Taylor's Operating Budget releases 12/17 at 6:30 pm

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The brutal truth, pp, is that this isn't unique to education, either. A significant amount of government spending goes directly and indirectly to labor. Government employees like teachers. Funding for labor-intensive services like health care. Maintaining government services at an equal level requires spending more money than inflation each year.

This is not inherently unsustainable, though. Economic output is increasing overall, too. If wages, overall, increase faster than tax increases, then it's fine indefinitely. Even if the tax rate goes up, if you still have more money due to the economic improvements, it's a net win for you.

Part of the problem is that wages have stagnated, though, with the bulk of those economic improvements going to the wealthy. That's a problem that needs societal improvements and tax changes.

The county employees don't get the same pay raises and benefits MCPS employees get, especially when you look at salaries of equal jobs and one is a 10 month employee vs. a 12 month employee.

MoCo needs to make spending cuts and choose its priorities.

Or choose its priorities and increase taxes.

Clearly you work for MCPS.

Um...no...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The brutal truth, pp, is that this isn't unique to education, either. A significant amount of government spending goes directly and indirectly to labor. Government employees like teachers. Funding for labor-intensive services like health care. Maintaining government services at an equal level requires spending more money than inflation each year.

This is not inherently unsustainable, though. Economic output is increasing overall, too. If wages, overall, increase faster than tax increases, then it's fine indefinitely. Even if the tax rate goes up, if you still have more money due to the economic improvements, it's a net win for you.

Part of the problem is that wages have stagnated, though, with the bulk of those economic improvements going to the wealthy. That's a problem that needs societal improvements and tax changes.

The county employees don't get the same pay raises and benefits MCPS employees get, especially when you look at salaries of equal jobs and one is a 10 month employee vs. a 12 month employee.

MoCo needs to make spending cuts and choose its priorities.

Or choose its priorities and increase taxes.

DP, but I think a lot of people in the county would put schools at the top of their priority list for county resources.

And FWIW, I generally agree teacher pay is pretty good at first glance. But the working conditions, time demands, and lack of flexibility are major challenges. In light of those, the pay isn't great. Personally, I think we'd be better off hiring more staff to both improve education and reduce the demands on individual teachers, but that is a more expensive solution than paying teachers a little more to encourage retention.

Teachers and MCPS staff are paid better and get better benefits than county employees. Most people work evenings and weekends and don't have flexibility. Enough is enough with the lack of accountability and waste and increasing taxes.

Yes, teachers have generally have higher pay and better benefits than comparable county positions, adjusted for the 10 month position. But classroom teachers absolutely with longer hours and have significantly less flexibility than those other positions.

I'm generally not one to defend teachers, but the characteristics of the position are awful compared to other professional jobs. At least, until you get into positions that pay far more.

Clearly, you have never worked some of those jobs if you are saying teachers work longer hours and harder. Many of the county jobs are not 9-5.

Back on topic. Has anyone seen the actual FY27 Operating Budget? It is still not public. Maybe someone on a secret committee has a copy?

Is there a consequence to MCPS on missing its deadline for making the budget public?

What level of granularity is required under that deadline?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The brutal truth, pp, is that this isn't unique to education, either. A significant amount of government spending goes directly and indirectly to labor. Government employees like teachers. Funding for labor-intensive services like health care. Maintaining government services at an equal level requires spending more money than inflation each year.

This is not inherently unsustainable, though. Economic output is increasing overall, too. If wages, overall, increase faster than tax increases, then it's fine indefinitely. Even if the tax rate goes up, if you still have more money due to the economic improvements, it's a net win for you.

Part of the problem is that wages have stagnated, though, with the bulk of those economic improvements going to the wealthy. That's a problem that needs societal improvements and tax changes.

The county employees don't get the same pay raises and benefits MCPS employees get, especially when you look at salaries of equal jobs and one is a 10 month employee vs. a 12 month employee.

MoCo needs to make spending cuts and choose its priorities.

Or choose its priorities and increase taxes.

DP, but I think a lot of people in the county would put schools at the top of their priority list for county resources.

And FWIW, I generally agree teacher pay is pretty good at first glance. But the working conditions, time demands, and lack of flexibility are major challenges. In light of those, the pay isn't great. Personally, I think we'd be better off hiring more staff to both improve education and reduce the demands on individual teachers, but that is a more expensive solution than paying teachers a little more to encourage retention.

Teachers and MCPS staff are paid better and get better benefits than county employees. Most people work evenings and weekends and don't have flexibility. Enough is enough with the lack of accountability and waste and increasing taxes.

Yes, teachers have generally have higher pay and better benefits than comparable county positions, adjusted for the 10 month position. But classroom teachers absolutely with longer hours and have significantly less flexibility than those other positions.

I'm generally not one to defend teachers, but the characteristics of the position are awful compared to other professional jobs. At least, until you get into positions that pay far more.

Clearly, you have never worked some of those jobs if you are saying teachers work longer hours and harder. Many of the county jobs are not 9-5.

Back on topic. Has anyone seen the actual FY27 Operating Budget? It is still not public. Maybe someone on a secret committee has a copy?

Is there a consequence to MCPS on missing its deadline for making the budget public?

What level of granularity is required under that deadline?

They actually have until tomorrow. Taylor's slide presentation said: Tue, December 23 FY 2027 Operating Budget Book Posted Online

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The brutal truth, pp, is that this isn't unique to education, either. A significant amount of government spending goes directly and indirectly to labor. Government employees like teachers. Funding for labor-intensive services like health care. Maintaining government services at an equal level requires spending more money than inflation each year.

This is not inherently unsustainable, though. Economic output is increasing overall, too. If wages, overall, increase faster than tax increases, then it's fine indefinitely. Even if the tax rate goes up, if you still have more money due to the economic improvements, it's a net win for you.

Part of the problem is that wages have stagnated, though, with the bulk of those economic improvements going to the wealthy. That's a problem that needs societal improvements and tax changes.

The county employees don't get the same pay raises and benefits MCPS employees get, especially when you look at salaries of equal jobs and one is a 10 month employee vs. a 12 month employee.

MoCo needs to make spending cuts and choose its priorities.

Or choose its priorities and increase taxes.

DP, but I think a lot of people in the county would put schools at the top of their priority list for county resources.

And FWIW, I generally agree teacher pay is pretty good at first glance. But the working conditions, time demands, and lack of flexibility are major challenges. In light of those, the pay isn't great. Personally, I think we'd be better off hiring more staff to both improve education and reduce the demands on individual teachers, but that is a more expensive solution than paying teachers a little more to encourage retention.

Teachers and MCPS staff are paid better and get better benefits than county employees. Most people work evenings and weekends and don't have flexibility. Enough is enough with the lack of accountability and waste and increasing taxes.

Yes, teachers have generally have higher pay and better benefits than comparable county positions, adjusted for the 10 month position. But classroom teachers absolutely with longer hours and have significantly less flexibility than those other positions.

I'm generally not one to defend teachers, but the characteristics of the position are awful compared to other professional jobs. At least, until you get into positions that pay far more.

Clearly, you have never worked some of those jobs if you are saying teachers work longer hours and harder. Many of the county jobs are not 9-5.

Back on topic. Has anyone seen the actual FY27 Operating Budget? It is still not public. Maybe someone on a secret committee has a copy?

Is there a consequence to MCPS on missing its deadline for making the budget public?

What level of granularity is required under that deadline?

They actually have until tomorrow. Taylor's slide presentation said: Tue, December 23 FY 2027 Operating Budget Book Posted Online

Then he lied.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The brutal truth, pp, is that this isn't unique to education, either. A significant amount of government spending goes directly and indirectly to labor. Government employees like teachers. Funding for labor-intensive services like health care. Maintaining government services at an equal level requires spending more money than inflation each year.

This is not inherently unsustainable, though. Economic output is increasing overall, too. If wages, overall, increase faster than tax increases, then it's fine indefinitely. Even if the tax rate goes up, if you still have more money due to the economic improvements, it's a net win for you.

Part of the problem is that wages have stagnated, though, with the bulk of those economic improvements going to the wealthy. That's a problem that needs societal improvements and tax changes.

The county employees don't get the same pay raises and benefits MCPS employees get, especially when you look at salaries of equal jobs and one is a 10 month employee vs. a 12 month employee.

MoCo needs to make spending cuts and choose its priorities.

Or choose its priorities and increase taxes.

DP, but I think a lot of people in the county would put schools at the top of their priority list for county resources.

And FWIW, I generally agree teacher pay is pretty good at first glance. But the working conditions, time demands, and lack of flexibility are major challenges. In light of those, the pay isn't great. Personally, I think we'd be better off hiring more staff to both improve education and reduce the demands on individual teachers, but that is a more expensive solution than paying teachers a little more to encourage retention.

Teachers and MCPS staff are paid better and get better benefits than county employees. Most people work evenings and weekends and don't have flexibility. Enough is enough with the lack of accountability and waste and increasing taxes.

Yes, teachers have generally have higher pay and better benefits than comparable county positions, adjusted for the 10 month position. But classroom teachers absolutely with longer hours and have significantly less flexibility than those other positions.

I'm generally not one to defend teachers, but the characteristics of the position are awful compared to other professional jobs. At least, until you get into positions that pay far more.

Clearly, you have never worked some of those jobs if you are saying teachers work longer hours and harder. Many of the county jobs are not 9-5.

Back on topic. Has anyone seen the actual FY27 Operating Budget? It is still not public. Maybe someone on a secret committee has a copy?

Is there a consequence to MCPS on missing its deadline for making the budget public?

What level of granularity is required under that deadline?

They actually have until tomorrow. Taylor's slide presentation said: Tue, December 23 FY 2027 Operating Budget Book Posted Online

Then he lied.

Huh? He said it will be posted tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The brutal truth, pp, is that this isn't unique to education, either. A significant amount of government spending goes directly and indirectly to labor. Government employees like teachers. Funding for labor-intensive services like health care. Maintaining government services at an equal level requires spending more money than inflation each year.

This is not inherently unsustainable, though. Economic output is increasing overall, too. If wages, overall, increase faster than tax increases, then it's fine indefinitely. Even if the tax rate goes up, if you still have more money due to the economic improvements, it's a net win for you.

Part of the problem is that wages have stagnated, though, with the bulk of those economic improvements going to the wealthy. That's a problem that needs societal improvements and tax changes.

The county employees don't get the same pay raises and benefits MCPS employees get, especially when you look at salaries of equal jobs and one is a 10 month employee vs. a 12 month employee.

MoCo needs to make spending cuts and choose its priorities.

Or choose its priorities and increase taxes.

DP, but I think a lot of people in the county would put schools at the top of their priority list for county resources.

And FWIW, I generally agree teacher pay is pretty good at first glance. But the working conditions, time demands, and lack of flexibility are major challenges. In light of those, the pay isn't great. Personally, I think we'd be better off hiring more staff to both improve education and reduce the demands on individual teachers, but that is a more expensive solution than paying teachers a little more to encourage retention.

Teachers and MCPS staff are paid better and get better benefits than county employees. Most people work evenings and weekends and don't have flexibility. Enough is enough with the lack of accountability and waste and increasing taxes.

Yes, teachers have generally have higher pay and better benefits than comparable county positions, adjusted for the 10 month position. But classroom teachers absolutely with longer hours and have significantly less flexibility than those other positions.

I'm generally not one to defend teachers, but the characteristics of the position are awful compared to other professional jobs. At least, until you get into positions that pay far more.

Clearly, you have never worked some of those jobs if you are saying teachers work longer hours and harder. Many of the county jobs are not 9-5.

Back on topic. Has anyone seen the actual FY27 Operating Budget? It is still not public. Maybe someone on a secret committee has a copy?

Is there a consequence to MCPS on missing its deadline for making the budget public?

What level of granularity is required under that deadline?

They actually have until tomorrow. Taylor's slide presentation said: Tue, December 23 FY 2027 Operating Budget Book Posted Online

Then he lied.

Huh? He said it will be posted tomorrow.

This thread

[Anonymous]

Here is the MCPS FY2027 Recommended Operating Budget: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/budget/fy2027/2027operatingbudget.pdf

[Anonymous]

Good news for Taylor: Elrich is signaling he's inclined to give him everything he's asking for the operating budget and the CIP. I have no idea how he plans on doing this but the fact that he's saying this in public is a big win for Taylor.

SOURCE: https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/12/23/elrich-optimistic-about-fully-funding-proposed-mcps-spending-fy27/

Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said Tuesday he’s “optimistic” the county will be able to fully fund Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) proposed $3.78 billion spending plan for fiscal year 2027 as well as its proposed $2.7 billion six-year capital improvements program.

MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor’s proposed spending for the fiscal year that begins July 1 includes the $3.78 billion operating budget, which he unveiled during a presentation at the county school board headquarters in Rockville last week.

The county school board is reviewing Taylor’s proposal and will vote on the spending plan before submitting it to Elrich for consideration in his county budget proposal.

The district’s fiscal year 2027 proposal also includes a $2.7 billion six-year capital improvements program (CIP) approved last month by the school board.

The district’s CIP for fiscal year 2027 represents an $850 million increase over the current spending program. Taylor, who took over as MCPS superintendent in July 2024, has said the spending increase is needed to address longstanding facilities issues including faulty heating and ventilation systems, mold and leaky roofs.

During his weekly virtual media briefing on Tuesday, Elrich said the facilities issues are a result of “a long history of undone maintenance and repairs” that the district wasn’t open about until now.

“They managed to work us into a giant hole that’s many, many years in the making,” Elrich said of the district. “As the superintendent, I think, pointed out, it’s gonna take a long time to undo. He’s not trying to undo it in just the next six years – his ask for capital extends well beyond the decade.”

[Anonymous]

Special education question- if you look at page 57-58, it looks like he is not requesting any staffing for the SESS, Bridge, and Extensions programs, am I reading that wrong? What would happen to students in these programs? This can’t be right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Special education question- if you look at page 57-58, it looks like he is not requesting any staffing for the SESS, Bridge, and Extensions programs, am I reading that wrong? What would happen to students in these programs? This can’t be right?

I thought the same thing, but those programs appear later on - can't remember what page now. It looks to me like they're being moved to a different part of special education, not eliminated.

[Anonymous]

Anyone in SESS, Bridge, or Extension know what this means for these programs?

[Anonymous]

Can anyone identify what CO positions were cut?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tonight, Dr. Taylor will release his 2027 operating budget recommendations:

This is going to drive the rest of the conversation for the school system between now and the June, so you'll want to tune in, pay attention and take lots of notes.

I predict gimmicky props and cringey dad jokes from Taylor. But given the budget shortfalls at the state and county levels, I also expect some pretty sobering statements and decisions as well as we simply don't have the money to fix all that is broken with MCPS. At least not all at once and in the face of declining enrollments and stagnant growth in the county.

Let's be clear: we- the county and state- do have the money if we would prioritize and fund schools appropriately, as has been done in the past. There just isn't public support or political will to do the necessary tax increases or other-spending decreases to do so.

We have a $1.5 billion shortfall at the state level. What kind of pocket change can be found in the couch cushions to close that kind of gap?

At the county level: We JUST raised taxes in 2023 https://dcist.com/story/23/05/25/md-montgomery-county-council-property-taxes-hike/

You think there's more appetite or willingness to raise property taxes AGAIN in the face of our county being decimated by DOGE and all of the chaos at the White House?

And even if we could muster that political will up, WHY should anyone feel good about pouring more money into MCPS with all of its systemic failures and incompetence?

MCPS has been a problem that seemingly no amount of money can fix.

How convenient for you that your parents and grandparents didn't hold the same view when you went to school.

People seem to forget inflation also applies to the costs incurred by public services- especially public services driven by labor costs. MCPS funding has gone up nominally, but inflation-adjusted per-student funding has gone down, with this past year being the exception to this trend.

Inflation adjusted per student funding is well over levels from two decades ago. It is about even with funding at the height of the housing bubble.

[Anonymous]

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OMB/Resources/Files/omb/pdfs/FY26/psprec/10-MontgomeryCountyPublicSchools-FY2026-REC-Publication-Report.pdf

Using the numbers in the linked document and the BLS CPI calculator, this is what I found for inflation adjusted per pupil funding amounts in November 2025 dollars:

1984-1985: $13,398
1989-1990: $16,305
1994-1995: $15,287
1999-2000: $16,244
2004-2005: $19,630
2009-2010: $23,427
2014-2015: $20,522
2019-2020: $20,477
2024-2025: $21,058
2025-2026: $22,644

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