Strengthened oversight of Baltimore County Public Schools is a no-brainer
Last year, the Baltimore County Council took the first step toward ensuring accountability and transparency in the Baltimore County Public Schools system (BCPS). The council approved Resolution 40-25 with overwhelming bipartisan support to request state authorization to expand the Baltimore County Office of the Inspector General’s (BCOIG) jurisdiction to include oversight of BCPS. The council was clear: Accountability and transparency are not partisan issues.
We answered that call and submitted legislation to do just that. Our legislation would enable the Baltimore County Council to expand the BCOIG as they requested.
Our legislation is simple. We are providing the Baltimore County Council with the tools they requested to increase accountability and transparency. At its core, this legislation is about giving tools, not mandates. It does not dictate how the county must act; rather, it enables local leaders to determine the best structure for the BCOIG to serve taxpayers. Our legislation does not automatically expand the inspector general’s oversight. The council will have the final say on the requested broadening of jurisdiction.
As Baltimore County Council Chair Mike Ertel stated in his testimony in support of the legislation, “The passage of [this] “Legislation is important to enable the Baltimore County Inspector General to provide more direct accountability and oversight of the Public School System in the same manner as other county agencies and departments.”
We are answering the community’s call as well while also strengthening BCPS. This proposal also reflects feedback from Baltimore County residents who are seeking reassurance that public institutions are operating transparently and responsibly. As the League of Women Voters has said, this change “will help strengthen operations, protect resources, and rebuild public trust in a time when concerns have been raised about how education dollars are managed.”
While BCPS has internal auditors, they are not investigators. One of the primary differences between auditors and investigators is the subpoena power investigators possess. This tool enables more thorough investigations, as the inspector general can access documents and testimony outside BCPS.
An inspector general operating independently from BCPS can help reinforce trust in county government, school leadership, teachers and staff by ensuring that concerns are examined fairly and comprehensively. Transparency protects not only taxpayers but also the many dedicated professionals who work every day on behalf of Baltimore County’s students. This is why our legislation has the support of the Teachers Association of Baltimore County. They have said, and we agree, that every dollar that does not properly advance student learning goals and student needs is wasted.
Another key distinction between the inspector general’s role and auditors’ lies in public disclosure. Unlike internal investigations, the BCOIG is required to make its findings available to the public. This openness enables taxpayers to gain a clearer understanding of the decision-making process, the use of public resources and the findings of an investigation, thereby fostering informed civic engagement and reinforcing public confidence.
Some have argued that expanding the authority of the BCOIG is redundant and unnecessary, as the Maryland Office of the Inspector General already has an inspector general for education. The inspector general for education, Rick Henry, disagrees with that assertion, as he stated in his testimony regarding the bill. Henry also said that “the dual roles of the IGs have never hampered an investigation but have enhanced outcomes by holding accountable those who commit fraud, waste, and abuse.”
Furthermore, Baltimore County would not be alone in granting this jurisdictional change — the Montgomery County inspector general has jurisdiction over Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), and Prince George’s County employs an Office of Integrity and Compliance, which performs a similar independent investigatory function of their school system.
A concern raised regarding the legislation is the cost of implementation. The county has said it could cost an additional $800,000 per year to accommodate additional staff and office expenses. There is no question that additional staff costs money; However, this does not account for potential savings from the office. In the Montgomery County Inspector General’s 2025 Annual Report, she highlighted that $18.1 million in questioned costs were found in just one year. These are real dollars, and similar enhanced accountability in Baltimore County may also be possible.
With the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 BCPS budget of $2.49 billion, significant oversight is required to ensure tax dollars are spent efficiently and effectively. Our legislation supports this mission.
As our legislation moves through the state legislature, we encourage you to be a part of the process. Email your Baltimore County legislators, listen to the bill hearings and testify.
Accountability and transparency are nonpartisan issues, and this legislation is an essential, actionable step toward transparent, effective governance in Baltimore County.
Sen. Carl Jackson (carl.jackson@senate.maryland.gov) is a Democrat representing District 8 in Baltimore County. Del. Ryan Nawrocki (ryan.nawrocki@house.state.md.us) is a Republican representing District 7A in Baltimore County.
