Teachers union and parents fault school-based budgeting, surplusing practices; teacher says theater program cut

Union representatives and school staff urged Baltimore City Public Schools commissioners to overhaul school-based budgeting and surplus procedures, saying the current processes often leave educators and families out of meaningful decision-making and push fine-arts educators out of classrooms.

Christina Evans, speaking for the Baltimore Teachers Union, told the board the budget process is frequently presented to school communities as if it were final rather than a set of options. "In many cases, notice about these meetings is given late," Evans said, adding that surplusing and reassignments have created confusion and that some positions, particularly in fine arts, appear to be replaced by vendors or contractors.

Teacher Robin Bingham of Vanguard Collegiate Middle School described a specific school-level example: her theater program, in its second year and built with donated equipment and principal support, was substantially cut when the principal presented a submitted budget that she said was final. Bingham said community input meetings occurred but subsequent presentations to the school community showed the principal's submitted budget had already removed fine-arts staffing. "I was told that it was already submitted, and that was it," she said, and asked the board to urge the district to rescind the principal's decision to cut her position so she could continue to build the program.

Why this matters: school-based budgeting is intended to let principals align resources to school needs; the union and public commenters said inconsistent implementation and late communication undercut transparency and stability for staff and programs. Concerns included unclear vacancy lists, a difficult applicant tracking system, and reports of unprofessional notification of staff about surplusing.

Key points

- The BTU called for increased transparency, meaningful stakeholder participation and a re-examination of the FAIR Student Funding Model after 15 years, stating the model has not produced equitable engagement or outcomes across the district. - The union said surplusing practices have extended to certification-alignment reassignments and that educators report receiving surplusing notices in "unprofessional, unethical, and inappropriate" ways. - Vanguard theater teacher Robin Bingham said her principal cut fine-arts staffing after community input meetings, and she asked the board to rescind the decision and restore the position to preserve program continuity.

Quotes

"When educators and families feel that they have no voice in decisions that drastically impact their schools, staffing, programs, and supports, they begin to disengage," said Christina Evans, representing the Baltimore Teachers Union.

"I was told that it was already submitted, and that was it," Vanguard teacher Robin Bingham said describing the school's budget presentation that removed her theater position.

Ending

Board members acknowledged the testimony and asked for follow-up. Commissioners and staff described existing supports for principals during the budget process, including pre-collaboratives, principal supervisors, budget analysts and templates to help principals communicate with their communities. The BTU reiterated a request to meet with district finance representatives to discuss supplemental funding and surplusing practices.