DLS: $228M from Blueprint fund to shield CEP schools; enrollment declines weigh on aid

At the hearing, Tanya Zimmerman of the Department of Legislative Services said the FY27 budget includes roughly $359,000,000 of increases for K–12 education, with approximately $228,000,000 coming from Blueprint for Maryland’s Future discretionary funds to prevent schools participating in the federal Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) from losing aid because of declines in free and reduced price meal counts. "About 228,000,000 of that is discretionary funds from the blueprint fund, to hold schools that are covered by the community eligibility provision harmless from declines in the free and reduced price meal counts," Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman noted broader enrollment trends that affect aid: full‑time equivalent enrollment falls by about 1%, English language learner counts drop by about 4%, and those shifts dampen education aid growth. Committee members pressed whether the ELL decline reflected demographic change, private‑school shifts or other factors; Zimmerman said the decline is likely a combination of factors and that DLS would provide further detail.

Senators also asked whether a recent report on alternative neighborhood indicators had changed how poverty or CEP eligibility is calculated; Zimmerman said the report was not changing calculations for FY27 and that statutory changes would require legislation.

Lawmakers requested follow‑up on the underlying calculations and the legislative proposals that could change counting methods.