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Teachers and facilities staff press county to fully fund BCPS wage agreement and school maintenance
Summary
Representatives of Baltimore County Public Schools staff and teachers asked county leaders to fund the second year of a three-year negotiated wage agreement, raise minimum hourly pay for some positions and fund facility maintenance and inspections.
Several speakers representing Baltimore County Public Schools staff and teachers urged the county to fully fund school system wage and facilities needs as Baltimore County builds its FY26 budget.
Christina Bosetti, identified as manager of BCPS Facility Support Services and president of the BCPS Organization for Professional Employees (OPE) union, said long-standing staffing shortages in facilities, maintenance, grounds and custodial work make a competitive wage scale essential. She cited Montgomery County's plan to set a $20 minimum wage for school staff effective July 1, 2025, to argue BCPS pay needs to be competitive with neighboring jurisdictions and the private sector.
Natalie Avaloni, a 26-year teacher at Patapsco High School and a board member representing District 3 for the Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO), asked county leaders to fully fund the second year of a three-year negotiated agreement for teacher wages. "We simply ask that you keep your promise to teachers," Avaloni said, citing the need for stability to recruit and retain educators across more than 150 schools serving over 100,000 students.
Speakers also requested funding for maintenance and inspectors so aging school infrastructure and other county facilities receive needed repairs and oversight.
Why it matters: pay and staffing levels for school employees affect operations, student safety and educational continuity. Funding a negotiated wage package and increasing maintenance capacity were described as steps to improve hiring, retention and building conditions.
County and school officials at the town hall did not announce formal budget allocations; speakers were asked to submit additional testimony via email and follow up with department contacts where applicable.
