During a well-choreographed presentation equipped with video highlights of high-achieving students and successful programs, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Dr. Monifa McKnight presented her proposed Fiscal Year 2025 $3.32 billion operating budget.
The budget that was introduced Thursday night at Odessa Shannon Middle School in Silver Spring represents a $157 million increase over the current budget and includes almost $100 million to cover negotiated salaries and healthcare costs.
McKnight said she is proud of the proposal as it continues the growth and new programs adopted at MCPS since the pandemic. It includes money for social workers, psychologists, parent community coordinators and restorative justice specialists.
She called it a “fiscally responsible” budget, urging both Board of Education and County Council members not to hit the pause button on the district’s successes. She highlighted encouraging stories thanks to the new social workers, improved scores in the youngest students and positive outcomes in the restorative justice program.
“Do we slow the momentum we’ve gained in keeping students in our schools with restorative approaches? Do we risk skipping on the gains we’ve made and must continue to make in literacy? Do we waver on commitments to special education students and emergent multilingual learners? Do we turn our backs on educators who have been undervalued for far too long?” McKnight asked.
She then answered herself. “To all of this I say no. We should not. We must not.”
The Board of Education now will review the recommendations and decide what to present to the county council, which funds much of the district’s money.
When MCM asked if this request calls for a tax increase like the current budget, Councilmember Will Jawando said it was too early to know. In the next few months, the state will determine its contributions, and the county will have a better idea of what is in the budget and how much money there is for schools.
This budget is more difficult than most, McKnight said, as it marks the end of MCPS receiving federal COVID-19 pandemic relief money (ESSER funds). McKnight said the district reached the “Esser cliff” and will lose $125 million in federal funding.
Inflation costs were budgeted at $15.6 million. It also included a $500,000 increase in MCPS’s investigative and compliance unit so wrongdoing could be tackled “anywhere in the district.”
To curb expenses, MCPS strove to eliminate programs that didn’t show positive results. Cuts of about 8% will be made in MCPS’s central offices, which will result in a reduction of 73.6 full-time equivalent positions.
Board of Education President Karla Silvestre praised the proposed budget, saying it emphasizes math and literacy and shows appreciation for the staff.
The BOE set public budget hearings for Jan. 18 and Jan. 25. It will hold a budget work session on Jan. 16 and Jan. 23.
Here at Odessa Shannon Middle
School for the presentation of the Superintendent's 2025 Recomended Operating Budget. I look forward to working with Dr. McKnight @mcps & the Board of Education to pass a budget that supports all of our students. pic.twitter.com/DGlY5b7qwO— Councilmember Will Jawando (@CMJawando) December 14, 2023
