Prince Frederick, MD – Calvert County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Daniel D. Curry (pictured, right) has proposed a $199.15 million budget for fiscal year (FY) 2017. Curry’s proposed spending plan for the next school year was presented at a public hearing Thursday evening, Feb. 25. Prior to the hearing, the superintendent and four members of the Calvert County Board of Education (BOE) met briefly with four county commissioners. Administrators from both Calvert County Public Schools (CCPS) and county government were also in attendance.

One of the highlights of Curry’s proposed budget is the allocation of over $3 million to provide all CCPS employees with step pay increases.

“We are several steps behind,” said Curry, who noted that some CCPS teachers are as much as $8,000 per year behind on step pay increases he or she was promised when beginning employment in Calvert.

Calvert County Government will be appropriating 57 percent of CCPS’ FY2017 budget. Slightly less than 55 percent of that ($109.36 million) is for the school system’s operating budget. The other 2.7 percent ($5.3 million) is for teacher pensions, a responsibility the state has foisted on local governments. The county’s operating budget allocation is $753,907 less than the allocation for the current fiscal year.

Curry noted that with projections of an increase in state funding, CCPS will not need to use the fund balance from its budget to maintain services. “I’m glad we are where we are this year,” said Curry. “Certainly, we’re in better shape than we were last year.”

Calvert County Commissioners’ President Evan K. Slaughenhoupt Jr. [R – District 3] acknowledged the economic challenges of the past few years, adding that “hopefully this ‘lost decade in America’ ” is reaching an end.

In addition to giving employees long-clamored-for raises, Curry listed as challenges for CCPS going forward as identifying funds for additional technology and equipment; and paying for the rising cost of operations.

The BOE will now consider the proposed budget. Written comments from the public may be submitted through March 23. Comments may be sent to Calvert County Public Schools, Board of Education, c/o Karen Maxey, 1305 Dares Beach Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678 or by email at maxeyk@calvertnet.k12.md.us

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com