The 24 public school superintendents of Maryland appreciate and applaud Gov. Martin O'Malley, Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller and House Speaker Michael E. Busch's efforts on behalf of 900,000 Maryland public school students over the past four years. The four state budgets that the governor proposed and the Maryland General Assembly passed included full funding for the Thornton formula. In addition, $1.27 billion was approved for public school capital projects. In the last two fiscal years, the state budgets included full funding of the Geographic Cost of Education Index.

As a result of their leadership, Maryland finds itself much better situated to deal successfully with the economic challenges confronting our nation. The use of Federal stimulus funds over the last two years allowed Maryland to reduce its spending of state tax dollars while not compromising the quality of public school education. The public school superintendents are unanimously in support of Governor O'Malley's strategy to use recent job stimulus funds from the federal government to position the state for success in funding the next year's state budget.

As recognized by Education Week, Maryland Public Schools were ranked No. 1 the past two years. This does not come without a united effort focused on ensuring a successful future for our students and all Marylanders. The governor, president of the Senate, speaker of the House and all of the members in the General Assembly who support public education deserve our appreciation for keeping our students, our future, at the forefront of the critical decisions they make.

Public school superintendents pledge that we will extend every effort to ensure that each Maryland public school student attends a safe learning environment where he or she is properly prepared for the challenges that await upon graduation.

Carl D. Roberts

The writer is executive director of the Public School Superintendents' Association of Maryland.