Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is required to send to the Montgomery County Council two letters each year on State Budget Category 12, Fixed Charges. One letter due March 31, provides the following: (1) estimate of employer contributions to the MCPS pension fund for the next five fiscal years (FYs); (2) major factors that affect the estimated pension fund contributions for the next five years; (3) the Board’s current strategy in achieving a desired funding level; (4) a comparison of the current FY budgeted versus actual revenue and expenditures for the Group Insurance Funds; and (5) the projected end of year balance for the Group Insurance Funds. The committee will receive an update on the status of the March 31 letter.

The second letter is due September 30 and provides an end of FY report on Category 12 expenditures.

This presentation will review the new School Cash Online module that will be replacing the current Online School Payment system in all Montgomery County Public Schools.

Staff will present updates to the Accountability and Implementation Board since the Board of Education received a Blueprint for Maryland’s Future legislation presentation on February 14, 2022. 

Staff will provide an update on the status of the Fiscal Year 2023 Operating Budget that was tentatively approved by the Board of Education on February 24, 2022.  In addition, the presentation will highlight the recommendations made to the budget by the County Executive on March 15, 2022.

Each year, the County Council approves Spending Affordability Guidelines amounts for the four county agencies funded in the county’s operating budget.  These amounts are not binding.  By March 31 of each year, when an agency’s budget request is greater than the amount reflected in the Spending Affordability Guidelines, the agency must submit a letter to the County Council explaining how it would lower its budget to be within the Spending Affordability Guidelines ceiling.  This presentation will explain how the gap is lowered by both the increase in state aid for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 as well as the use of fund balance from FY 2022 used to fund the FY 2023 operating budget.