Education
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The Board of Education held its third work session on the Fiscal Year 2026 operating budget with a focus on the superintendent’s planned restructure. In an update sent out on Monday morning, the Montgomery County Board of Education identified areas for possible savings in what was referred to as a tight budget year. The Board of Education shared the following:
“Throughout the budget process, we’ve made it clear that we anticipate working with limited funds. Based on this, the Board identified three areas where we might be able to reduce our budget request.
To be clear, the Superintendent’s recommended budget reflects our actual needs, and every item in it is a priority the Board is committed to. The Board has asked the administration to explore potential savings in these three areas for fiscal year 2026:
•Remove renaming Magruder High School from the FY26 Operating Budget – We believe this is an important initiative, but at this time the Board is focused on our literacy and math priorities. We ask administration to consider how capital budget funding could support renaming initiatives.
•Remove the Social Emotional Learning Specialist- This is work that can be done utilizing existing resources without adding to the budget. As we plan for the future, we will consider ways to increase support for this critical area.
•Reduce the amount dedicated to leadership development in Central Services – We fully support and encourage professional development and are hopeful we can find support within our community to do this work.”
The full letter can be seen below:
The Board of Education held the third work session on the Fiscal Year 2026 operating budget with a focus on the superintendent’s planned restructure.
We’ve been busy the last few weeks evaluating the superintendent’s recommended budget, receiving input at public hearings, and engaging with you at community meetings. We discussed revenues and required spending, including the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, at our first work session. We followed that up with a work session on discretionary spending. The last work session was held January 30, 2025.
What’s next? Our February 4 business meeting is scheduled for tentative adoption of the FY26 operating budget. The Board of Education will submit its operating budget to the County Executive and County Council by March 1.
Restructuring to Improve Service to Students and Schools
In his final presentation for the Board’s operating budget work sessions, MCPS Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor outlined his planned restructure that “reimagines how we work and how we serve schools, students, and families.”
This work is expected to improve the level of service the district provides to students, families, staff, and other stakeholders by:
Bringing MCPS central services and resources into schools
Creating integrated service delivery and breaking down silos
Reducing layers of bureaucracy and flattening the organization
Creating new divisions to focus executive leadership on critical service areas
Other strategies to move the district forward include:
Zero-based office budget exercise
Contract review
Institution of internal financial controls
Review and reduce organizational layers
Review and reconstitute roles to balance workload and responsibilities
For all the details on the restructuring and reculturing that supports MCPS’ forward progress, watch the presentation.
Board Identifies Areas for Possible Savings in Tight Budget Year
Throughout the budget process, we’ve made it clear that we anticipate working with limited funds. Based on this, the Board identified three areas where we might be able to reduce our budget request.
To be clear, the Superintendent’s recommended budget reflects our actual needs, and every item in it is a priority the Board is committed to. The Board has asked the administration to explore potential savings in these three areas for fiscal year 2026:
Remove renaming Magruder High School from the FY26 Operating Budget – We believe this is an important initiative, but at this time the Board is focused on our literacy and math priorities. We ask administration to consider how capital budget funding could support renaming initiatives.
Remove the Social Emotional Learning Specialist- This is work that can be done utilizing existing resources without adding to the budget. As we plan for the future, we will consider ways to increase support for this critical area.
Reduce the amount dedicated to leadership development in Central Services – We fully support and encourage professional development and are hopeful we can find support within our community to do this work.
Follow-Ups
Dr. Taylor and his team provided information on a number of questions the Board asked at previous work sessions. Watch this portion of the meeting to learn more.
Upcoming Meetings
Visit our webpage to view agendas, meeting materials, and watch live or recordings.
•February 4, 1:00 p.m. – Board Business Meeting with Tentative Adoption of the Operating Budget
Opportunities for Engagement
The public is encouraged to engage with the Board. Learn about the ways to participate on our website.
