MONTGOMERY CO. – The MCPS 2025-2026 budget has been approved by the board in a 5-2 vote during a meeting May 20, 2025. Board members Dana Partin and Jamie Bond voted against approval, stating disagreements with two line items – a salary compression of a 16-step difference and also removing financial support for some security resource officers (SROs) in the school division.
A salary compression reduction to 20 steps from 36 steps and a three percent salary increase were part of the approved budget in an effort to retain school staff. However, two board members felt this was too large of an adjustment to make in one budget year.
“I think a salary compression from 36 to 20 is extreme, and although I understand why and I think it’s important, I just think all at one time, as I have shared with some of the MCEA members, it’s a little bit difficult,” Bond said. “I could have accepted 25 years.”
Bond also shared her concerns about the importance of having SROs in every school building and could not support a budget that does not include that support. Board member Dana Partin agreed with Bond on the salary step compression and the need for SROs.
“…we present a specific need to the Board of Supervisors at a meeting, which is what our administrators did for that need, and they unanimously voted that money to be used for school safety officers, and then we jerk it from the budget, from money that was meant to go to that, which they all agreed on,” Partin said.
Although voting yes on the Budget approval, Board member Dr. Edward Gitre said he hopes that the conversation is not over in support of the SROs, “even though we didn’t have the funding, or we didn’t allocate the funding.”
Gitre also said that compression was a problem, and they sought to solve issues with retention through the reduction in steps. Board member Penny Franklin expressed her opinion on the SRO situation as Blacksburg needing to resolve their own staffing issues, similar to what MCPS is doing.
“We have the town of Blacksburg that needs to figure out just like we figure out with our recruitment what we need to do to attract folks, so that we can have them in place to help make sure our communities are safe. Not an easy job for anyone these days, but bottom line is we got to step up and do what we need to do,” Franklin said.
Franklin also thought that the Board of Supervisors do not have the authority to designate how the MCPS Board allocates budgetary funds.
Board Chair Linwood Hudson said, “I’m still proud of the budget we have in front of us.” Hudson also agreed with Gitre that further conversations are hopeful to maintain safety officers in the school division, even though it is not included in the coming year’s budget.
The MCPS Board also unanimously approved the School Nutrition Program for just over six million dollars. The program provides free breakfast to all students in the school division, including a summer food program.
