Analysts say Thornton funding helps students make progress

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BALTIMORE (Map, News) - A consulting firm contracted to evaluate the effects of the educational funding program known as Thornton painted a rosy picture of improvement before state lawmakers Thursday.

Analysts said students are making “leaps and bounds,” since the state started distributing the extra aid six years ago.

“Everyone is making progress,” said Jerry Ciesla, a senior partner with MGT of America. “And it’s not just across the board. It’s every subgroup.”

But some lawmakers, like Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez, D-Montgomery County, said the study also finds that test scores for poor, minority and special education students still lag behind their white and wealthier peers and that the dropout rate is growing.

She accused MGT of telling lawmakers “want we want to hear,” calling the study a “waste of money.”

“With the amount of money we are infusing, we should see huge improvement,” she said.

“If we leave it to the local governments to decide how the money is spent, we’re not going to see that change.”

Other legislators credited Thornton with improving schools.

Maryland schools were named among the best in the nation by U.S. News & World Report thanks to Thornton, said Sen. Donald Munson, R-Washington.

But low-performing students did not receive additional services that were not also offered to the general student population, wrote Matthew Joseph, executive director of the nonprofit Advocates for Children and Youth, in a letter Thursday to Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael Busch.

Richard Madaleno Jr., D-Montgomery, called the criticism unfair.

“It’s hard for schools to say we want to offer poor students extra reading training and not offer it to all students,” he said.

In the midst of tougher economic times, Thornton funding could be jeopardized.

“We won’t be able to continue to raise funds the way we did during the special session,” said Sen. Ulysses Currie, D-Prince George’s.

“It’s going to be difficult to fund k through 12 education the way we have.”

kvolkmann@baltimoreexaminer.com

jmalarkey@baltimoreexaminer.com

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