St. Mary s County Public Schools paraeducators and Individual Resource Teachers (IRT’s) have dodged the budget ax at least for now, The St. Mary’s County Board of Education, during a budget work session on Wednesday, affirmed that there would be no adjustments to paraeducator staffing or hours and the IRT’s would remain at current position levels and responsibilities. School Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano made the announcement at the regular school board meeting.
The decision came on the heels of the budget hearing the night before at which many parents spoke in support of the paraeducators and IRT’s and the impact they had on their child’s life.
The board also reduced from four to three the number of proposed furlough days in the budget. The proposal also still calls for elimination of 23 non-tenured teaching positions and a four-day work week during the summer.
The board has made changes by using an additional $670,000 of fund balance, bringing the total used to $3.69 million, leaving only $2.51 million left.
The board will make a final budget decision at their May 11 meeting and submit it to the county commissioners, who will be deep into their own budget deliberations at that time. At this week’s school board meeting, Education Association of St. Mary’s County (EASMC) President Wanda Twigg urged the school board to submit a proposed budget not based on what the commissioners want but instead what the schools really need, or $11 million more.
The other budget adjustments announced at Wednesday’s meeting include the following.
· Health and Life Insurance costs reduced from $2 million to $1.12 million.
· Negotiated carryover from ‘FY 11 remains at $3 million.
· Utilities and fuel increased by $200,000.
· RTTT Technology initiative remains at $300,000.
· Increase bus driver and bus assistant pay adjustments by $9,953
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