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MoCo Wants State To Pitch In On School Construction Program

By WTOP Staff

The Montgomery County Delegation (file photo)Montgomery County leaders on Thursday said getting state money for a much-needed school building program would be their top priority in the 2014 General Assembly.

County officials, MCPS officials, state delegates and state senators gathered at a middle school in Rockville to ask the state for a similar bill passed earlier this year for Baltimore City Public Schools.

The county wants $20 million from the state to go with $40 million from the county to support $750 million in construction bonds to fund new school projects over the next five years. County Executive Isiah Leggett said the county would be able to construct 56 projects to add capacity for a school system that has grown by 14,599 students since 2000.

That’s more than the growth of school systems in Anne Arundel, Howard, Frederick and Baltimore Counties combined.

“We are known nationally for our school system, which contributes directly to our ability to attract and retain an educated workforce, business and industry,” Leggett said, according to a prepared release. “To maintain the county’s role as a key economic engine of the State of Maryland, we cannot allow our double-digit school enrollment increases — the highest in the State — to jeopardize our attractiveness as a place to work and live.”

MCPS Superintendent Joshua Starr and Council President Nancy Navarro referred to the system’s growing population as a “capacity crisis.” Nearly half of MCPS schools are projected to be over-capacity by the 2018-2019 school year. The system is expected to grown by another 14,000 students in the next six years.

“The Montgomery County delegation unanimously supported last year’s legislation to assist Baltimore City schools because of their unique situation, but now Montgomery County is in the midst of its own unique crisis that threatens to jeopardize our ability to provide an economic boost to other jurisdictions,” District 18 State Sen. Rich Madaleno said. “We need help now, before the County and the state suffer economically.”

District 20 State Sen. Jamie Raskin, who serves as chairman of the county’s Senate Delegation, compared the upcoming effort to secure the funding in Annapolis to last year’s push for the gas tax hike to fund transportation projects.

“We are going to Annapolis in January determined to invest in the capacity and modernization needs of our County schools, which are overflowing with students,” Raskin said. “To keep producing the number one schools in the country, we need to have the number one infrastructure for the learning and teaching environment.”

On Monday, Starr released his recommended five-year, $1.55 billion capital budget, which he said was about $700 million less than what would be needed to address all the system’s capacity needs. A Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School addition was included. The school is over capacity now and is expected to surpass 2,000 students by 2016.

The Baltimore City Public Schools Construction and Revitalization Act of 2013 will support $1 billion in construction bonds over 10 years, overseen by the Maryland Stadium Authority.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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