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PGCPS superintendent flags $150M shortfall, seeks $50M boost for special education
Summary
Superintendent Joseph told the Parent and Community Advisory Council that the district faces an estimated $150 million shortfall and will present options later this month; he said he will prioritize special education, reading and math, safety and preserving negotiated salary increases.
Superintendent Joseph told the Parent and Community Advisory Council on Jan. 7 that Prince George's County Public Schools is projecting a significant budget gap and will propose a set of priorities and parameters intended to protect classroom funding.
Joseph said the district's base budget totals about $3 billion and that, "if we do nothing, we'd have a $150,000,000 shortfall to fill." He said the administration will present a recommended plan later this month that outlines how to close that gap while preserving negotiated salary increases and avoiding cuts directly from school budgets.
Why it matters: the superintendent framed the budget as a values choice, saying how the district spends money shows priorities for students and communities. Joseph said he will request roughly $50 million in funds to address special-education shortfalls that he described as chronically underfunded locally and at the state level.
"We don't wanna take any money from schools because we know schools are already underfunded," Joseph said, adding that the administration will put parameters around cuts and focus on core instructional priorities: special education, reading and mathematics, professional development, safety and technology.
Joseph highlighted recent staffing progress: the district reduced vacancies by 52% year-over-year, from more than 900 open positions to fewer than 400, and said the administration has set salary levels to be competitive. He said the budget approach is intended to preserve those negotiated increases while finding efficiencies outside the classroom.
Parents and PCAC members pressed for clarity about where additional funds would come from and how restricted accounts (for example, special-education dollars) limit flexibility. Josaida Roxas Hinton, a PCAC member and parent, described long-standing barriers to obtaining supports for her child and said, "I finally got an advocate to advocate for me as a family... That was the only way that my son can have an IEP or help in a school." Joseph acknowledged those experiences and said the $50 million request for special education is a priority tied to feedback from listening sessions and public surveys.
On program expansion, Joseph said the district currently offers dual enrollment on campus at nine high schools and aims to expand to all 25 high schools next year, with partnerships planned with area institutions such as University of Maryland Global Campus, Prince George's Community College and Bowie State.
What's next: Joseph said staff will share summaries of the listening-and-learning process and a budget-focused packet to help PCAC members and the public engage. The district displayed upcoming budget sessions and asked PCAC members to participate; staff will present detailed options in the coming weeks.
