The Post reports today that the math error leading to a $24 million underpayment to Montgomery County schools this year and overpayment to 17 others is continuing to cause problems for next year's budgets.

I obtained a copy of a Dec. 22 memo that MSDE sent to local school districts detailing projected state aid for FY2010. I'm having trouble understanding the rationale behind a chart showing how much new aid districts are tentatively slated to receive. It shows Montgomery County getting the vast majority of the statewide increase -- $69 million -- while other systems get next to nothing. The chart shows Baltimore getting only a $4 million increase, even though the system's enrollment went up by 1,000 students this year, which presumably means it should get more money. Baltimore County would only see an increase of $37,000.

Even Jerry Weast, Montgomery's superintendent, is doubtful about the figures and did not count on all the money the state says he is to receive in his proposed budget. I'm posting here a memo he wrote to his school board explaining that decision, as well as the Dec. 22 memo to school districts. (See the second-to-last page for the chart showing the projected funding increases to each district.)