Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor is warning employees that budget reductions currently being discussed by the Montgomery County Council could lead to significant cuts across the school system, including potential workforce reductions not seen “in many decades.” A video shared with staff can be seen below.
In a message sent to MCPS employees, Taylor said the county is facing a difficult fiscal environment and that proposals under consideration for the 2026-2027 school year could reduce the MCPS operating budget by between $30 million and $90 million or more below the amount requested by MCPS and approved by the Board of Education. The possible reductions may be viewed here.
“What is currently being discussed has the potential to significantly impact Montgomery County Public Schools, you (our teammates), and the services we provide to students and families every single day,” Taylor wrote.
Taylor emphasized that the proposed operating budget was not built around expansion, but rather around maintaining negotiated employee agreements, sustaining student services, addressing rising operational costs, and continuing investments in aging infrastructure, including HVAC systems, maintenance needs, and employee benefit obligations.
“To be very honest with you, reductions on this scale are not manageable through ‘efficiencies,’” Taylor wrote. “They are not minor adjustments. At every level, they are significant.”
According to Taylor, approximately 90% of the MCPS operating budget is tied to personnel costs, including salaries and benefits. He noted that every $10 million reduction roughly equates to about 100 full-time positions within the school system. “MCPS has not experienced potential workforce reductions on this scale in many decades,” Taylor said.
The superintendent also said MCPS can no longer rely on retirements, resignations, vacancies, or turnover savings to absorb reductions as it may have in previous years, citing declining enrollment, fewer vacancies, and specialized staffing requirements.
Taylor said the impact of the proposed cuts could extend across the district and affect nearly all aspects of school system operations if the “worst” funding scenarios become reality.
He added that the budget process is expected to move quickly in the coming weeks and pledged to continue updating employees as more information becomes available.
