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Superintendent urges community to push commissioners to fully fund $13.3M school request
Summary
Worcester County superintendent Dr. Wallace told the Board of Education the district’s roughly $13.3 million operating increase is largely tied to employee compensation, benefits and mandated programs, and asked the public to contact county commissioners before the June 2 budget adoption.
Superintendent Dr. Wallace urged the Worcester County community and board to press county commissioners to fully fund the school system’s proposed operating budget, which she said represents roughly a $13,300,000 increase driven primarily by employee compensation and mandated program costs.
Dr. Wallace told the board the request was built around demonstrated operational, instructional and student-support needs, not discretionary wants. She said more than three-quarters of the increase is connected to salaries, negotiated raises for teachers and support staff, bus contractor pay, rising health-insurance costs and retirement obligations. Without sufficient funding, she warned, the district may lose grants and services for students.
She cited specific program risks: continuing pre-K in Pocomoke is essential, she said, noting that not continuing the program could forfeit about $800,000 in pre-K grant funding that supports sites including Ocean City Elementary School. The budget request also includes funding for technology lease payments, safety needs, an elementary 'rise' program for learners with significant behavioral challenges, additional bus aides for routes transporting pre-K children and increased substitute pay to maintain classroom coverage.
Dr. Wallace asked board members and the public to "stand loudly and proudly" as advocates: read the materials, attend meetings, and contact county commissioners before the June 2 county budget adoption. She emphasized that the conversation had shifted from availability of funds to priorities and that county officials had indicated the county is in a financially stable position.
The superintendent also noted philanthropic support secured for summer academy programming — a $150,000 award from the Donny Williams Foundation — and said the district needs an additional $50,000 in local support to run the programs at full fidelity.
The board received the presentation as an informational item; no budget vote occurred at the meeting. Administration and Dr. Wallace reminded the public of the county’s adoption schedule and urged continued advocacy over the coming days.
