On the eve of the Board of Education’s vote on next year’s $3.7 billion budget, Montgomery County Councilmember Evan Glass — who is running for county executive — says the school system’s budget process is broken. He argues that even with a $143 million increase next year, MCPS is still planning to cut more than 400 positions.
“Our teachers, our parents, and our staff should not have to go through this year after year waiting for ever-changing budgets to see how they get impacted, some of them for their livelihoods,” Glass said.
During a press conference, Glass says he’s not just raising concerns — he has a list of ideas he believes would make the budget easier to understand and easier to oversee.
As part of that reform plan, Glass says the state’s 14‑category system is a major barrier to transparency.
“First and foremost, within the budget, the state only requires the school systems across Maryland to have budgets within 14 broad categories,” Glass said.
“Once they establish those categories, there is no recourse, there is no need to be more transparent, and they can essentially do what they want with all of that money.”
He says he has already spoken with Gov. Wes Moore about changing those state rules so the public can see more detailed breakdowns.
“Once we write one big check, there is no recourse. There is no clarification,” he said. “Sometimes our questions aren’t even answered.”
Glass also wants to make changes to the Montgomery County Board of Education, taking the position that is part time and transitioning to a full-time body with support staff.
“That is how we have a more robust school board to do the oversight over a multibillion-dollar agency,” Glass said.
“How much oversight, how much research can be done by someone who essentially needs another job to sustain a living in expensive Montgomery County?”
His third proposal would add a county executive-appointed representative to the superintendent’s budget advisory committee — the group that helps shape the first draft of the MCPS budget each year. Glass says that’s where key decisions are made, and county government currently has no seat at the table.
Glass made it clear that this was not a takeover.
“One of eight members,” Glass said. “Letting the superintendent and the school board know that the county executive and the council might not be supportive of a property tax increase in order to maintain the budget that they want.”
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