Montgomery County Schools Superintendent Jerry Weast announced a $2.16 billion operating budget Wednesday reliant on an additional $82 million in county spending next fiscal year — a request dismissed as dead on arrival by those who fund the schools in the cash-strapped suburb. The proposal is a $60 million increase in total funding, but with federal stimulus money evaporating, school officials say they need a larger commitment from the jurisdiction, which already is facing a more than $300 million shortfall.
Weast’s request includes spending for an expected 3,340 additional students next year and roughly 154 more teachers.
“You can’t stack more kids in these classrooms and expect the same results,” he said. “We’re at a decision point, a tipping point, maybe. How could the richest county, with the highest results, not even consider funding this budget?”
But the County Council members who control the county’s purse strings say they won’t approve the measure, setting up another showdown over an agency that receives 57 percent of taxpayer dollars.
“He’s not going to get it,” said Councilman George Leventhal, D-at large. “We simply can’t afford it.”
Over the past decade, the schools system made landmark strides in test scores and student achievement, and in return, employees were showered with compensation packages unrivaled in the Washington region.
But under state law, local jurisdictions are required to pay the same amount per student as the year before. Montgomery was granted a waiver to avoid a penalty for not meeting the standard this fiscal year.
Multiple officials tell The Washington Examiner, however, that serious talks are underway about opting not to meet the state requirement, which would mean a $27 million fine.
Much of the increased budget request is tied to salaries, wages and benefits, as the proposal includes step increases ??– generally a 3 percent raise — for employees based on years in the work force. Nearly $15 million is slated for salary increases.
The school system is spending $1,000 less per student this fiscal year and has eliminated more than 400 positions and increased class size by one student.
School employees did not receive a cost of living or step increase this fiscal year, but were not furloughed with the rest of county workers.
The school board will send its final budget to County Executive Ike Leggett in February, at which point the funding fight could intensify.
“I’m going to be a lame duck,” said Weast, who will leave his post in June. “Probably no one will pay any attention to me. But I’m going to be talking.”
