Joint Letter from Board President Silvestre, Superintendent McKnight, and the Three Employee Associations Concerning MCPS Operating Budget Funding

On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Board of Education (Karla Silvestre), Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS Superintendent Monifa McKnight), Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA President Jennifer Martin), Service Employees International Union Local 500 (SEIU Local 500 President Pia Morrison), and Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (President Christine Handy) wrote the following joint letter to the Montgomery County Council concerning the funding of the MCPS operating budget:

“Dear Council President Glass and Councilmembers:

As you are faced with important budgetary decisions in the coming days,  we respectfully write to provide you with important context ahead of the full Council’s consideration of the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Operating Budget. On Thursday, May 4, the Education and Culture Committee recommended a floor of funding a  7-increment  increase and a ceiling of funding a 9-increment increase.  We collectively have analyzed the Committee’s action and considered the impact on the MCPS budget and our ability to fund negotiated agreements.

For over five months, we have bargained night and day in good faith to determine how to fairly compensate the MCPS workforce with wages that are competitive with surrounding jurisdictions and county government, recruit the best and brightest, and retain employees. Thanks to this collaborative hard work, all associations have reached tentative economic agreements with MCPS; however, at least an 8-increment increase is needed to fund our negotiated agreements.

Additional funding greater than an 8-increment increase remains essential to support the requested accelerators, including Blueprint requirements, that the Board tentatively adopted to equitably improve academic outcomes, differentiate resources based on needs, and better allow the system to achieve the results and accountability our community expects.

Thank you again for your partnership as we seek to meet the needs of our students,  staff, and community. We look forward to our ongoing collaboration.

Sincerely,