Baltimore County schools Superintendent Joe A. Hairston has proposed a $1.2 billion operating budget for schools next year, a 4.4 percent increase over last year's spending, which would come from county revenues. Under the spending plan, the teachers would get their automatic step increases but no cost-of-living increase. Included in the budget is money to pay for air conditioning in several schools, an item that parents had lobbied for. About 54 percent of school funding comes from the county and 38 percent from the state; the rest is from federal sources. The budget proposal will be discussed at a public hearing Tuesday at Loch Raven High School and at a school board work session Jan. 26. The school board will vote on the budget Feb. 9 before the proposal is sent to County Executive James T. Smith Jr. The County Council must approve a budget in May.

- Liz Bowie