Montgomery County supervisors hear MCPS proposal calling for pay-scale fixes, free school meals and new programs
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Summary
Montgomery County Public Schools presented a FY2027 proposed operating and nutrition budget that would raise starting wages, add personnel and expand universal school meals; the county and school leaders outlined a projected ADM of 9,005, a roughly $17 million funding gap and a county request of $8.3 million.
Montgomery County Public Schools on Feb. 23 presented its proposed fiscal year 2027 operating and school nutrition budgets to the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors, asking the county to provide $8,296,483 in additional support while outlining several personnel and program additions.
The presentation, delivered by the school division's new superintendent and Mr. Bennett, said the division implemented salary-compression changes that reduced pay scales from more than 30 steps to 20, increased the division's minimum hourly wage from $15 to $16 (with a proposed increase to $17 for some positions), and expanded free breakfast participation by 40% to 3,150 students. The proposal bases its state funding projection on a division ADM of 9,005 for FY27; the Virginia Department of Education's current projection was lower at 8,898.
The nut of the budget request includes salary enhancements, maintenance of employee health insurance costs, new benefits for bus drivers, targeted interventions, and expanded mental-health services. School presenters told the board the governor's proposed budget includes a 2% salary increase and one-time bonuses for SOQ-funded positions only, and that the division must cover non-SOQ position costs locally.
Key proposed additions include two teachers for an alternative education program, six elementary assistant principals (three of which were already approved in the current year), two ASL teachers, a CTE marketing teacher, additional counselors and behavioral specialists, two speech therapists, a bilingual liaison family engagement coordinator and a part-time testing coordinator assistant. The school nutrition fund request would include a $1,145,905 transfer to cover the jump in participation and the introduction of universal free lunch.
Board members asked detailed questions about per-pupil spending and the interaction of step increases with the proposed 2% raise. The presenters said the teacher group would see an average increase of about 3.8% (2% plus step movement), while support staff would average about 8.6% because of pay-scale adjustments that raise lower-paid positions more steeply. The cost to extend health insurance to bus drivers was estimated at about $250,000.
The presenters also highlighted structural funding issues: a recent Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission report found Virginia divisions receive roughly 14% less funding on average than comparable districts, and the school team estimated an approximate funding gap of $17 million for the division under current projections.
The board will consider the request during the county budget process, with a joint meeting between the board of supervisors and the school board scheduled for March 16 and the county administrator's budget presentation set for March 9.
