Montgomery County Board of Education President Michael A. Durso and Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jack R. Smith issued the following statement in response to County Executive Isiah Leggett’s Recommended Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2019:

"We thank County Executive Leggett for his recommendation to fully fund the proposed Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2019. Mr. Leggett has been an outstanding champion for education throughout his tenure as county executive. This recommendation reflects our county’s continued commitment to its children.

Each dollar of our proposed $2.59 billion budget is critical to ensuring that all students have the opportunities and resources needed to meet their full potential.

We urge the County Council to support the county executive’s recommendation and provide the funding we need to ensure that we serve students well and improve the educational outcomes for all MCPS students. Our children are counting on us to provide the resources they need so that we can give them the world-class education they need for success in school and in life."

The recommended budget for FY 2019 is a $72.96 million (2.9 percent) increase over FY 2018. Most of this increase will be used to provide the same level of services to our growing number of students, ongoing salaries and benefits, and increasing operational costs, but it also includes $16.12 million to expand and implement our key bodies of work. This includes:

• Introducing new career readiness pathways, including Aviation and Aerospace; Cybersecurity; Fire Safety and Rescue; Law Enforcement and Leadership; and more

• Adding more two-way elementary language immersion programs

• Expanding programs in Computer Science, Coding and Robotics

• Implementing extended year programs at two elementary schools beginning July 2019

• Launching a Recovery Education program

• Expanding the College Tracks and Achieving Collegiate Excellence & Success (ACES) programs

• Expanding Middle and Early College program

(Read more about the MCPS operating budget)

The County Council is expected to take final action on the Operating Budget for FY 2019 by June 1, 2018.