CAMBRIDGE, MD - Dorchester County Public Schools is facing a $10.19 million budget deficit, forcing officials to consider significant cuts to balance the budget.
Superintendent Dr. Jymil Thompson said the school system is exploring all options.
"Everything is on the table," Thompson said.
The district receives approximately $87 million annually from the state of Maryland and the county, but rising costs have pushed this year’s budget higher.
“We had a different Jaded program in our budget last year, so we carried that over—that’s a couple million dollars,” Thompson said. “Then you have pay increases across the board that we have to outline under the Blueprint, for teachers to be paid a certain amount. That adds $3.5 million to the budget.”
Other rising expenses include health care costs at $1.8 million, substitute teacher pay at $500,000, and media specialists at $450,000. The growing costs have placed a financial strain on the district. About a $10.19 Million strain, forcing officials to make difficult decisions about staffing and programs.
Thompson said some student support monitors and instructional assistants have already been cut, and additional reductions may include teacher positions.
"If it comes to that, we don’t want to only look at teacher positions," Thompson said. "It’s from the central office all the way down."
After-school activities could also be impacted. This is all a big concern for parents like Courtney Davis.
“I think the main concern is the impact on the special education department,” Davis said. “Making cuts to a department already under so much stress is going to be detrimental to children.”
The district has until June to finalize a plan to address the deficit.