Board of Education Approves $2.92 Billion Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2023

On June 7, the Montgomery County Board of Education adopted a $2.92 billion Operating Budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023. This is an increase of $137.9 million (5 percent) from the current FY 2022 budget. The budget will allow MCPS to provide a continuation of key services, provide critical support to students for mental health and well-being and cover pandemic increases on operating costs.

“This budget will help the school system to continue moving forward, improving teaching and learning for all students, and advancing equity and excellence in MCPS,” said Board President Brenda Wolff. “We must continue to do all we can to eliminate disparities in academic achievement and ensure our students have the resources needed for a healthy and safe school environment. We want to thank County Executive Marc Elrich, County Council President Gabe Albornoz and the entire County Council for its commitment to the students of Montgomery County Public Schools.”

The budget focuses on three priority areas for the school system identified in the strategic plan:

• Academic Excellence
• Well-being and Family Engagement
• Professional and Operational Excellence

The operating budget also continues the interim superintendent’s students first approach and is centered on MCPS’ core purpose of preparing all students to thrive in their futures.

Important key investments in the FY 2023 Operating Budget include:

• Full-time staff development teacher in every school
• Full-time reading specialist teacher in every elementary school
• Critical staffing in support of new schools and additional school space
• Welcoming newcomer students to MCPS
• Expanding early childhood learning opportunities
• Strengthening career pathways for employees
• Increased employee salaries

“I am pleased that the Board of Education, County Executive and County Council have recognized the need to make critical investments in education right now. Our schools require an extraordinary budget to meet the needs of what continues to be a unique time in education,” said Interim Superintendent Dr. Monifa B. McKnight. “This budget is designed to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic on teaching and learning, and to support the needs of our students and staff as we rebuild trust with the community and respond to social-emotional well-being, mental health, and safety and security concerns.”

In December 2021, Dr. McKnight proposed a $2.93 billion budget for FY 2023 that was an increase of $148.7 million from the current FY 2022 operating budget. Her budget proposal reflected anticipated key increases of funding locally and from the Maryland Blueprint for Education, as well as pandemic federal funding from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced the state budget for FY 2023, which reflected $863.8 million from the state. This is $41,525,784 (5.1 percent) more than the amount of state revenue provided in FY 2022.

In February 2022, the Board proposed a $2.96 billion operating budget request for FY 2023 representing a $179.6 million increase of approximately 6.5 percent—indicating that the increase was needed to provide critical direct academic, safety and social-emotional support to students, while managing ongoing operational, salary and benefit costs.

The Board’s final adopted FY 2023 operating budget reflects input from an array of stakeholders, including staff, parents and guardians, students, employee associations and community members. The Board held three budget hearings and four work sessions and submitted the budget to the County Executive and County Council in March.

Learn more about the Operating Budget

Courtesy of MCPS