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Educators and students urge full BCPS funding; psychologists say 12‑month positions cut to 10 months
Summary
Teachers, students and school psychologists urged Baltimore County leaders to fully fund Baltimore County Public Schools. Psychologists said their positions were changed from 12‑month to 10‑month, a move they warned will reduce services and legal compliance.
Educators, students and school psychologists used a District 5 town hall to press County Executive Cathy Klausmeier and Councilman David Marks to fully fund Baltimore County Public Schools and to reverse recent personnel changes school psychologists say will reduce year‑round services.
Joelle Bielski, director of staff relations for Baltimore County Public Schools, told the meeting that underfunding would “negatively impact student achievement and disrupt our forward progress,” and urged the county to fully fund the BCPS budget request to keep competitive salaries and staffing.
Several students and parents also asked for expanded college readiness and extracurricular funding. Brianna Zhang, a junior at Eastern Technical High School, requested restoring summer coverage for CCBC tuition‑free courses so students can earn college credits outside the school year. Multiple speakers urged the county to allocate $1,300,000 cited here as a student‑led request for extracurricular and advisor support.
A central theme among staff was a sudden personnel decision affecting psychologists. Genevieve Yeager, a school psychologist, said staff were notified in a March 12 meeting that the department would be partially laid off effective July 1 — moving many psychologists from a 12‑month to a 10‑month assignment and cutting take‑home pay. Yeager said the change affects countywide duties that occur year‑round, including extended‑school‑year services, infant/toddler assessments and legal timelines tied to special‑education services.
Mara Egorin, a school psychologist with 26 years’ experience, said psychological services are central office functions that serve students across the county during the summer and that the change could affect compliance and planning for schoolwide behavioral supports.
Educators at the meeting also raised pay and staffing concerns. Teacher Shane Henry questioned BCPS’s proposed budget increases and called for stronger oversight of BCPS spending to ensure money reaches classrooms.
Klausmeier and Councilman Marks acknowledged hearing the concerns and referenced an efficiency audit and further review; they said they would examine the changes and the county’s role in funding and oversight.
Ending: County leaders will receive formal budget requests from BCPS during the upcoming budget cycle; school psychologists and educators asked the county to take staffing and year‑round service needs into account when finalizing FY26 funding.
