Jennifer Martin

Residents of Montgomery County expect– and deserve– excellent public services. In particular, they know the importance of our schools to the health and prosperity of our communities. They recognize that public schools are also truly important to a well-
functioning democracy.

MCEA calls on you to approve a 10-cent, education-only tax increase to address longstanding problems of underinvestment in our children.

Per pupil spending by the county in inflation adjusted dollars is still below what we were spending on each student in 2010. Meanwhile the demand for English Language and special education services has expanded and the number of children living in poverty has grown.

Schools struggle to meet these challenges without the necessary resources. Highly qualified, experienced teachers have been leaving at an unprecedented rate –retiring early, or simply leaving the profession for less demanding, better paying, and more respected work. Last year more than 1,100 teachers and other education professionals, such as counselors and school psychologists, left MCPS. As of March 29th, there are still 562 unfilled educator positions.

Today, teachers in Montgomery County are earning 15-17 percent less in real dollars than they were 20 years ago. Meanwhile the cost of college has more than doubled. Educators are expected to earn not only a bachelor’s but also a master’s degree, adding to the financial burdens to pursuing teaching as a profession. As a result, schools of education are seeing a drastic loss of students choosing education as a major.

The superintendent and Board of Education have stated that they intend to use the increased funding to attract, support, and retain highly effective teachers and other front-line education workers. We know that the greatest difference –outside the home– in driving student achievement is having an excellent teacher in every classroom.

We must uphold the reputation of MCPS as a world class school system, one that attracts businesses and families, supports our economic growth, and strengthens the fabric of our communities.

The educators of Montgomery County proudly join with our union partners at MCGEO, and SEIU Local 500 in urging the county council to approve this budget and the education-only ten-cent tax increase.

By investing in our schools and other critical public services, we will ensure that Montgomery County continues to be a great place to learn, work, live and prosper.