After several rounds of budgeting yo-yo, the Howard County Board of Education approved a final spending plan Friday for next fiscal year that, at $390.7 million, is $13 million more than this year's operating budget.
Board members had requested $398 million to fund programs, services and payrolls next year, but settled for a budget that is about $7 million less.
To compensate, textbooks will not be upgraded, fewer custodians will be hired and vacant teaching positions will stay that way a little longer.
"These are reductions to the [operating budget] request," Superintendent John R. O'Rourke said. "These are not cuts in [existing] programs. We have been talking about that all along."
The reduction was mostly attributed to lean economic times; the county government -- which funds nearly all of the schools' budget -- couldn't meet the tremendous rate of growth being experienced in Howard's schools, and pay for road resurfacing, public works projects, police, fire and recreation and parks programs.
The disparity forced O'Rourke to come up with a list of potential cuts in the proposed operating budget. Special education would have taken one of the biggest hits -- about $1 million.
But the county government restored $200,000 to the budget request and County Executive James N. Robey allowed the school system to move $750,000 around, essentially freeing up that much money in the operating budget. Other recalculations, money moves and grants made it possible for the school system to shorten the potential cut list considerably.
Special education got a lot of help from the shuffle. Instead of $1 million, administrators in that department now are facing a shortfall of about $175,000.
"That's a very, very small amount that has not been funded," said board member James P. O'Donnell. "The County Council has done a good job in that area."
Other areas were not so fortunate.
Textbooks in nearly every subject won't be replaced for another year, saving the county about $1.4 million.
"In effect, it changes the eight-year cycle to a nine-year-cycle," said Tom Walker, a former Howard school executive who provides the system with budget consulting services. "We're going to find ourselves with very old textbooks if we continue to defer."
Officials said they don't want to see that happen.
"This is just something we can do this year to get us through a tough time," O'Donnell said.
The school board also approved the capital budget for next fiscal year, earmarking $55.6 million for building projects, such as additions to crowded schools.
Some projects on the long-range building plan, however, continue to be deferred, because of the tight economy. Renovations to the staff development center, Faulkner Ridge, have been on hold for three years, Chief Operating Officer Sydney L. Cousin said, and will wait a fourth year.
"Things are being held together over there with Band-Aids and bubble gum," he joked.
Also yesterday, the school board set the starting salary for next year's teachers at $33,160 -- $247 more than this year's.
The increase in annual pay for first-year teachers did little to help the district improve its ranking among state school systems. If school officials' projections are correct -- many districts don't set their new salary scales until late summer -- Howard will drop from seventh place in the state to 12th.
"It's very regrettable," said board Vice Chairwoman Sandra H. French. "I wish we could make it easier for you to recruit."
From the back of the board room, human resources Director Mamie Perkins said, "Me too."
The board has not set the salary for O'Rourke and top officials.