When the advocates first met with me in 2011, I thought their proposal would never be adopted.

Rebuild every public school in Baltimore City. At a cost of $2.8 billion.

That is a Very Big Ask.

In 2013, we passed a bill authorizing a $1 billion partnership of the State, City, and City Schools to build 28 schools. (We still need funding for 100 schools.)

Part of the deal to get the schools rebuilt was to close those that had too few students.

For instance, even with the closing of Northwestern Senior High, there will be only 700 students at the newly reopened Forest Park Senior High. Both schools served Northwest Baltimore.

These 21st Century schools are a big investment in the students.

“This building communicates what we think about them,” the City Schools CEO, Dr Sonja Santileses, said at the opening of Pimlico Elementary/Middle on Monday.

These kids will “feel respected,” said Congressman Elijah Cummings.

It is now everyone’s responsibility to make the education offered in these classrooms worthy of this investment.