By Adam Pagnucco.
In a message just sent to MCPS employees, MCPS has confirmed my analysis of its budget package as not containing layoffs. The school system now states that the number of open teacher positions exceeds the number of teachers to be transferred, so that “it is likely that no currently employed teachers will face a job loss.” The message also makes no mention of furloughs.
MCPS’s statement to employees is reprinted below.
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Teacher Staffing Update Shows Open Positions to Cover Impact of Class Size Increase / A Message from Montgomery County Public Schools
The following message was sent to all Montgomery County Public Schools employees.
Dear MCPS Staff,
Current and anticipated teacher vacancies, including resignations and retirements, are projected to eliminate reductions in teacher positions due to the increase in class size guidance starting in the 2024 2025 school year. Original estimates of position reductions indicated that approximately 120 currently employed teachers may have lost a job. Current projections for available open positions for general education teachers number approximately 256, while teachers impacted by involuntary transfer or as a result of the class size guidance increase are numbering 229.8. These are daily calculations as the number of vacancies fluctuates. There also are still 90 open special education teaching positions. Therefore, it is likely that no currently employed teachers will face a job loss.
Reassignments or transfers are usual when transitioning from one school year to another, and this is particularly true this year because of the class size guidance increase and flat enrollment. Human Resources staff are communicating with impacted employees about the reassignment process now. Teachers receiving new assignments will be communicated to school leaders by Wednesday, June 12, and, importantly, to impacted educators by Thursday, June 13.
Many in the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) community have raised concerns about the impact of an increase in the class size. Although there will be a class size guidance increase of no more than one student per class at each level (elementary, middle and high), there will not be an increase in every classroom. These decisions are based on the enrollment and specific programmatic needs at individual schools.
While a class size increase is never the first choice, an expected operating budget deficit of $30 million to the Board of Education’s FY 2025 Tentatively Adopted Operating Budget from February 2024 requires that savings be identified and achieved through various measures. By adding no more than one student per class, we can ensure that we remain within the typical national trends for average class sizes, while still meeting the needs of our students. Class size in the district currently follows the guidelines published in the annual operating budget (Appendix D). The final FY 2025 guidelines will be published in the final FY 2025 Operating Budget document.
As a school district, we are fully aware of how difficult this current situation is for everyone involved. We understand the concerns raised by many throughout our MCPS community about the impact of a class size increase. However, avoiding job cuts for current teachers is a significant positive step. This change, as well as the loss of 20 positions in the central services and the cutting or delaying of programs, will undoubtedly have an impact. In central services alone, when combining the superintendent’s proposed budget reductions from December of 2024 and including the most recent position reductions, the total reduction in central services is nearly 95 positions, a total of nearly $18 million.
The fact remains that the operational needs of school systems nationally, including MCPS, along with the loss of federal relief monies (ESSER), the state-mandated Blueprint requirements and the rising inflationary costs of all materials and services make meeting the basic needs of school operations very expensive. It is important to note that MCPS does not stand alone on this issue as other local school jurisdictions in Maryland are increasing class size guidelines by one or more students.
The FY 2025 operating budget does include key investments. Including:
- Additional funding for special education. This budget proposes an additional $13.5 million to support our special education requirements.
- Maintains student mental health supports previously funded by ESSER
- Implementation of the Core Knowledge Language Arts curriculum, a new elementary literacy curriculum that student achievement data indicates is needed.
- Additional funding for the Community Schools program will increase the number of these types of schools from 34 to 53. And
- Maintaining the 3% percent equivalent pay raise for employees.
Despite difficult decisions involving necessary reductions, the operating budget for next school year allows us to maintain high-quality teaching and learning for students throughout the district.
Montgomery County Public Schools