About the Education Reform Project

The Education Reform Project started in 1987 when the ACLU of Maryland began collaborating with advocates from the Metropolitan Education Coalition, a non-profit group that worked to secure increased funding for the Baltimore City Schools.

Together, the two groups worked to inform the general public about education issues in the state. They also turned to Maryland’s General Assembly, testifying to various legislative committees about the need to fund the poorest schools in the state. Led by Susan Goering, the current executive director of the ACLU of Maryland, the ACLU used the Maryland Constitution to argue that additional school funding was legally mandated.

At the same time, Goering, pro bono attorneys from the Washington, D.C. office of the law firm Howrey, Simon, Arnold and White and staff worked on a litigation strategy that would take the issue of school funding to the courts. This resulted in the landmark 1994 case Bradford v. Maryland State Board of Education. That case, with decisions in 1996, 2000, and 2004 has led to substantial changes within Maryland schools and the authorization of an additional $1.3 billion for statewide school reform.

Today, the Education Reform Project continues to advocate for improvements for Maryland’s schools and “at-risk” pupils. Under the current director, Bebe Verdery, the Education Reform Project is working with administrators, parents, community members, students and policymakers to ensure full implementation of Thornton funding, including the geographical cost of education index, along with working for revenue to renovate or replace the numerous dilapidated schools across the state and find other creative sources of additional funding.

Contact the Education Reform Project:
E-mail: education@aclu-md.org
Or call 410-889-8555

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