On the eve of the Board of Education’s vote on next year’s $3.7 billion budget, Montgomery County Council member Evan Glass called for changes to the budget process for Maryland’s largest school system, stating the current setup is broken.
Glass 鈥� who is running for county executive 鈥� argued that even with a $143 million increase next year, Montgomery County Public Schools are still planning to cut more than 400 positions to close an anticipated $36 million budget gap.
鈥淥ur teachers, our parents, and our staff should not have to go through this year after year waiting for ever-changing budgets to see how they get impacted, some of them for their livelihoods,鈥� Glass said in a press conference Wednesday.
Glass also said he鈥檚 not just raising concerns 鈥� he has a list of ideas he believes would make the budget easier to understand and easier to oversee.
As part of that reform plan, Glass said the state鈥檚 14鈥慶ategory system is a major barrier to transparency.
鈥淔irst and foremost, within the budget, the state only requires the school systems across Maryland to have budgets within 14 broad categories,鈥� Glass said.
鈥淥nce they establish those categories, there is no recourse, there is no need to be more transparent, and they can essentially do what they want with all of that money.鈥�
He says he has already spoken with Gov. Wes Moore about changing those state rules so the public can see more detailed breakdowns.
鈥淥nce we write one big check, there is no recourse. There is no clarification,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ometimes, our questions aren鈥檛 even answered.鈥�
Glass also wants to make changes to the Montgomery County Board of Education, taking the position that is part time and transitioning to a full-time body with support staff.
鈥淭hat is how we have a more robust school board to do the oversight over a multibillion-dollar agency,鈥� Glass said.
鈥淗ow much oversight, how much research can be done by someone who essentially needs another job to sustain a living in expensive Montgomery County?鈥�
His third proposal would add a county executive-appointed representative to the superintendent鈥檚 budget advisory committee 鈥� the group that will help shape the first draft of the Montgomery County Public Schools budget each year. Glass says that鈥檚 where key decisions are made, and the county government currently has no seat at the table.
Yet, Glass made it clear that this was not a takeover.
鈥淥ne of eight members,鈥� Glass said. 鈥淟etting the superintendent and the school board know that the county executive and the council might not be supportive of a property tax increase in order to maintain the budget that they want.鈥�
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