For Immediate Release: Monday, February 5, 2018
Montgomery County Public Schools Enrollment and Demographic Trends are the Focus of Education Committee on Monday, Feb. 5
Also on Feb. 5: Capital budget discussions begin for Montgomery County Public Schools and Revenue Authority and National Philharmonic Grant update
ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 2, 2018—The Education (ED) Committee will meet on February 5 at 2 p.m. in the Third Floor Council Hearing Room to receive an overview of the capital budget for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The ED Committee is chaired by Councilmember Craig Rice and includes Council Vice President Nancy Navarro and Councilmember Marc Elrich. The ED Committee also will receive an update on enrollment and demographics.
The ED Committee will get an overview of the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) for MCPS. The MCPS Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-24 Proposed CIP includes 53 projects (11 new and 42 ongoing). The MCPS School Board's FY2019-24 request totals $1.83 billion. This level of funding is $86.6 million (5 percent) higher than the FY2017-22 amended CIP of $1.74 billion. The County Executive’s recommended six-year CIP is $1.75 billion, $79.1 million (4.3 percent) less than the MCPS School Board request.
The staff report can be viewed at: https://tinyurl.com/ybbbha3o
Enrollment changes are one of the largest cost drivers of both the operating budget and capital budgets for MCPS. Enrollment increases drive an immediate need for relocatable and permanent classrooms and core space improvements. Adrienne Karamihas, Acting Director of the Division of Capital Programming in the Department of Facilities Management, will provide the ED Committee with a presentation on enrollment and demographic trends and forecasts.
The official enrollment for the 2017-2018 school year as of September 20, 2017 is 161,546 students, 2,536 more than the 2016-2017 school year. In the next six years, enrollment is expected to climb to an estimated 168,480. MCPS also will talk about the ongoing demographic changes in the student population, including racial/ethnic trends (including ESOL), as well as the continued high rate of student eligibility for free and reduced meals (FARMS).
The staff report can be viewed at: https://tinyurl.com/ybbbha3o
The Planning, Housing, and Economic Development (PHED) Committee will meet at 2 p.m. in the Seventh Floor Council Hearing Room. The PHED Committee is chaired by Councilmember Nancy Floreen and includes Council President Hans Riemer and Councilmember George Leventhal. The PHED Committee will begin its capital budget review for the Revenue Authority and the Conservation of Natural Resources Program.
The Revenue Authority was created in 1957 to construct and operate a variety of self-supporting projects. It is a self-supporting, public corporation that operates somewhat independently of County Government.
The Revenue Authority's recommended capital budget request updates one ongoing project approved in the FY2017-22 CIP, adds two Airpark Land Acquisitions, and closes eight previously approved projects.
The staff report can be viewed at: https://tinyurl.com/y9kue2eu
The PHED Committee also will discuss the CIP for the Conservation of Natural Resources Program, which provides funds for the purchase of agricultural and conservation easements. Purchasing easements restricts certain uses on a property to ensure it is preserved for agricultural and rural uses for future generations.
The staff report can be viewed at: https://tinyurl.com/yb4sz67d
The Health and Human Services (HHS) Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. in the Third Floor Council Conference Room. The HHS Committee is chaired by Councilmember George Leventhal and includes Councilmember Roger Berliner and Councilmember Craig Rice. The HHS Committee will receive an update on the use of grant funding by the National Philharmonic.
The staff report can be viewed at: https://tinyurl.com/ya69w9un
The Committee meetings will be televised live by County Cable Montgomery (CCM). The channel can be viewed on Cable Channels 996 (high definition) and 6 (standard definition) on Comcast; Channels 1056 (HD) and 6 (SD) on RCN; and Channel 30 on Verizon. The meetings also will be available live via streaming through the Council website at http://tinyurl.com/z9982v8 .