While Howard County schools’ proposed $1.219 billion operating budget did not bring the level of shock and emotions as last year’s, some community education groups are still holding their breath.

Superintendent Bill Barnes’ proposed spending plan focuses on employee retention, better pay, more special education and school security staff and better student transportation. He’s asking for nearly $75 million more than last year.

Some groups commended Barnes for his proposals to add staff — both teachers and other educators — and for taking steps that would make them want to stay in their jobs.

“When they stay, they can make meaningful relationships with students,” said Kelly Klinefelter Lee, president of the Howard Progressive Project. “That’s everyone, teachers, paraeducators, kitchen staff, hall monitors, everyone. Every single person in the school is an educator.”

But others questioned whether adding certain jobs would really solve the problems they’re intended to.

New security assistants

The Howard County Education Association was “pleasantly surprised,” to see that Barnes wants to add a security assistant position in each middle and high schools, said Ben Schmitt, president of the teacher’s union.

These 33 security assistants would not be school resource officers, but rather an additional hand in checking bathrooms or helping with propped or unlocked doors. They’re intended to address increased violence in and around schools.

“The teachers on the ground have also asked for these positions,” said Schmitt.

For the Community Advisory Council, however, it caused a heated discussion a meeting earlier this week.

While Barnes has said the goal of these positions is to have additional unarmed, non-uniformed staff who can help create a more positive school community, some council members — mostly school system parents — are concerned the position’s title might be interpreted differently.

“I think that it also influences the applicants that you get for the job when they see they’re applying for a security role,” Lizz Hammon, the advocacy group’s policy chair, and school system parent, said during Monday’s meeting. “If the intention is for them to not be punitive enforcers then it definitely should be a different word.”

Members also worried the position could encourage more discipline directed at certain student groups.

“We have a massive disproportionate discipline problem for students receiving special education and African American students,” Hammon said.

According to school system data, in 2022 Black and African American students were suspended at rates 5.2 times higher than all other students. Students who received special education services in 2022 had an average rate of nearly 13 suspensions per 100 students who received special education services in the district, according to the data. That’s compared to 3 suspensions per 100 students for other students.

Karina Fisher, an advisory council member and a school system parent, agreed with concerns of the name of the positions but is also excited about the position.

“I love the way he [Barnes] made it very clear they are unarmed. They are not in uniforms. This is not his intent,” Fisher said. “I think adding an extra foot in the hallways would go a long way with deterring violence.”

Adding special education jobs

Barnes is looking to add 35 new special education positions, while also figuring out how to back-fill nearly 114 special education vacancies. The goal is to bring in nearly 150 special education staff for the 2025-2026 school year.

The teachers union thinks that’s not the answer unless the school system can address other core issues in the department.

“How can we continue to add more positions when we can’t literally fill what vacancies we have now?” Schmitt said.

The union wants to try other ways to reduce the workload on special education teachers, since it’s so hard to find new ones. The group has proposed hiring additional support staff to schedule Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings — where teachers and families create specialized plans for each student — and type up the notes from the meetings.

“It’s one less thing that a classroom teacher has to handle,” Schmitt said.

Support staff also needs behavioral management training, and classrooms need better resources, including weighted blankets and vests and fidgets, Schmitt said.

“Without addressing the issues, no one is going to come [fill the new jobs],” Schmitt said.

Pay is an issue, too, Klinefelter Lee said, especially for paraeducators.

“They do not make a living wage,” she said.

Special education paraeducators work with “the most difficult kids and don’t get adequate training, Klinefelter Lee said”

“They could do much easier jobs but they are doing this work because they love the kids,” she added.

The teacher’s union is in the middle of pay negotiations with school system officials.

Parents and community members can weigh in at two school board budget public hearings, scheduled for Jan. 30 and Feb. 10. Both will start at 7 p.m.