Worcester County holds budget meetings on impact maintenance level funding

WORCESTER COUNTY, Md. – The Worcester County Public Schools (WCPS) is hosting parent meetings this month, looking to bring clarity to a confusing budget process for the last year.

Last summer, Worcester County Commissioners voted to fund the school district for maintenance, in effect freezing the budget at the same level as the previous year. The commissioners also demanded a comprehensive audit of the district’s spending.

That process has left some parents and administrators frustrated, wondering what programs may be cut as a result of that budget freeze. The school district hopes these meetings can help get them and parents on the same page.

“Our budget is like most school systems, including employees and bus contractors, about 90% people,” said WCPS CFO Vince Tolbert. “So any cuts would come in the area of reducing staff. So to be responsible, we thought the best thing to do would be to go out there and let our community know our parents, know our faculty, know that what we budget would mean to the school system next year.”

Tolbert says class sizes could be going up as a result of being funded at the maintenance of effort level. The district plans to continue meeting with employees and parents moving forward. The first of the planned meetings is set for Monday the 26th of February.