It contains a $20-million deficit.
Frederick, Md (KM). A proposed fiscal year 2020 budget for Frederick County Public Schools totaling $629.8-million was introduced on Monday. This spending plan is $27.5-million more than fiscal year 2019.
Superintendent Dr. Theresa Alban says the budget contains $17.7-million to complete the four-year transition to the new employee pay scale. “We must complete our four-year transition to more viable approach to FCPS salaries,” she says. “Completing the pay scale transition means completing the foundation for recruiting and retaining awesome talent in our classrooms, on our buses and in our offices.”
In introducing the budget through an on-line video, Dr. Alban said the proposed budget also contains funding to address enrollment growth. “Frederick County is a place where people want to live and work,” she says. “New residents continue to trust and choose Frederick County Public Schools. To support that growing enrollment in the next year, I proposed adding approximately 79 new positions, 49 of which are teachers.”
She said some of these new employees will deal with students who have special needs.
As part of her presentation, Dr. Alban said Frederick County has been recognized as a national leader in school security. “This budget builds on that foundation of excellence by including funding for mental health professionals to support students who may be heading for crisis; funding to continue to support our new state-of-the-art school visitor management system; and funding for enhanced IT security to help safeguard our data,” she says.
But there is one drawback with this proposed budget. “As it is, this budget represents $20.2-million more in expenditures than revenues,” says Dr. Alban. “Our elected leaders and I will work to bridge that gap.”
The Board of Education is scheduled to hold a budget discussion on Wednesday, January 9th beginning at 6:00 PM. The panel has also scheduled a budget worksession on January 16th from 9:30 AM until 3:30 PM,. the same day that the Governor is scheduled to release his fiscal year 2020 budget. The BOE will hold a budget discussion on January 23rd.
A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for Wednesday, February 6th beginning at 7:00 PM.
By Kevin McManus