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State Likely To Provide MoCo With Additional $5 Million In School Construction Funding

By WTOP Staff

County Executive Isiah Leggett (file photo)Montgomery County officials couldn’t get this year’s Maryland General Assembly to support a large construction funding bill for MCPS, but County Executive Isiah Leggett on Tuesday did report some positive news.

The state’s Interagency Committee on School Construction recommended giving Montgomery County $5 million more in school construction funding than the $35 million Leggett thought it would — meaning the County Council has a bit more flexibility when it comes to final decisions on the six-year capital budget for school facilities.

Still, without the state legislation county lawmakers pushed for in Annapolis this year, there was a roughly $235 million gap between the school system’s requested capital budget and what the county can pay for.

That will likely mean one-year delays for the design process in a number of school addition projects, according to a MCPS-prepared “Affordability Scenario.”

The failure of the state funding bill has earned Leggett criticism from his two opponents in June’s Democratic primary.

In a March debate in Bethesda, opponent Doug Duncan said Leggett was taken advantage of by state leaders in last year’s General Assembly, pointing to the $600 million Baltimore City got for school construction that Leggett and other county leaders supported.

A similar bill to help Montgomery County’s school overcrowding problem never materialized this year, though county lawmakers hope to succeed in the effort next year.

In his memo to Council President Craig Rice on Tuesday, Leggett was quick to point out that he has recommended a record 1.533 billion to school construction in his capital budget. He also said he’s gotten more back from the state in terms of school construction funding than the county did in the eight years before him, when Duncan was county executive.

“Last year, Montgomery County received about $35.7 million in State school construction dollars, so this year’s total is nearly $5 million more. Over the past eight years, the County will have received over $300 million in State school construction funding – despite the Great Recession and fiscal difficulties – compared with about $250 million in the eight years before I assumed office,” Leggett wrote.

PDF: Leggett memo to Council

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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