The Prince George’s County school board made it through the first major phase of a woeful budget season last week with the adoption of a barebones $1.78 billion financial plan for 2009.
Although the total package represents a 1.4 percent increase from fiscal 2008, state and county funding levels came in lower than expected due in part to declining enrollment, while program costs continue to rise, said board member Donna Hathaway Beck.
“We’re needing a little less, but we’re getting far less,” Beck explained.
The board’s final markups to Superintendent John Deasy’s December proposal reinstated 115 staff positions initially slated for removal.
Under the adopted proposal, 70 parent liaisons will keep their jobs, valued at about $45,000 per year, as will 45 mid level managers valued at about $60,000 per year.
Parent liaisons, employees who serve as a bridge between the school and the parents and community, were added to every school in September 2007 but would have been cut to one per two schools next year. Many of them spoke out at a board meeting earlier in February in defense of their jobs.
To fund the changes, the board voted to cut more part-time and temporary workers, as well as pinch overtime pay.
In keeping with the original plan, 372 vacant staff positions will remain unfilled, 70 central administration and staff support positions will be cut, and 275 positions will be dropped due to fewer registered students.
In an effort to keep the teachers union happy, though, the board kept intact $14.4 million reserved to fund small cost-of-living increases for eligible teachers.
“The reality is, we’re in cutting mode. And it’s easier to please everyone when you’re in expansion mode,” said board member Heather Iliff. “We did our best and we’ll continue to do our best with limited resources.”
Board members agreed next year could be even worse, as a $29.9 million contingency account, culled from a carryover of funds, will be spent this year and empty in 2010.
