More News

Budget cuts may run deeper than expected next fiscal year, Prince George's County schools superintendent William Hite Jr. said Tuesday, likening the school system's shrinking purse to a "doomsday type of budget."

"I don't want to talk in specific numbers, but they are significant," Hite said to residents at a budget work session and hearing in Upper Marlboro. "We're talking almost a doomsday type of budget ... . We're going need your help."

Last week, school officials estimated a $28.4 million cut to the already beleaguered school budget after Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) announced the proposed state budget was $1 billion leaner than anticipated.

County schools Chief Financial Officer Matt Stanski said budget cuts will likely be worse than they anticipated last week, abating several years of academic and financial progress.

"By the time we're out of this difficult period the system will have lost five, six, seven years climb," Stanski said.

Stanski abstained from providing an official budget estimate Tuesday since the state budget continues to fluctuate, he said.

Of the $28.4 million cut, school officials are predicting $23.6 million will be a reduction in state funding, $4.2 million will be cut from county funding and about $493,000 will be cut from school board funding.

The $28 million reduction would come in addition to an already anticipated $42 million cut that Stanski announced in December, bringing the total reduction to $70 million. The cut would decrease the school budget to $1.64 billion in fiscal 2011.

State funding cuts are directly related to a decline in student enrollment and a significant increase in county wealth last year, specifically property taxes, Stanski said.

"If the state deems the county is wealthier, the assumption is the county [government] will give more money to the school system," Stanski said. "Whereas we know, our county government is struggling as well."

Nearly 20 residents spoke at the meeting about budget cuts and possible layoffs. Many cited concern over possibly losing parent liaisons in schools. Among anticipated layoffs, Hite proposed eliminating the remaining 90 parent liaisons, which would save the school system $6 million.

Tawana Hunter, a PTA member at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School in Glenarden, said the parent liaison at her school has been able to increase parental involvement, aid students with problems at home and mitigate any language barriers families might have.

"If we want our children to be consistent in life, we have to be consistent," she told the board, asking them to consider retaining parent liaisons. "This job was created for a reason and not for a season."

The school system would need $2.5 billion to fully fund all programs and retain all employees, Stanski said.

Along with the cuts, $66 million will be needed to meet rising inflation and healthcare costs, he said, further shrinking the pot of discretionary funds.

Board member Rosalind Johnson (Dist. 1) argued that such a budget would provide students with an "anemic diet" and burden the school system for years to come.

Both Johnson and board member Pat Fletcher (Dist. 3) argued against cutting programs and using next year's funding until it runs out.

E-mail Megan McKeever at mmckeever@gazette.net.