Howard County educators hope for fully-funded operational budget request

While Howard County Public Schools could get more than 99% of its operating budget request, the county's educators' union wants to see more.

The Howard County Education Association, or HCEA, wants to see the county fully fund the school system.

HCEA members made their voices heard this week, particularly on Monday at the Howard County Council's first public hearing on the proposed operating budget.

At a work session between the county council and the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) leaders on Wednesday, a councilwoman brought up concerns about the budget as well.

Wanting more funding

It was all smiles when Howard County Executive Calvin Ball unveiled what he would like to see allocated for public schools.    

In his proposed operating budget, he's pitching to give HCPSS more than $871 million. It leaves a $6.2 million gap, which is something the school district has said it could cover.

Ben Schmitt, HCEA's president, said the county's budget needs to fully cover the Board of Education's request.

"Yeah, [the gap] may be only $6.2 [million], but if the school system has to spend $6.2 million out of fund balance, they're borrowing that money against the following year's budget," Schmitt said. "So, why do we automatically wanna go into the following fiscal year at a deficit?"

Schmitt and many of his union members wore red at Monday's public hearing to implore the county council to increase public schools funding, saying more funding can help heal the cuts made in recent years.

Last year, the Board of Education cut 102 positions to balance the budget.

"This budget doesn't even restore the staff and programs we've already lost over the last couple of years," said Katie Murdza, a special education elementary teacher with HCPSS. "We're fighting just to maintain and improve basic fundamental educational practices."

This year's proposed allocation for schools is a $57 million increase from last year. With federal funding, the total allocation for public schools is slated to be nearly $1.3 billion.

The Board of Education requested more than $1.6 billion in its operating budget request.

Filling the gap

Howard County Council questioned school district leaders about their budget approach this cycle on Wednesday.

Councilwoman Deb Jung is concerned about the school district filling the $6.2 million gap, also bringing up recent cuts.

"[The cuts] were programs very critical to many of the people who moved to Howard County for our public schools," she said.

But those school district leaders assured county council their numbers are in black, not red.

"We're in a much better overall financial condition this year than we were last year. We're proposing significantly less use of one time funds this year than we did last year to balance the budget," said HCPSS CFO Brian Hull.

HCPSS will have $4.7 million left in funds if the school district has to fill the budget gap, according to Hull. He said that's "almost exactly" how much the school district had last year.