Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Staffing topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Unions press council for a transformational budget to fix staffing, paraeducator vacancies and curriculum supports
Summary
Unions representing administrators, educators and support staff told the committee MCPS needs higher pay, fewer temporary part‑time positions, more paraeducators and assistant principals, and restored instructional materials for special‑education and ELL teachers.
Union leaders used the committee’s Oct. 31 hearing to press for staffing and operational changes they say are necessary to deliver student results.
Dr. Christine Handy, president of the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (MCAP), identified safety, mental‑health staffing, assistant principals in every school and reduced administrative workload as top priorities for FY‑2025 budget requests. She urged pay increases and step adjustments to recruit and retain administrators.
David Stein, Montgomery County Education Association president, called for a “transformational” budget that restores inflation‑adjusted funding lost since 2008, reduces class sizes and funds HVAC repairs. He said educators work in overcrowded, under‑resourced schools and need pay and supports to remain in the district.
Christopher Connell of SEIU Local 500 listed support‑staff priorities: converting temporary part‑time (TPT) roles to full‑time positions, a $25 minimum wage indexed to inflation, more paraeducators for students with exceptional needs, and paid professional‑development days for support staff.
Committee members asked for vacancy counts and heard that roughly 200 paraeducator vacancies were reported to the council’s staff; witnesses said vacancies concentrate in special education. Officials also said some special‑education and ELL teachers lacked physical copies of new K‑5 literacy instructional materials at the start of the school year because of previous budget choices; the superintendent is working to address that.
The committee did not vote on budget items but pledged continued oversight ahead of formal budget proposals.
