The Montgomery County Education Association has released a statement commending yesterday’s announcement of a collaborative joint funding proposal by the Montgomery County Council and Montgomery County Public Schools that would ensure that 99.8% of next school year’s budget is funded.
Per MCEA: “It’s clear that the County Council has listened to educators, students, and families, who have signed thousands of petitions, wrote hundreds of postcards, and made countless calls to the County Council to warn them about the profound harm underfunding next year’s budget would have on students,” said MCEA President David Stein. “If the Council votes to authorize this one-time spending, which seems likely, it will be clear that they heeded those warnings.”
MCEA also recognizes that one-time budget fixes are not a substitute for sustainable funding. While today’s solution is a necessary step, it cannot become the norm. “An authorization of one-time funding during a crisis is not a sustainable practice. We need bold, ongoing investments that meet the real, long-term needs of Montgomery County’s students and schools,” warned MCEA’s Vice President Danillya Wilson.
“We believe the County Council wanted to do the right thing for students and educators, but we keep coming back year after year, scrambling for temporary fixes to fund our schools,” David Stein added. “It’s the same fight on repeat—and our students, educators, and families are paying the price. Next year, let’s work for long-term solutions, not short-term fixes.”