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House Education backs AOE’s 3.9% budget and conversion of five temporary positions, asks for consultant use details
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Summary
The committee signaled general support for the Agency of Education’s 3.91% base increase and for converting five limited-service positions to permanent; members noted a $17.4 million special-funds shift as Medicaid LEA grants move to AHS and requested more information on consultant spending.
The House Education committee on Tuesday reviewed the Agency of Education’s budget and agreed by consensus to support the department’s 3.91% base increase and the conversion of five limited-service (temporary) positions into permanent posts while asking for more information about the use of consultants.
Committee staff summarized the budget as a near-4% increase in base funding and said the most consequential proposal was making five positions, originally funded under Act 73 as limited-service roles, permanent to address chronic staffing shortages. Members said at least one of the positions is finance- or administration-facing rather than an in-the-field school post, and noted prior difficulty hiring for short-term appointments.
Separately, staff clarified the budget shows a $17,400,000 decrease in AOE’s special funds because Medicaid LEA grants are being shifted from AOE to the Agency of Human Services (AHS); committee members emphasized this is an interagency budget shift rather than a net service reduction in the State’s accounts. "It's a shift away — it's not that they just cut it," a staff presenter said when explaining the line item.
Committee members repeatedly urged accountability on consultant spending. Several said they supported making the positions permanent if that approach reduces reliance on consultants, but asked staff to provide detail on what consultants have been engaged to do and whether permanent hires might supplant consultant roles.
Chair said the committee would include language in its budget memo endorsing the conversion of the five positions, supporting the AOE base increase, and requesting follow-up information on consultant use for the Appropriations Committee to consider. The committee did not take a formal roll-call vote during the discussion and the memo will reflect consensus positions and questions for appropriators.
Next steps: the committee chair said he will draft the budget memo, circulate it to staff members for verification, and aim to finalize it by Thursday.
