Ehrlich denies county schools $5 million next year

State officials are poised to withhold about $5 million from county schools next year unless the General Assembly adopts a funding formula related to the cost of doing business.

For the second year in a row, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. did not compile his budget with the geographic cost of education index, a formula that would give more money to Maryland counties that face higher education costs.

State education officials included the funding index in preliminary estimates both years.

The 13 Maryland school districts eligible for the extra funding were hoping he'd use the new formula this year. But with the release of Mr....