Baltimore County educators urge board to reverse plan to reclassify psychologists and secondary counseling chairs

School psychologists, secondary counseling department chairs and union representatives urged the Board of Education of Baltimore County on March 25 to reverse a superintendent proposal to reclassify several counseling and psychology positions from 12 months to 10 months.

Speakers described the change as a pay cut and warned it would reduce services for students. "They are gonna be getting EYE days and unused vacation paid out as well as the r factor guaranteed in our contract, but it's not only the loss of the benefit of vacation and base salary, but the feeling that their work is not valued," said Cindy Sexton of TAPCO. Sexton said the change represents a "19% reduction in base pay."

The concern was raised repeatedly during the meeting's public comment period. Brian Stewart, a counseling department chair at Catonsville High School, said the change "reduces our status from 12 to 10 month employees, and will significantly reduce our capacity to provide essential services to families throughout the year." Stewart estimated average salary loss of more than $18,000 per counseling department chair under the change, and said using proposed EYE days and vacation payouts would still leave a substantial reduction.

School psychologists described operational and student-service impacts. Sue Ellen Lafountain, who said she has been a school psychologist with BCPS for 28 years, told the board that the system can bill for psychology services year-round and that converting positions to 10 months would reduce third-party billing. She said BCPS could "lose approximately 2 and a half months of psychology billing time on a yearly basis," estimating a loss using prior-summer volumes of more than 170 hours of billable work. Sarah Stark, another BCPS psychologist, told the board that the district is already understaffed: "The recommended ratio of psychologists to student is 1 to 500. BCPS is currently 1 to 1,050 students."

Speakers also warned of recruitment and retention problems. Stark said neighboring counties offer 11- to 12-month positions or administrative pay scales and additional incentives; she predicted BCPS would be less competitive for hires if it reclassifies the role. Stewart said the proposed change could worsen summer coverage, delay new-entrant scheduling and increase class imbalance.

Board members asked clarifying questions about the district's decision-making and budget context during the meeting. Cindy Sexton and other commenters urged county government to fund negotiated agreements so cuts would not fall on staff. The transcript records requests from board members for additional data and for administration to consider alternatives.

The speakers did not report any board vote on the reclassification during the March 25 meeting; speakers asked the board to reinstate 12-month status or develop an alternate pay scale. The board did not take a publicly recorded final action on the reclassification during the meeting.

Community members and union representatives requested more information on the financial rationale and asked the board to work with county funding partners so negotiated compensation commitments are honored. Several speakers framed the change as a student-support issue: "A cut to school psychologists is a cut to mental health and special education services for students," Sarah Stark said.

The board scheduled other public hearings and business for upcoming meetings; the transcript records follow-up questions from board members requesting comments and written materials be shared with the board in advance of any action.