Howard County schools restricts hiring, spending to narrow budget 'gap'

The Howard County Public School System has imposed restrictions on hiring and purchasing, a move school officials said is key to tackle a $50 million gap between the system's record-high budget request and the budget the county passed in May.The belt-tightening, outlined in an Aug. 5 memo to all HCPSS staff, will allow the school system to fund negotiated salary increases, said Beverly Davis, the school system's budget director.The move will likely have &quot;a minimal noticeable impact for students&quot; and the school system is &quot;not using it as an excuse to reduce its commitment to schools in any way,&quot; she said.The limit on hiring directly impacts operational positions and does not include school-based teachers, special educators, substitute teachers, nurses, food service positions and security staff, among other positions. The move also restricts overtime spending for salaries, some contractual services, supplies not related to student instruction, furniture and equipment, according to the memo.Schools spokesman John White said the system will be making &quot;need-based decisions&quot; on hiring to fill positions.In a contentious budget season, the county approved an $808 million budget for the new fiscal year — $18 million more than the system received last year, but $50 million less than the school board's request.Most notably, the Kittleman administration did not fund $39 million in fixed charges, which includes pension and medical benefits.The school's budget drew ire from some council members who found no compelling reason to increase the school system's already record-high budget request. School officials like Board of Education Chairwoman Christine O'Connor called the cuts &quot;devastating&quot; to the school system.In May, the administration said that the budget funds negotiated teacher salary increases, but school officials decried the move, saying the budget did not cover negotiated salary increases because it did not fund negotiated benefits.This year's restrictions allow the school system to honor its negotiated commitments, Davis said.&quot;Any time you put spending restrictions in place, it can create anxiety for staff and I would certainly hope that [people see] ... we are honoring our agreements with employees and ensuring they receive the raises; and then we're working with them to find ways to make the budget work so we can continue to deliver a high-quality, excellent education to all of our students&quot; Davis said.Paul Lemle, president of the Howard County Education Association, the teachers' union that negotiated salary increases, said the hiring restrictions will not result in significant savings.The move is an example of the &quot;we can't keep the lights on charade&quot; that will &quot;hurt our most vulnerable students,&quot; Lemle said.School officials said it was too early to tell how much savings would be generated or how many positions would be impacted.The school budget already factors in savings from vacancies and staff turnover. But Davis said the restrictions will help cut costs because vacancies will remain unfilled for much longer than the normal time it takes to fill them.&quot;I don't think any positions in the budget are unnecessary,&quot; Davis said. &quot;We're asking people to work harder and figure out ways to get by with less.&quot;Restrictions on filling positions and spending can be lifted on a case-by-case basis if principals and administrative directors request exceptions. Requests to lift restrictions must be approved by the school system personnel and the deputy superintendent, along with a committee that will meet weekly to review requests.&quot;We're doing it very thoughtfully and with the priorities that we ensure our students needs are being met and our students and staff are safe at all times&quot; Davis said.This process encourages the school system to apply &quot;consistent&quot; and &quot;fair&quot; scrutiny on all spending, Davis said.This scrutiny is not typical every year, said Davis, acknowledging the restrictions are not realistic or feasible beyond the next fiscal year.The school system still projects a multi-million dollar deficit in its health and dental benefits fund, a pool of money that the Kittleman administration budget director Holly Sun said suffers from &quot;a structural imbalance&quot; between revenue and expenditures.

Howard County schools restricts hiring, spending to narrow budget 'gap'

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