Schools’ financial plans sent to Baltimore judge

BALTIMORE (AP) — Local and state officials have sent financial plans for the city’s financially mismanaged school system to a judge, hoping to assure him education won’t be harmed while they work to resolve a fiscal crisis.

Circuit Judge Joseph H.H. Kaplan on Thursday released copies of the fiscal-accountability plans for the 90,000-student school system, but he declined comment.

The American Civil Liberties Union and others representing city children filed a lawsuit 10 years ago against the state seeking more money for Baltimore schools. The result was a 1996 consent decree that established a partnership between the city and the state to oversee the schools.

A hearing to discuss the financial plans as they relate to the court case is scheduled for Wednesday.

The city school system is struggling through a $58 million deficit and a cash-flow problem.

Judge Kaplan and U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis reminded city, state and school officials last month that any plans to deal with the financial emergency needed to keep that partnership’s mission in mind.

Judge Garbis oversees a 20-year-old special-education case against the school system.

For the most part, the city and school system documents delivered to the court this week outline the fiscal-recovery plans announced last month as part of a city-financed $42 million loan package to the schools.

However, ACLU officials said the financial plans given to Judges Kaplan and Garbis are thin.

“Little detail is provided to assure us that the students and their academic progress won’t be hurt as the fiscal situation is stabilized,” said Bebe Verdery, ACLU education reform director. “And that’s something we’re looking forward to talking with the judges about.”

School system attorneys told Judges Kaplan and Garbis that they have made concerted efforts to reduce costs with minimal effect on student learning.

The state’s documents include an annual report on the schools’ progress from state schools Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick.

In that report, Mrs. Grasmick says that layoffs and cutbacks more than likely will have an effect in classrooms unless the system operates more efficiently.