Understanding the Council's Final Action on the MCPS Budget

The politicking and posturing around the MCPS budget continues. So MCEA thought we'd share some concise summaries of the final action on the MCPS operating budget for next year.

The County Council cut an additional $47 million out of the MCPS budget, beyond the budget proposed by County Executive Ike Leggett. In doing so, they decided to abandon any effort to seek a waiver of the state's Maintenance of Effort requirement; triggering a penalty of $26 million in lost state education aid in FY13 (the Council is hoping the General Assembly will waive the penalty).

The Council also exercised their authority to specify cuts to the MCPS budget by budget category. The Council cut $18.7 million from the employee benefits category and $27.9 million from the other, programatic budget categories.

As a result of contract negotiations with MCEA and the other unions, the Board of Education exceeded the Council's $18.7 million cut in employee benefits: The Board of Education was able to reduce employee benefit costs by $21 million. Read MCEA's Statement on Benefit Changes to understand how those savings were realized.

The Council also cut $27.9 million from the other, programatic budget lines. The Superintendent had originally identified $45 million in possible cuts. The lower final number enabled the Board of Education to avoid a second year's increase in average class size, but still had to identify $27.9 million in savings. MCEA prepared a chart that lists out the final programatic cuts necessitated by the Council's final action on the budget.

It is a little difficult to understand how some on the County Council can claim their budget action doesn't impact the classroom, when they specifically cut $27.9 million out of the programatic budget lines in the MCPS budget.

And as teachers, it is also a little offensive to hear comments that cuts to teachers salaries and benefits "don't impact the classroom". Last time we checked, teachers were IN the classrooom - every day. The motivation and committment of the teaching workforce makes a difference in the success of our students.