[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":44,"_46":47,"_48":49,"_50":51,"_52":53,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":59,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":65,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6063970,"mediaKeyId","3258380-865247e23160e9aff03c5f0ea00cd842","parentId",3258380,"title","Principals and staff warn blueprint funding and student-based budgeting will force teacher cuts; boardists seek clarity","audioSeconds",0,"startMs",3204000,"endMs","viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3258380-865247e23160e9aff03c5f0ea00cd842&start=3204&end=3204","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3258380-865247e23160e9aff03c5f0ea00cd842/thumbnail_3204000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6063970/Maryland/Principals-and-staff-warn-blueprint-funding-and-student-based-budgeting-will-force-teacher-cuts-boardists-seek-clarity","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6063970-7603f9bd351ce635f258c934ffd7f4f9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136662&Signature=JsZQMUGxeeI-mYGTBjShckGUZOYPfeGFet3gcF8va6kjDKR2i0EIbZeQb3-47VP0GvReLF3ZW3VGaIvGzP5xWkl~y1185BSokSdd8axIMkQxmY1PHicwXuzgh9CXVpDNB-Lp6lP6lRgdsib5Df~st8P6Ee2WnEFpyxewnsrvCqsG6VU1R75nHFJzREXdhMtzSKnsCwuv1Ct6gsWSR9MMNV~XaOv6fYUghbcfGz38tfgBxFQ088Fk~xOxZK8Hv1Ripy2nEuJ6pWrL7DLgiR3MkSjyXaUri5VEGQGPIEqTfCwAX6cUlsto4MMW-l2D2wL9lK~AVPy9hjVuoe3Nx7uOKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Prince George's County Public Schools","date","2025-05-09T13:21:18Z","article","Principals, teachers and district staff used public comment and committee reports at the May 8 meeting to describe how the county's implementation of Maryland's blueprint funding formula and student-based budgeting is producing school-level deficits and staffing losses.

\"As I enter my seventh year as the principal of Hillcrest Heights Elementary, this will be the first year when I will be unable to bring back eight staff members,\" David Brown, principal of Hillcrest Heights Elementary, told the board. He said roughly 100 of his 415 scholars (about 20 percent) would lose intervention supports in reading and math if positions are eliminated.

Lakeisha Struthers, principal at Kettering Middle School, said the new baseline staffing formula leaves her school with a deficit of over $900,000 before adding any new initiatives. \"This is not sustainable,\" she said, adding that her school protects instruction and used efficiencies to meet past deficits but that the new formula threatens those gains.

Multiple public commenters — including classroom teacher Cara Robinson and ESP representative Essence Hinder — described a bargaining standoff and a recruitment and retention crisis. \"We are in a recruitment and retention crisis,\" Dr. Donna Christie said. \"The district's proposed starting salary is not even a living wage in this county.\" Teachers urged the board to prioritize salary and retention to avoid deepening vacancies.

Board members repeatedly asked administration for school-by-school analyses, written communications previously sent to principals, and clarity on how locked central-office allocations (for example the 12-month assistant principal position discussed during contract votes) interact with school budgets. Several board members said they had heard conflicting messages from principals and requested the exact language the administration used when notifying schools of changes.

The administration said it would supply written language and work with area offices to clarify which schools will receive centrally provided positions, and how the student-based budgeting allocations will be applied in FY26.

Next steps: Board members asked the superintendent and budget office for school-level staffing impact reports, lists of schools receiving locked positions, and further explanations of the blueprint funding calculations before finalizing the district's FY26 budget.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","PGCPS Board of Education Business Meeting - 5/8/2025","oneSentenceSummary","Principals and educators told the board that the district's shift to the state blueprint funding formula and student-based budgeting has produced large school deficits that may force elimination of teachers and intervention staff; board members sought more detail and asked administration for clearer communications.","taxTitle","Prince George's County Public Schools, School Boards, Maryland","taxId",14202,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_46":81,"_48":82,"_50":83,"_52":84,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":85,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":86,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6063974,"Parents, operators urge board to restore Excel Academy enrollment and funding after relocation and renewal notice",453,1544000,1997000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3258380-865247e23160e9aff03c5f0ea00cd842&start=1544&end=1997","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3258380-865247e23160e9aff03c5f0ea00cd842/thumbnail_1544000.jpg","/articles/6063974/Maryland/Parents-operators-urge-board-to-restore-Excel-Academy-enrollment-and-funding-after-relocation-and-renewal-notice","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6063974-4a4e31669a7ea04d9e289609ba119fea/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136662&Signature=GOjs39opqEHLbjbwxjBJCHPtrC-H9gwK~XHaXO-TgNecKymZIuO7wpwFE1u9QAPrhlgdSNzbA0Ja7dTP47H-bHe2iHu5GlFjb7wff-seAJK5XOun6MRUyJNS-GvomPME59u04GjfHkLyjVHS89o1JsPKtYf4LiroZh3MzwRE1JxxpsBsVbXmTvmtwNXD4XelWMJvomyRwhKx3T9RHUi0y8-VQ30j5koMm~qoNfhuZo5eUy5mXGG3TTihc3Ob8abfhZsV2Q1318vUNkQl0FQuBBOFbIArHll76Ytxqeaa8LN0vrnDBBDgbjR~bbvEbyCgOEZZGlhhkH2~IN7eraRA0w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Several parents, school operators and community advocates told the Prince George's County Board of Education on May 8 that Excel Academy Public Charter School faces an immediate enrollment and funding crisis after a relocation and a notice about possible nonrenewal.

\"We've been budgeted for 463 scholars when this body approved us for 600 in 2022, and that is a number that we need to reach in order to be financially solvent,\" said Lisa Butler McDougall, operator of Excel Academy Public Charter School. McDougall told the board the school has already lost roughly 80 seats and asked the board to reduce the district's administrative fee to 2 percent and to restore an enrollment allotment of 600.

Dr. Stephanie Watson, speaking as a concerned parent and advocate, told the board she sees charter cuts as an equity issue for communities of color and said the district should \"ask tough questions of the district administrators who are effectively blocking enrollment to our school.\" Several parents described a recent forced relocation during COVID and said the school's listing in the district enrollment portal has been inconsistent, which they say has suppressed sign-ups.

Speakers asked the board to reconsider decisions that they said would destabilize Excel Academy and similar community-rooted charters. Operators and parents described the school as the county's longest-running charter offering the International Baccalaureate framework and said the school produces positive outcomes for alumni; they requested concrete relief: a restored enrollment allocation of 600 and a reduced administrative fee.

The board did not take an immediate vote on charter funding at the meeting. Speakers said written documentation, including any district notices to the school and the current enrollment calculation, is needed to evaluate operating allocations.

Next steps: Board members asked for continued dialogue with the superintendent and the district's finance team; the district has indicated it is reviewing state guidance from the state superintendent that clarifies legacy charter funding and that additional details on special education funding remain under review.","Multiple speakers during public comment asked the board to restore funding and enrollment to Excel Academy Public Charter School, saying a recent relocation and a notice about possible nonrenewal have reduced enrollment and threatened the school's financial viability.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_46":93,"_48":94,"_50":95,"_52":96,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":97,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":98,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6063978,"Board ratifies ASASP contract; debate rises over 12-month assistant principal positions and school budgets",35,7266000,7301000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3258380-865247e23160e9aff03c5f0ea00cd842&start=7266&end=7301","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3258380-865247e23160e9aff03c5f0ea00cd842/thumbnail_7266000.jpg","/articles/6063978/Maryland/Board-ratifies-ASASP-contract-debate-rises-over-12-month-assistant-principal-positions-and-school-budgets","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6063978-a68b122bc719c7fcd6db4e8392454a98/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136662&Signature=e57FtdBxj14Xlrh3Z0ev32WFvrTMcgk4nD14ZpEEQ~EtaaOulWH-LQEjXf~w30ELN6zVVu5NVeTysuYmyRMabCX5KUe0mUN6grONhNJxNnN7Tv-FHGQUJI3IIBI~qgDvmEXxdHfR1KSyTGDzr7eiSL-B~K2hqopD7hpnMIpGnZGx0B7e~zHNlS1HOgmhibI203AVYOlspsYTvBCXl0bu9mxjWYskuDpL5uSRzJ2rSbwLjCoMZb03ONE1KEUCJlYbUbBKTtWJRZ1bRdHRHwBCnKTVSyVX6np5xzxKkGdduOjEbkH80SmaDNmgAlwDY7C-4tfsfdlC092zgv4xiERu9w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Prince George's County Board of Education voted to adopt a tentative negotiated agreement with the Association of Supervisory and Administrative School Personnel (ASASP) on May 8, approving the contract after board discussion.

\"This is not in the contract,\" Dr. Baldwin, chief of human resources, said when asked whether the agreement requires schools to hire an assistant principal even if that would displace teachers. \"The initial response is no. This is not in the contract. In regards to FY26, we have partnered to allocate one 12-month assistant principal position to each one of our schools.\" Board members pressed for clarity about how those 12-month allocations would be funded and whether the change would reduce discretionary school-based budgets.

Board members voiced concern that principals had received different messages about whether an assistant principal was mandatory and whether the district's action would force schools to choose between instructional staff and additional administrative coverage. The district's explanation was that the system is providing a locked 12-month assistant principal position for some schools (about 46 schools were identified as not currently having an assistant principal), while existing 11-month assistant principal positions remain available for principals to purchase from their student-based budgeting allocations.

The board approved the ASASP agreement by roll call, with nine members voting yes. Several board members asked administration to provide written language and clear communication to principals and area offices on which schools will receive locked positions and how the allocations will be implemented.

The administration said it would provide the board with the specific written communications that went to principals and follow up with area offices for impacted schools. The contract itself does not change the student-based budgeting rules; the allocation decision was presented as a central-office staffing choice to provide additional year-round administrative capacity for some school buildings.

Next steps: administration will supply written communications and lists of affected schools and will clarify which positions are locked and how funding is sourced.","The board approved a tentative agreement with the Association of Supervisory and Administrative School Personnel (ASASP). Discussion focused on district plans to provide one 12-month assistant principal position to some schools and whether that allocation affects school-based budgets and staffing.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_46":105,"_48":106,"_50":107,"_52":108,"_54":55,"_56":57,"_58":109,"_60":61,"_62":63,"_64":110,"_66":67,"_68":69,"_70":71,"_72":73,"_74":73},6063983,"Board rejects $649,000 rapid financial review contract; asks superintendent to return with alternatives",1427,4356000,5783000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3258380-865247e23160e9aff03c5f0ea00cd842&start=4356&end=5783","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3258380-865247e23160e9aff03c5f0ea00cd842/thumbnail_4356000.jpg","/articles/6063983/Maryland/Board-rejects-649000-rapid-financial-review-contract-asks-superintendent-to-return-with-alternatives","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6063983-7691431a2824366ea4056811d126f9a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136662&Signature=eVIFmz5rT6j84YLc0Y-upR7JlNRuCQEzl2Ggv4DjLsvuHeI~CFmhLMyhFCrmiQm1M1JI9QjAVjJk1tyd96iWl4Rqicn8niAodGtdsnbGQ8XcykqBJTrnZ~QQ6gxSdOvT0dlXpZKs9nGhPJwq4wYMEOo~jURuMP3D3WvNzjQPPmJbZI3EkWPMbMCwGfqizuL07V3NTwThr3dhgv9W7UTI5mss~PNno-WcWII617buiGvup82u-deaSfR5i0YBmpr-iyEa-fRAHnmXJkxI05QcNWmCFlDmyCBApjhCMY8o-tRv28Q4l29KOn~z5~b7G0QXa~gFKztQyVKAZbaeQOON9A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Prince George's County Board of Education on May 8 rejected a proposed $649,000 contract with Alvarez & Marsal for a \"rapid financial assessment and improvement support engagement,\" and asked Superintendent House to return with alternative vendors, clearer deliverables and comparative cost analyses.

Board members debated whether spending for an external financial review was appropriate while schools face cuts. \"This is a contract in the amount of $649,000,\" Board Member Dr. Moss said. \"I think this work makes a lot of sense in terms of what we need to do with finances. I don't think this is the right time.\" Board Member Boozer Struthers pushed the opposite view, saying the district's reporting and systems must improve and that now is the time to invest.

The vote on agenda item 15.8 failed in a roll call after discussion. The board recorded one affirmative vote and eight negative votes; board members voting no included Dr. Andifel, Mr. Briggs, Mrs. Brown, Ms. Goins McCants, Dr. Moss, Ms. Alabo, Ms. Walker and Chair Jackson. Following the failed motion, Board Member Wendy Walker moved — and the board adopted without objection — a directive for the superintendent to return at a future meeting with alternate vendors, a robust set of deliverables and a comparative analysis that includes the four financial buckets described in the original proposal.

Supporters of the Alvarez & Marsal engagement, including Board Member Boozer Struthers, argued the district needs stronger systems to comply with the new blueprint funding and to better tell the district's story to state legislators. Opponents said the timing and price were insensitive given large school-level cuts; Dr. Moss recounted visits to schools reporting reductions that included cuts to math and reading teachers.

Superintendent House had described the work in his superintendent's report earlier in the meeting, saying the district engaged Alvarez & Marsal to address manual financial processes, backlogs and operational risk. Board members asked for additional documentation about alternatives, client histories and clear evidence of return on investment before approving a contract of this size.

Next steps: the superintendent will return with alternatives, cost options and a comparative analysis for the board to review before any new contract is presented for a vote.","The Prince George's County Board of Education voted down a proposed $649,000 contract with Alvarez & Marsal for a rapid financial assessment and instead directed the superintendent to return with alternative vendors, cost options and comparative analyses.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Principals and staff warn blueprint funding and student-based budgeting will force teacher cuts; boardists seek clarity

Parents, operators urge board to restore Excel Academy enrollment and funding after relocation and renewal notice

Board ratifies ASASP contract; debate rises over 12-month assistant principal positions and school budgets

Board rejects $649,000 rapid financial review contract; asks superintendent to return with alternatives