I am posting above a presentation that the state Department of Legislative Services made last week to the Maryland Associations of Boards of Education, outlining how much school districts would get under the revised funding formulas the governor has proposed.

Bottom line: While the direct cut from this year to next is in fact $67 million (see page 9), the overall loss from what districts had expected to see under Thornton is $140 million. And once again, Baltimore and Prince George's bear the brunt of the loss.

Keep in mind that school districts' basic costs increase by at least 3 percent a year, largely because of step increases in employee salaries.

On page 8, you can see how much the state saves by changing calculations such as the cost of private placement for special education students: $102.5 million. Then there's the reduction in GCEI, the geographic cost index for districts where the cost of living is higher. That's another $38 million.

It's true that some of these cuts would be offset by the federal economic stimulus package, but that's a one-time gift. If the funding formulas change, it's for good -- until there's further legislative action.

The advocacy group BUILD has planned another rally for 6 p.m. tonight at the city delegation room in Annapolis to protest the changes.