Montgomery County Board of Education Adopts the Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget, Prioritizing Classroom Instruction and Core Staffing
June 4, 2026
ROCKVILLE, MD — Today, the Montgomery County Board of Education adopted a $3.72 billion Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget for (MCPS). Faced with a $36 million shortfall from the district’s original request, Board and district leadership finalized a budget centered on shielding classroom instruction, long-term fiscal responsibility, and protecting as many staff positions as possible.
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Board President Grace Rivera-Oven and Superintendent Thomas Taylor emphasized that while the fiscal landscape forced agonizing choices, the district’s core mission remains protected. Leadership noted that true stewardship means confronting fiscal realities directly to ensure the long-term sustainability of the school system.
“We cannot spend money we do not have,” said Rivera-Oven. “These were agonizing choices. Nobody runs for the Board to make reductions. But true leadership demands that we confront reality exactly as it is. In a fiscal reality like this one, we must accept that we cannot be everything to everyone. We had to fiercely focus every remaining dollar on our core mission: teaching and learning.”
“This is not the budget we hoped to bring forward, and these are not decisions anyone takes lightly. Behind every position reduction is a person who has dedicated themselves to serving our students, families and schools.” said Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor. “While we will continue to honor our commitments to employees and remain focused on supporting student success, today is also a day to acknowledge the very real impact these reductions will have on our students and staff.”
To shield students and support staff, the final budget prioritizes and safeguards several critical areas:
- Foundational Mental Health: The Board restored 18 school psychologist positions initially targeted for reduction to maintain vital student support.
- The budget maintains many other core supports including pupil personnel workers, family engagement specialists and many other staff critical to supporting students, although at reduced capacity.
- High School Instructional Support: The budget fully restored 15 staff development teacher positions and 26 college and career navigator positions to keep training staff and guiding students toward graduation.
- School Safety: The district is protecting its baseline security staff, maintaining the 21 Elementary School Security Assistants hired last year.
- College and Career Readiness: MCPS will continue a robust $5 million investment into College and Career Readiness to meet the state Blueprint requirements.
While leadership acknowledges that the tough fiscal climate will likely persist into next year, MCPS is prepared to navigate this chapter with absolute transparency and rigid accountability. The district remains committed to supporting its educators, families and most importantly, its students.
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View the details of the adopted Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget.
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Read the original article at mcps