund. But I don't pay taxes so that I can go and fight with Commissioners over a plan which was approved a year ago, giving up time with my children and family along with thousands of other residents of our county. Its unconscionable.

The commissioners have proven themselves to be less than knowledgeable about the many issues about which they choose to speak. Forgive me if I have little to no confidence that they know what they're talking about with regard to our education system. I also don't believe for a second that the commissioners have any regard for Carroll County's school children and their families. We are simply pawns in their irrational rants against anything perceived to be "liberal." So, we'll suffer (as will everyone else when the county is no longer a beacon for decent families coming here for the educational system) so that the commissioners can stick it to the teachers' union, the State of MD's educational requirements (Common Core), etc.

Alissa and others - I think at least two of the Commissioners spoke (in several arenas) in support of the school system and full funding of the CCPS budget. One of my greatest concerns is that two of the Commissioners threw up a slew of slides that had all sorts of inaccurate data/statistics.

For example: Comm. Rothschild asserted that too many students needed remediation when entering college, specifically Carroll Community College. However, upon further review (and verification from the college), less than 6% of the entering Freshman need a developmental course to help them at the college level. So, to imply that CCPS is handing out a "counterfeit" diploma to our students or that kids are graduating and can't read, is simply irresponsible and disingenuous at best!

Kelli, I'd love to be wrong about the commissioners and hope that if two of them are actually on the side of our students and schools, then they can help the others get on board!

Right now it appears (and from their public remarks Monday night) that Commissioners Shoemaker & Howard are in support of the proposed CCPS budget, while Fraizer & Rothschild are NOT. Commissioner Rousch is the "unknown" at this time. Will be important to watch them all closely over the next two months!

The bottom line is whether you have a child in the school system or not, the schools are part of our community. They are helping mold our future citizens, the ones that will "take care" of us down the road. Do we really want to shortchange that? At the very least, consider the school system an asset. When it's time to sell your house or your mother's, prospective buyers consider the schools, the crime rate and affordability. Let's keep Carroll County Schools on top.