MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — More than $3 billion is what Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Dr. Monifa B. McKnight recommended for the district's 2024 Operating Budget for the Fiscal Year.
MCPS claims the funding will provide a high-quality education for growing student enrollment, for continuing recovery from lost learning time due to the pandemic, for new research-based innovative approaches for teaching and learning, for competitive salaries for staff, and for increased costs of goods and services.
"This is a budget that is representing the needs of MCPS today and at this time," said McKnight. "I'm excited to reveal that to our community."
McKnight said there are three broad areas that continue to be a priority: the students and their needs, how students are supported and MCPS is building systems of innovation and progressive ways to address the needs of students.
In a release Monday, MCPS broke down what the budget recommendation which would set aside more than $100 million to help fund competitive salaries. The salaries would be part of an effort to not only bring great and diverse teachers and staff to the county but also retain them.
"A significant portion of the funding increase is for the cost of salaries for our more than 24,000 employees based on the negotiated agreements reached for FY 2023 and ongoing negotiations for FY 2024," the release reads.
McKnight said the district cannot provide any resources to their students without knowing what the teachers' needs are. When creating the recommended budget proposal, teachers' needs, classroom resources and retaining the workforce in Montgomery County were taken into account.
"We like to define ourselves as destination employer and so being very competitive with salaries, being very thoughtful about what it is that our employees need to live, thrive and enjoy the work they do in Montgomery County are also areas that you will see a focus on," McKnight said.
The superintendent said 91% of the budget reflects investments in MCPS employees.
In addition to recruiting, more than $1 million would be used to introduce a new tracking software that would allow parents to monitor their child's school bus in real time.
McKnight's recommendation aims to do the following:
- Establish two additional Innovative Calendar schools ($2.5 million)
- Add seats in PreK and Early Childhood Education ($2.1 million)
- Increase dual-language programs in three schools ($591,000)
- Expand college tracks advisory program ($1.8 million)
- Remove all costs for AP and IB exams ($3.4 million)
- Introduce school bus tracking software ($1.5 million)
- Competitive salaries to drive recruitment and retention of workers ($119.2 million)
- Literacy resources for the county's youngest children ($100,000)
According to a timeline from MCPS, the Board of Education will hold public hearings on the budget on Wednesday, Jan. 11 and Tuesday, Jan. 17. The Board will then hold three budget work sessions before tentatively approving an operating budget on Fed. 7.
Once the budget is tentatively approved, it will be sent to the Montgomery County Executive and County Council for consideration. The County Council will approve its final FY 2024 Operating Budget on May 25, 2023.
"It is essential to keep in mind that this budget represents a recommendation offered during a snapshot in time," MCPS said in the release.
Adjustments are likely after receiving input from county and state officials. The Board of Education will adopt a final operating budget on June 6.