State and county officials representing Towson are again advocating funds for an addition to Stoneleigh Elementary School — and also for a new elementary in the Lutherville area.
In a letter sent Sept. 21 to David Lever, executive director of the state's Interagency Committee on School Construction, officials say both projects are needed to address elementary school overcrowding in the Towson area.
The letter is signed by David Marks, who represents the County Council's 5th District; and also by State Sen. Jim Brochin and State Dels. Bill Frank, Susan Aumann and Steve Lafferty, all members of the 42nd legislative district, which represents Towson in Annapolis.
In the letter, officials express support of $6.2 million for the Stoneleigh addition and renovation, which Baltimore County Public Schools recently elevated to No. 5 on its annual list of school facility priorities.
The letter also supports another $9.3 million for construction of a new Lutherville area elementary school, saying, "This new school is needed to alleviate overcrowding in western Towson."
In recent weeks, the school board has begun discussing a new, 700-seat school at one of two sites in the Timonium-Lutherville area — near Mays Chapel Park, or Dulaney Springs.
It's needed, school officials say, because preliminary counts of students in the 2011-12 school year reveal that eight of the area's 12 schools have already exceeded school system projections.
By 2015, all 12 schools in the York Road corridor are collectively projected to be 719 seats above capacity, according to a school system report.
In their letter, the coalition of state and county officials say those numbers point to a population trend.
"The Towson area is experiencing rapid demographic changes as older residents sell their homes to younger families, many with children," wrote the officials. "This has led to growing enrollment at many public schools.
"The higher enrollment projections do not account for new housing developments that will only worsen overcrowding without additional classroom space.
"Construction of the addition at Stoneleigh Elementary School is the next step as Baltimore County accommodates enrollment increases at the elementary, middle and high school levels."
Each year in Annapolis, the county presents a list of school capital projects for potential funding. That formal list generally comes out just before the start of the General Assembly session in January.