Board of Education Adopts Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget
The Board of Education voted unanimously to tentatively adopt a $2.805 billion budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021. This includes an increase of $124.1 million from FY 2020. The budget will allow Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to manage significant enrollment growth and focus on strategic investments to address disparities in student achievement.
A majority of the $124.1 million spending increase will be used to provide services to a growing number of students; fund ongoing salaries and benefits; and manage increasing operational costs.
The recommendation also includes $23.7 million to expand and implement strategic key bodies of work. This includes:
- Additional English for Speakers of Other Languages teachers and counselors;
- The expansion of prekindergarten seats;
- Increasing exposure to language opportunities;
- Creation of three new regional International Baccalaureate centers to provide more access to rigorous coursework;
- Addition of mental health support staff to support student mental health and well-being;
- Opening of upcounty career readiness hub at the new Seneca Valley High School;
- Providing additional support for language and science, technology, engineering and mathematics programming;
- Equity and innovation initiatives; and
- An expansion and enhancement of teacher recruitment and retention efforts to ensure all classrooms have highly qualified teachers from a diversity of backgrounds.
The Board will submit its budget request to Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich and the Montgomery County Council by March 1, 2020. County Executive Elrich is expected to release his budget recommendation on March 16, 2020. The Montgomery County Council will hold public hearings on the county budget in April before passing a final budget on May 21, 2020. After the County Council’s action, the Board of Education will vote on June 11, 2020, for final adoption of the FY 2021 operating budget.
