Mon., Nov 3 Council budget forum for MCPS parents

[Anonymous]

MCPS Educators, Parents and Students Community Conversation.
Monday, Nov. 3. 7-8:30 p.m.
Carver Educational Services Center, Auditorium, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville

https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=47494

Elrich is seeking feedback for how taxpayer money should be spent for FY27.

This is a good opportunity to let Council know that MCPS funding should not be increased. This way it will be harder for MCPS to implement the inequitable regional model should it get passed.

From the press release:

The County is in the early stages of formulating the FY27 operating budget. County Executive Elrich is required to submit a recommended budget to the County Council by Monday, March 16, 2026. The Council will then have two months to review the budget. It must adopt a final budget no later than June 1. The FY27 operating budget will go into effect on July 1.

“I urge every resident to participate in these discussions; your feedback shapes our future,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “We host these community conversations to garner input and feedback on how tax dollars are spent. We gain valuable insights from these conversations that help guide our decisions and priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. The budget reflects our community’s goals and values. With one forum in each of the five regions of the County, along with conversations conducted in multiple languages, there are multiple opportunities to participate and be heard.”

[Anonymous]

I think the regional model *could* be good if properly funded… so advocating to restrict funding makes little sense seemingly ensuring the model will hurt lower resourced schools even more.

[Anonymous]

Yeah I don't think the CE is going to demand the MCPS stop the implementation or else he recommends funding as little as possible. MCEA will go ballistic on him. I think public shaming of how bad MCPS's program analysis is, is like to be more effective. Especially if it gets covered in the press.

[Anonymous]

It is a tie in my head on which I dislike more - Elrich or MCPS central office.

[Anonymous]

Council’s allocation for MCPS should not exceed its current percentage, which is 50%, whether or not for a half-baked proposal that worsens inequity.

Our property taxes are too high already and the county has other important funding needs aside from a fiscally irresponsible and corrupt school district.

[Anonymous]

That’s true. Council already gives MCPS over $3 billion. So what does MCPS do but ask for more and more.

This time for a money pit regional proposal that further segregates the poor communities.

[Anonymous]

What? That is sad to spend over $3 BILLION for one county (not one state, but one county), and students perform badly (57% proficiency on ELA and 36% proficiency on math MCAP 2024–25, which are failing grades).

And now to propose to spend many millions more for 10% of students who utilize magnet programs?

[Anonymous]

It costs around $40/book to get a good math, ELA, and science books. And of course pay teachers and get a building.

How do we get from that to spending over $3 billion a year for one county, the result being that most of the county’s students cannot do grade-level math and reading?

[Anonymous]

What is this money for? The regional model or for renovation of schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is this money for? The regional model or for renovation of schools?

This forum is on the operating budget. The capital budget is for renovation of schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is this money for? The regional model or for renovation of schools?

This forum is on the operating budget. The capital budget is for renovation of schools.

The school operating budget concerns costs related to staff salaries, supplies, and maintenance. It focuses on the funds necessary to support the school's educational programs and services for the fiscal year.

The proposed regional model’s aim is to be in operation for 2027-28. The program would need funding in order to operate.

[Anonymous]

Here is Montgomery County’s FY26 operating budget:

https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/BASISOPERATING/Common/Index.aspx

MCPS was given close to $3.6 billion, which is 47.1% of Montgomery County’s budget.

The result of this enormous annual expenditure? Students poorly educated in the core subjects.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It costs around $40/book to get a good math, ELA, and science books. And of course pay teachers and get a building.

How do we get from that to spending over $3 billion a year for one county, the result being that most of the county’s students cannot do grade-level math and reading?

Or, they are free online. The county has books, teachers choose not to use them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is Montgomery County’s FY26 operating budget:

https://apps.montgomerycountymd.gov/BASISOPERATING/Common/Index.aspx

MCPS was given close to $3.6 billion, which is 47.1% of Montgomery County’s budget.

The result of this enormous annual expenditure? Students poorly educated in the core subjects.

MCPS is one of the highest per student funded school system and they've wasted all the money. They need a yearly line-by-line audit, get rid of the waste and fix things. Taxes should be decreased and give them and other programs less that aren't performing. Throwing money at them is making things worse vs better.

[Anonymous]

I agree it is a good forum for folks to speak up at regarding their concerns about the regional model, but you don't have to oppose MCPS spending increases to do so. MCPS always needs increases just to keep even with services from the previous year, and usually asks for additional money for improvements (of which the system needs many, including reversing the class size increases.)

The ask should not be for no increases to MCPS. It should be saying that MCPS needs to show the county that it will not be wasting money on a half-baked, rushed program plan if it wants any funding increases.