The council also has to get serious about incentivizing affordable housing that is served adequately not only by schools but by transit and other essential services.
May 22, 2024
On Thursday, the Baltimore County Council is expected to vote on (and likely pass) Bill 31-24, legislation intended to address overcrowded school districts. In a nutshell, the measure would revise the county’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance to gradually restrict development near schools that are judged to be over capacity. It would further create an 11-member committee of individuals representing the school system, the county executive and the County Council to examine more closely any proposed development’s impact on local schools. Should this group grant a waiver, a development might move forward. Should it not, it might yet move forward after a 5-year waiting period, which would, in theory, give the county time to resolve overcrowding.
There’s only one thing wrong with the legislation. It’s woefully inadequate.
At best, it merits a grade of “I” or “incomplete” for lack of effort. At worst, it deserves failing marks as an obvious attempt to avoid hard choices and address the underlying problem.
To hear councilmembers you might think that the Baltimore County Public Schools system was simply inundated with students. And, indeed, there are clearly schools scattered around the county with more than a few outdoor trailers, temporary structures needed to house the overflow. But look more closely. A decade ago, BCPS reported a total of 110,006 students. In 2023, it was 113,735. That’s an increase of less than 5% over 10 years, or a half-percent per year. These are not the go-go days of suburban expansion. The problem isn’t lack of capacity, it’s a failure to take reasonable measures, including redrawing school district lines to properly proportion students to schools.
The Baltimore County Board of Education has dipped its toe in redistricting waters, of course, but not to any great effect. Parents don’t like to change schools. Schools producing higher scores and graduation rates are understandably prized, and that’s often reflected in property values. Never mind that school performance is frequently more a reflection of the socioeconomic circumstances of the student body than it is of the skills of teachers or administrators. But hold onto that thought because this is where it really gets tricky.
Baltimore County has another problem tied to adequate facilities, and that’s a lack of affordable housing. Under an agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the county is supposed to be encouraging the development of affordable rental units. But when County Executive John “Johnny O” Olszewski Jr. offered legislation to make it easier to win approval for mixed use developments incentivizing the creation of housing for moderate-income individuals and families, it was rejected by the council. Redistricting is not the only issue that gets negative feedback from voters; potential new apartment buildings often get a thumbs down, too.
So what is the council poised to do? Pass legislation to further slow down the whole process? That won’t fix schools. It won’t fix the lack of affordable housing. It might, of course, briefly satisfy any in the electorate who quake at the thought of school redistricting or apartment dwellers showing up in their neighborhoods. But that’s not leadership. It doesn’t help, of course, that Olszewski now has less skin in the game, as the Democratic nominee to replace the retiring U.S. Rep. C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger in the U.S. House of Representatives. Should the county executive win in November, as most predict — given that the GOP nominee, radio talk show host Kim Klacik, has garnered no more than 28% of the vote in two previous congressional races — the council is unlikely to fill the remainder of Olszewski’s term with anyone who would rock their do-the-minimum world.
Here’s what the council members should be doing: They should be challenging the school board to redistrict schools or face a possible cut in funding. There can be room for negotiation, of course. If the council wants to accelerate the county’s school construction program, members should do so, but we seriously doubt they are in a rush to increase spending. Thus, redistricting holds the best hope to actually reduce overcrowding. Meanwhile, the council also has to get serious about incentivizing affordable housing that is served adequately not only by schools but by transit and other essential services. That’s what thoughtful leadership requires to get a top grade.
Read article on The Baltimore Sun.
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