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Prince George's County officials have backed off a plan to stick a $23.6 million bill for services to the county schools in next year's budget and will instead charge half the amount, an official for County Executive Jack B. Johnson (D) said Thursday afternoon.

In the compromise announced at a council session, the school system will be asked to pay $11.8 million for formerly free services like school construction debt, security and crossing guards, leaving Johnson and officials to find cuts to make up the other half.

"We have found a way to lessen the costs," said Michael Herman, Johnson's chief of staff at a special County Council meeting Thursday. "We'll fund them as wholly as we can."

The shift came after council members allegedly refused to stick the full bill to education to balance the county's $2.6 billion budget next year. Johnson announced plans to charge schools for the services equal to the amount that the state refused to let the county cut earlier this month.

The announcement came after council members rushed into back rooms for more than an hour to negotiate with Herman. Council members tentatively voted for the compromise but would not comment after the session.

"In the desire to come together, there were discussions between the legislative and the executive branch," Herman said.

It is unclear what effect the last-minute change will have on the final budget, which must be approved Monday.

Staff members said they hope to find areas to cut by the end of the day Friday.

Herman said the cuts will not likely increase the 55 worker layoffs expected under the spending plan.

"The focus is to find cuts other than labor," he said.

E-mail Daniel Valentine at dvalentine@gazette.net.