MCPS officials mulling proposed raises | Education

One proposed measure: a median pay enhance of 5% for workers. The division would wish to a minimum of present a 2.5% increase for the upcoming faculty yr to be eligible for state {dollars} that might go towards pay bumps in 2024, in response to latest discussions.

Increasing workers pay has been a precedence for MCPS over the previous a number of years, a interval throughout which the division gained important floor within the area by way of instructor salaries, in response to faculty officials.

The district, nevertheless — because it normally does in the course of the budgeting season — faces some hurdles with how it will meet a few of its upcoming operational wants.

Montgomery County lately unveiled its advisable price range for the subsequent fiscal yr and the proposal consists of a further $2.1 million in operational funding for the faculties, an quantity that falls wanting the $4.4 million in further cash requested by MCPS.

District officials and faculty board members mentioned among the funding challenges this previous week and briefly went over an concept that some senior workers strongly advisable towards.

Assistant Superintendent of Operations Tommy Kranz mentioned one choice that has been mentioned is allocating a portion of the cash the county earmarks for college capital initiatives to operations. He, nevertheless, discouraged the concept, which was a suggestion to take $1 million of that earmark and apply it to the pay raises.

“I’m against that from a pure financial standpoint,” Kranz instructed the board. “You’re taking dollars for capital [and] you’re putting them in operations. And once in operations, it is extremely, extremely difficult to get it replaced.”

Additionally, Kranz spoke about how the choice can be unwise amid ever-increasing capital and upkeep wants throughout the district. He talked in regards to the division being chargeable for roughly 2.6 million sq. toes of house, however solely has about $800,000 for the upkeep of it.

“That’s it. That’s it,” he mentioned. “It should be well above $15 million to $16 million a year.”

Kranz instructed the board a few grasp services report that he mentioned is “honestly … going to scare you.”

“Our buildings are not where they need to be,” he mentioned.

As an instance, Kranz talked about Kipps Elementary School’s mechanical system, which he mentioned must be taken out of the constructing and “has no value.” He mentioned the district has hassle discovering elements for the system and that alternative work within the constructing must be executed by a means that’s 5 to 6 instances costlier.

“I’m not trying to give everybody gloom here, but I would highly recommend not taking capital dollars and using that for a raise,” he mentioned. “I would say let us continue to work and try to find other areas of our budget that we can get to the 5% mark.”

Kranz mentioned workers is trying to be again on the subsequent assembly, hopefully with some plan for funding the increase proposal.

The raises would value about $5.5 million, in response to the varsity district’s requested price range. Of that quantity, the governor is trying to present $1.9 million whereas holding the district chargeable for remaining $3.6 million, Kranz mentioned.

Then for 2024, Kranz mentioned, the governor’s proposed price range — which the MCPS official clarified may change — requires a 5.25% pay increase for academics.

Some faculty board members this previous week lamented the extent of state funding, which they’ve deemed inadequate.

“If we’re not educating our students with the best we can possibly bring in to Montgomery County and retain, the future of the county is at stake. That’s the bottom line,” mentioned board member Penny Franklin. “If we don’t educate our children, imagine what happens here in about 50 years. We got people who may not understand how this works.

“‘If you don’t stand up for something, you’ll fall for anything.’ Well, we’re going to fall big time if we don’t make sure public education is funded the way it should be.”