March 2, 2010

Montgomery County school board approves $2.26B budget

The Montgomery County school board approved a $2.26 billion operating budget for the next school year on Wednesday that allows the school system to operate with the academic programs it currently uses, but could enact deep cuts if the County Council doesn't fully fund the school system's request.

With a unanimous vote, the board approved a spending plan that is $37.2 million more than Superintendent Jerry D. Weast's original budget proposal in December. The operating budget was increased to include additional state aid that wasn't available when Weast drafted the initial budget.

The school system's proposal assumes the County Council will fund its maintenance-of-effort requirement, which mandates under state law that local governments fund their school systems at least at the previous year's level.

For the Montgomery County Council, that means allocating at least $79.5 million for the school system's budget.

SOURCE: GAZETTE

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