UPDATED at 8:30 p.m. to include remarks from Councilmember Kristin Mink
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In his weekly meeting with the media, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich expressed his concern about the future of Montgomery County Public Schools.
He spoke about MCPS’ s increasing health care costs, larger class sizes and budgetary shortfall. He also discussed the need for increased taxes on the wealthy.
Councilmember and Chair of the Education and Culture Committee Will Jawando also commented on the school district’s $3.3 billion budget adopted Tuesday
“I am relieved that it appears the MCPS will not have to do extensive staff furloughs or layoffs,” he said.
“However, I am deeply concerned that the involuntary transfer of teachers to vacant positions, elimination of the virtual academy, and cuts in programming will result in fewer student supports, fewer programs, and delayed implementation of early childhood education programs. I believe we should have done more to support our students and educators during these challenging times.”
Jawando, who chairs the County Council’s Education and Culture Committee, also said, “The fact is that this budget asks our already overburdened educators and school-based staff to do more with less. We must recognize that we are not the same school system as we were even 20 years ago. Nearly half of our students are enrolled in Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FARMS), a dramatic increase in students needing special education services, and a double-digit increase in economically disadvantaged students since 2022.”
Councilmember Kristin Mink called the funding for MCPS “inadequate.”
The school budget does include “significant cuts,” she said pointing to elimination of 76 central service positions and an increase of one student per class, thereby eliminating the need for 123 teachers. The district’s Virtual Academy was eliminated, pre-kindergarten expansion put on hold, equipment maintenance services reduced and enrichment opportunities and tutoring services cut, according to Mink.
“The Council’s decision to underfund MCPS’s request by 1% may sound small, but that amounts to over $30 million and a tenth of the non-personnel costs of one of the largest school systems in the country,” Mink said.
Those teacher reductions are expected to be handled through retirements and resignations rather than layoffs, she added.
All these cuts are taking place while MCPS is experiencing greater demands for services from students in the Free and Reduced Meals and emergent multilingual learners programs, Mink pointed out.
