Prince George’s County Schools to Lose 1,000 Jobs

The Prince George’s County, Maryland school superintendent has proposed $71 million in new budget cuts, which would push the number of school system jobs lost to more than 1,000.

The proposal from Interim Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. includes school employee furloughs and program trims.

In Governor Martin O’Malley’s proposed budget, Prince George’s would receive about $70 million less in state education aid than expected. The federal stimulus package, however, could provide the school system with about $90 million.

A budget proposal unveiled in December included the elimination of 900 positions, the closure of six schools and an increase in the student-teacher ratio in first through third grades.

The county has 19,000 school employees.

A planned expansion of a program to help students learning English would not happen. And a program to train aspiring principals, which had been targeted for expansion, would be cut.

Hite proposed saving $29.7 million by furloughing employees. Ten-month employees would have five furlough days; 11- and 12-month workers would have 10 days; and executive staff members would have 12 days.

An $11 million savings could be achieved by reducing salary step increases in negotiated union contracts and leaving vacancies unfilled.