Dallas Dance
Liz Bowie of The Baltimore Sun has details about the proposed $1.5 billion budget for BCPS. She reports that “under the budget plan, which must go to the County Council for approval, Dance proposes to expand foreign language instruction in elementary schools and add teachers for special education and students learning English as a second language.”
There will be a public input session with the county’s Board of Education on January 12 at 6:30 PM. I’ll have more details about that — including various concerns that different constituencies will be raising — in a later post.
Here’s what Dance told “Team BCPS” in an email today:
Dear Team BCPS Families:
Happy New Year and welcome back! Each year, I return from winter break with renewed energy for the work happening in our schools.
On Tuesday, January 5, 2016, I presented the FY 17 budget proposal to the Board of Education. I look forward to the input, feedback and involvement from all our school communities as we move forward through the budget process.
The proposed total budget is $1.8 billion. Of that, $1.5 billion is the operating budget. In alignment with Blueprint 2.0, our three budget priorities continue to be (1) Managing Growth, (2) Raising the Bar and Closing Gaps, and (3) Investing in Our Future.
Here are some highlights:
Managing Growth
While student enrollment continues to grow steadily, some student groups requiring the most intensive supports are growing even faster than the student body overall. These groups include English language learners and students with severe disabilities. In response, the FY 17 budget proposal includes additional instructional positions and extra resources for students with disabilities and those learning English.
Raising the Bar and Closing Gaps
To help every student develop the 21st century skills and knowledge needed for success beyond high school, we are requesting additional resources to increase rigor in every classroom. Target areas include a world-class curriculum with more challenging math and the Passport Program for elementary world language instruction as well as prekindergarten, magnet programs, and early college access.
Investing in Our Future
Twenty-first century teaching and learning requires modern infrastructure and academic environments. We propose investing in employee salaries and benefits, S.T.A.T. digital learning, and upgrades to our school facilities and technology infrastructure.
My proposal will also call for upgrades to our school facilities to include maintenance support and technology infrastructure.
Our FY 17 budget process will extend into May, and the next steps include the public hearing on the operating budget, which will be held January 12 at 6:30 p.m. in Building E on the BCPS Greenwood campus. Our Board of Education is scheduled to adopt a budget at its February 2nd meeting.
Please also visit our website for additional dates and information. Your input and feedback is key as we advance through the process.
Sincerely,
S. Dallas Dance