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Superintendent Joshua P. Starr

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Once Again, a Battle Looms Over Funding Law and Montgomery County Schools Budget

Superintendent remains confident that he can win over the County Council.

Superintendent Joshua P. Starr’s proposed $2.2 billion fiscal 2014 budget for Montgomery County schools could face a familiar challenge—how to comply with a state law on school funding minimums while winning approval from a County Council determined to rein in spending on schools. Starr's spending plan, unveiled Tuesday, is $10 million—less than half a percent—above the funding floor mandated by the state’s maintenance of effort law, which requires counties’ per-pupil spending to remain the same or increase from year to year. But the half percent increase could have major implications. County school budgets that dip below the funding level can have the difference withheld by the state comptroller when passing through income tax revenues to…

John

4:07 pm on Saturday, December 15, 2012

This battle goes on every year and makes me sick. The schools need more money, MOE aside, because the number of students in the schools is increasing at a faster rate than the general population is increasing, in MoCo. Yet, the County Council, every year, does not give the schools enough money for MoCo's schools to remain among the top school systems in the country, which is why many people have …   more ›

Starr Calls For School Spending Hikes to Address Achievement Gaps, Growing Enrollment

The $2.2 billion budget adds teachers and targets middle school instruction.

  A $2.2 billion county schools operating budget proposed Tuesday by Superintendent Joshua P. Starr increases spending to manage growing enrollment, seeks to address persistent achievement gaps and invests in a curriculum aimed at meeting new state and national standards.  It also sets the school system up for yet another debate with the Montgomery County Council over spending on K-12 education. “This is a responsible budget that allows us to keep up with growing enrollment, while making strategic investments that will benefit our students today and in the future,” Starr said in a statement. “A budget is a reflection of our values and I know that Montgomery County understands the direct connections between the quality of our schools and …

John

5:20 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The rate of increase of students in Montgomery County public schools is exceeding the rate of growth of the general population, in Montgomery County -- a fact the Montgomery County Council and the current County Executive want to continue to ignore, when they budget money for the school system. They say they are funding the school system at 100%, but they do not account for the higher percentage …   more ›

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