Newark, MD, June 9, 2023– The Worcester County Board of Education voted on several categorial adjustments to the fiscal year 2023-2024 budget (FY24 budget) at a special meeting held today.
After opening the meeting, Board of Education president Todd Ferrante detailed the impact of the County Commissioners’ vote on June 6, to fund the Board’s local share at Maintenance of Effort, leaving the Board with a $4.5 million shortfall. The impact includes entering into renegotiations with the Worcester County Teachers Association (WCTA) and the Worcester County Educational Support Staff Association (WCESPA) in addition to meeting and conferring with bus contractors.
“We think all of our people deserve every bit of the raises promised in those original negotiated agreements, but to balance our budget… we have tough decisions ahead of us,” Ferrante said. “Decisions that impact the livelihoods of our staff and the quality of education for our students.”
Following closed session, the Board voted on a series of categorial adjustments to the FY24 budget, which must be supplied to the County Administrator by Tuesday, June 13. The adjustments include turnover savings from retirements and the following cuts and reductions.
Cuts to Funding
- The elimination of locally-funded student tutoring programs
- The elimination of afterschool programs and the 2024 summer academies at Ocean City Elementary School, Showell Elementary School, Berlin Intermediate School, Stephen Decatur Middle School, and Stephen Decatur High School.
- These programs are funded entirely through the local operating budget. Afterschool and summer programs at other schools are not impacted, as they are funded through numerous grants based on socioeconomic factors that do not currently apply to the above listed schools.
- The elimination of the locally-funded Haven House afterschool program at Snow Hill Elementary School. This program will be absorbed into the grant-funded program already established at the school.
- The elimination of outdoor graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2024
- The elimination of the 2023 Opening Kick-Off event for faculty and staff
Reductions in Funding
- All schools’ instructional supply and materials of instruction allotments have been reduced by 50 percent
- Local funding for special education materials of instruction has been reduced by 50 percent.
- All field trip funding has been reduced by 50 percent.
- Transportation costs for afterschool and summer academies have been reduced by 50 percent.
- At the Central Office, instructional support supplies and administration supplies and travel have been reduced by 25 percent.
- A reduction in matching funds for the Maryland LEADS grant
Board Member Jon Andes led a lengthy discussion among several board members how detrimental the loss of afterschool and summer programs will be for students at the impacted schools.
“Not all kids can learn in a six and a half hour day in 180 days,” Andes said. “We implemented [these programs] to assist kids both in remediation and enrichment… Our kids need them; our families need them.”
School system staff assured the Board that they would make every effort to find outside funding for these programs. Ferrante shared his disappointment that the Board found itself in the position of having to cut programs that are beneficial to students.
“It’s unfortunate that we did not get our FY24 budget funded by the County Commissioners,” Ferrante said. “One of the intended or unintended consequences of what just occurred on Tuesday is that it’s unfortunate that we’re in a position that we have to cut programs for such a successful school system moving forward.”
The categorical adjustments approved today were based on parameters set forth by the Board of Education for renegotiations with WCTA and WCESPA, which are set to begin next week. Once negotiations have concluded, additional movement within these categories may be required. Should that occur, the Board will review and approve those changes to be requested of the County at that time.