Charles Cuts $4.3 Million From Schools Budget

Instruction Will Not Be Affected, Officials Say

The Charles County Board of Education has cut about $4.3 million from its current budget to comply with a countywide mandate to reduce all spending by 3 percent. Although school official say the reduction won't affect classroom instruction, many say they are concerned it will be the first of many cutbacks because of the troubled economy.

Last week, the board unanimously approved plans to maintain a hiring freeze on non-classroom positions and to reduce money in the reserve fund that is usually spent on springtime improvement projects at schools, invested for future retirement benefits or set aside for stocking new schools. The recent drop in gas prices allowed the school system to cut its transportation budget by $375,000.

Whether more cuts will be needed is the crucial question.

"Our first priority is to limit impact to the classroom and to maintain high-quality services and support to our students, classrooms and teachers. I believe we have accomplished that objective," School Superintendent James E. Richmond said last week. "Hopefully, there will not be any more cuts this year."

The hiring freeze for non-classroom positions has been in effect since the summer and will continue for the rest of the fiscal year. There are 32 open positions, all of which are administrative or support staff jobs. Employees have had to take on additional responsibilities. The hiring freeze has saved the school system $1.6 million.

Although the freeze does not extend to teachers, the school system hired far fewer teachers than in previous years, even though it has a large new elementary school, said Bill Fisher, president of the Education Association of Charles County. That resulted in crowding in several classes, he said.

Fisher also questioned why county commissioners would ask the school system to cut its already tight budget without first using reserve funds to make up shortfalls.

"It used to be a rainy-day account. Well, I think it's pouring right now," he said. "I think they could have held off a little bit before making these big cuts."

The school system cut about $2.38 million from its reserve fund. Last year, money from the fund was used to build walls at two schools and buy textbooks and technology for a new Waldorf elementary school, rather than wait for the next fiscal year.

Some of that fund balance was also to be used to match federal funding for a "digital classroom" at a planned high school that has not gained final approval for construction. "The school system will work hard to find replacement resources for this project if it is ultimately approved," Richmond said.

Some of the reserve will not be invested for health insurance benefits for future retirees. The system started that fund last year but is not required to deposit money into it every year. No current retirees will be affected by the cut, and the school system plans to resume funding as soon as possible, school officials said.

"We recognize the importance of providing funding for retiree health benefits in the long term," Richmond said. "We are still committed to providing health insurance benefits to our retired employees."