Expenditure freeze goes into effect for MCPS

Information compiled from Montgomery County Public Schools
Bulletin

A severe expenditure freeze went into effect in Montgomery County
schools on Monday, October 27. The freeze will restrict additional spending to the barest essentials in all departments.

Superintendent Jerry Weast authorized the measures in order to
replicate and expand cost saving measures put into effect last year. The
measures are very strict and far-reaching.

"Without specific authorization, positions that are not exempt from the
freeze may not be filled, no equipment may be ordered, and no new
commitments may be made for non-position salaries, contractual services or consultants," MCPS Chief Operating Officer Larry Bowers said in a directive concerning the freeze.

However, the freeze does permit all school-based teaching,
administrative, secretarial, security, building services and bus driver vacancies to be filled. However, employees will only receive overtime pay in pre-authorized emergency situations, and all new part-time employment is frozen. The only new contract workers hired will be those brought in for emergency repairs or waste removal at schools. The only equipment exempted from the freeze is new school buses.

MCPS saved over $10 million due to similar restrictive measures during
the 2002 – 2003 school year, which helped generate a surplus of $1.8 million for this year. But projected declines in tax revenues eclipsed this surplus and other budget expansions, necessitating another year of school spending freezes.