Schools Need More Help, But Money Is Short

The county’s proposed budget for the next school year promises stability for many teachers but leaves critical gaps that could undermine support for the most vulnerable students.

The Good, The Bad, and The Missing

Teachers remain in place, avoiding layoffs, but the budget falls short in addressing urgent needs:

• Special education faces severe cuts – Early-grade students are showing rising emotional and behavioral challenges, yet the county’s request for 82.2 new special-education positions (teachers, aides, therapists) was slashed to just 26. The remainder, often funded by Medicaid, will disappear with state cuts.
• Classroom shifts strain resources – To fill gaps, regular-education teachers will be reassigned to special education, leading to larger class sizes and less individual support for general students. Key roles—social workers, psychologists, and English-language instructors—are also on the chopping block.
• Funding crunch deepens – State aid has dropped by $25 million, local revenue is shrinking, and costs for utilities, fuel, and healthcare are skyrocketing. Despite this, the budget is praised for avoiding layoffs but criticized for failing to meet the superintendent’s vision of "great" instead of just "good."

Stagnant Pay Leaves Educators Behind

Teacher salaries won’t keep up with inflation:

• The county proposed a 2.25% cost-of-living adjustment, below the 3% request from the teachers’ union—and far below today’s inflation rate. Recruiting and retaining quality educators becomes harder when wages stagnate.

Untapped Solutions Within Reach

The county has room to strengthen funding without drastic measures:

• A small tax increase on high earners (those making $400,000+) could inject extra revenue.
• Adjusting income-tax brackets for the wealthiest could help close the gap.
• Reconsidering the 0.9% property-tax cut—even a minor reduction could bring millions back to school budgets.

A Chance to Go From Good to Great

If leaders act boldly, they could: ✔ Restore lost support for struggling students ✔ Improve classroom conditions with smaller sizes and more specialists ✔ Invest in educators with competitive pay ✔ Secure long-term stability for the district

The tools are there. The question is whether the will is.