Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) adopted a $3.72 billion operating budget for FY2027, the largest in the district's history, and simultaneously eliminated 415 full-time support staff positions, the district's budget documents show. The cuts include psychologists, school counselors, academic tutors, and English-language assistants. The budget was approved by the Montgomery County Board of Education, with meeting minutes documenting the vote and public testimony about the impact on support services, according to board filings.
The gap between a record budget total and the elimination of hundreds of jobs followed a shortfall between the district's original funding request and the amount approved by the Montgomery County Council, according to district budget documents. Rising employee health insurance and pension costs are associated with growing pressure on the operating budget, though the direct trigger for the reductions was the funding gap. Declining overall enrollment further reduces the formulas that determine staffing allocations.
English learners disproportionately affected
The cuts include English-language assistant positions, which serve the district's English learner population. That population has grown as a share of total enrollment even as the overall student headcount has declined, according to the district's budget documents.
Regional precedent
Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia, a district comparable in size to MCPS, has also reported that rising employee benefit and health insurance costs strain its operating budget, requiring reallocations that affect school-based staffing even as the overall budget grows, according to Fairfax County's adopted FY2025 budget documents. The parallel suggests the squeeze MCPS faces is not unique among large suburban districts.