Beginning this week, fewer substitutes will teach in the classrooms in Anne Arundel public schools as the school system takes steps to save money.
To save more than $200,000 by the end of the upcoming fiscal year, the school system will limit teachers? time for professional development and other meetings, school system spokesman Bob Mosier said.
Last year, the school system spent $6.5 million on substitutes.
“While I realize the great value and importance of professional development for teachers and for all employees, the fiscal climate that exists in this county and state has left me no choice but to explore avenues such as this to reduce costs,” Superintendent Kevin Maxwell said in a statement.
Maxwell could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
This year, Maxwell has proposed a $968 million operating budget for fiscal 2009 ? $99.94 million higher than last year?s budget ? and has made it no secret that last year?s funding from the county was not sufficient to meet many needs in the school system.
Again, Maxwell said he received “little to no assurance” that the county would properly fund the needs for the coming budget cycle.
The decision in part was a reaction to some complaints from the teachers union Teachers Association of Anne Arundel County, which wanted a better organization for teacher training, said Tim Mennuti, president of the association.
“The result will actually be more substitutes,” Mennuti said, “because more substitutes will be available for teachers who are actually sick.”
In meetings with principals, Maxwell has said the lack of substitutes will not affect teacher workload, Mosier said.
