Educators, students and unions urge Montgomery County Council to fully fund MCPS budget

Montgomery County public school teachers, union leaders and students pressed the County Council during a public hearing to fully fund Montgomery County Public Schools' FY26 operating budget, arguing the request is essential to retain staff and meet rising student needs.

"This budget helps us recruit and retain the very best educators that our students deserve," David Stein, president of the Montgomery County Education Association, told the council, urging approval of positions to reduce chronic vacancies in special education and other high‑need areas. Stein said the proposed budget would convert temporary positions (TPT) to permanent posts and add paraprofessionals and teachers in critical areas.

The testimony came from a broad cross section of the school community. Dr. Christine Handy, president of the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals, said employees had already agreed to more than $30,000,000 in savings through changes to health benefits and asked the council to uphold negotiated compensation agreements. "Fully funding this budget and upholding our compensation agreement sends a powerful message," Handy said.

Students and youth advocates asked the council to invest in restorative justice and preventative supports rather than punitive discipline. "We need MCPS to take restorative justice seriously everywhere," said Aslan Diaz, a student and advocacy chair for his school’s Latino student union, who described incidents where punishment, he said, displaced students rather than supporting them.

Paraeducators and school psychologists described understaffing and low pay. Clark Oliver, a paraeducator, said many positions remain unfilled because temporary part‑time roles pay too little and offer no benefits; several paraeducators asked the council to fund a reclassification and to make positions permanent so schools can meet legally required services under students’ Individualized Education Plans.

Union leaders from SEIU Local 500, SCIU Local 500 and other groups emphasized the risk that underfunding poses for the county’s recruitment and retention of educators and for the county’s broader economic competitiveness. "If you make the unfortunate decision to underfund this budget, you have an obligation to say what you are cutting," Stein said, asking the council for transparency on what programs would be reduced if the budget is not approved.

Why this matters: Testimony portrayed the FY26 request as a maintenance‑level, targeted budget meant to fill long‑standing service gaps, especially in special education, multilingual learner supports and school safety. Witnesses said failing to fund those positions would delay legally required services and weaken student supports.

The hearing record contained several concrete figures and program requests: union and school leaders described converting TPT positions to permanent roles, adding paraeducators, hiring more school psychologists (current projected ratio described as roughly 1 psychologist to 1,277 students) and preserving safety and special‑education staffing. Students and parents urged investment in restorative practices and the retention of existing restorative staff.

The council did not take an immediate vote during the hearing. The next steps are committee work sessions beginning on April 9 and full council budget work sessions starting May 5, when the council will consider the executive's recommendations alongside resident testimony.

Ending: The public hearing drew a steady stream of testimony from teachers, administrators, students and unions. Council deliberations in committee and on the floor will determine whether the council funds the full MCPS request, trims it, or adopts alternative revenue or cut proposals.