PRESS RELEASE: Join in the rally TODAY to keep teachers & staff in Howard County public schools!

PRESS RELEASE:

HOWARD COUNTY STUDENTS & FAMILIES RALLY IN THE RAIN TO STOP TEACHER, STAFF CUTS

Children & families unite to support Howard County teachers & staff

[ELLICOTT CITY, MD, April 11] – Although Teacher Appreciation Week is traditionally celebrated in Howard County in May, advocates are rallying early this year to show their appreciation. Rather than wait until May to write letters of thanks to their teachers & staff, community advocates are writing letters of thanks now but addressing them to elected leaders who are making critical budget decisions this month. On Thursday, April 11th at 3:30 PM, community members from around the county will hold signs in the rain and distribute flyers asking elected leaders to work together to stop teacher & staff cuts. This civic engagement will be held outside of the Board of Education Building at 10910 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042.

On March 7th, advocacy efforts failed to convince the Howard County Public School System (HCPSSS) Board of Education to restore the majority of teacher, staff and programs being cut. Elementary school children in most Howard County schools will now lose beloved GT and music teachers if county leaders do not work together to find additional funding. Middle and high school teachers are slated for reductions that will impact course selection and program availability. Paraeducator cuts will increase student to adult ratios. Custodian cuts will decrease school cleaning frequencies and availability for maintenance of school facilities.

Data analyst Anthony DeBella describes that fully funding HCPSS is not only necessary but also affordable. When adjusted for inflation, Howard County per pupil investment has decreased since 2009. HCPSS is receiving a lower percentage of the County’s General Fund Revenue over time, less than 53% in 2023 compared to close to 58% in 2009. Meanwhile, inflation-adjusted revenue has grown in the county while inflation-adjusted funding for HCPSS has been stagnant. With public school excellence being a highly cited reason that families move to Howard County where the cost of living is high, it is not clear why HCPSS funding from the county is not measuring up to expectations.

Now that HCPSS’s Operating Budget is in the County Executive’s hands, residents are asking for the County Executive to work with the Board of Education to not only fund the HCPSS budget at 100% of that requested but also to find additional funding so that the cuts written into the budget will not occur. Once the County Executive passes the budget to the County Council on April 15th, additional funds cannot be added, making this a critical week for advocacy.