Montgomery Co. Council Passes Budget Full of School Cuts

The budget approved in Montgomery County Thursday cuts $25 million in school funding. The total budget for the school district is just over $2 billion.

Because of state law, cutting the school budget is difficult, but council members did it in part to appease other county agencies and workers, who felt the schools and their employees were getting off light.

Council president Valerie Ervin says the cuts to the school budget will not affect classrooms.

"It is time for all of us to live within our means,” she says. “This council had no choice but to hit the reset button to bring school funding back in line with the current fiscal reality."

But the president of the County Board of Education, Christopher Barclay, says the council's claim isn't true, and accused them of taking state aid meant for schools and using it for other purposes.

Barclay adds that cuts come as the school system continues to see thousands of new students enrolling each year.

Listen to the complete story at wamu.org

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