In a 9-3 vote, Baltimore County’s school board approved Superintendent Myriam Rogers’ $2.98 million budget Tuesday night, despite the county executive’s promise that she wouldn’t fund it.

Last month, Rogers warned the system would have yet another challenging budget season. The largest part of the budget is a staff compensation package with salary increases for 20,000 employees that would cost $61.4 million. It’ll cost another $14 million for benefits.

The three-year deal was widely celebrated by unions last year when it passed and fattens up the budget a bit. Salaries and wages will cost the system $684.4 million next budget year, up from $606.6 million this budget year, according to the budget book.

There’s also the extra $9.6 million to hire 32 more special education staffers and a $9.4 million gas and electric bill the system needs to pay.

Of the nearly $3 billion overall budget, $2.3 billion is the general fund — a 6.2% increase. Rogers wants an extra $105 million from the county, a nearly 11% increase from what the county government gave last year. It would make up nearly half the county budget, which also pays for police, firefighters and other county services.

But Kathy Klausmeier, the new county executive, told WYPR that’s not happening. The school system should only expect 3% more, according to the station.

The two are still working together to fund the system, she told The Banner.

“Despite the uncertainties about state and federal funding in the upcoming budget year, I am confident that our strong partnership will continue to support quality education for students of all ages as well as good jobs for our hardworking educators and support staff,” Klausmeier said in a statement.

Rogers said Tuesday that it isn’t “uncharted territory for us” to have a county executive decline to fulfill the school system’s entire request. In fact, she said, it has happened nine out of the 11 past fiscal years.

She said the system and county government have met weekly since she first unveiled her proposal in January.

The superintendent told board members that if the county government’s reduction from the budget request impacts the compensation package, she would talk to the board and unions before making adjustments.

Also looming over Rogers’ head is the potential loss of nearly $20 million in state funds that the school system was expecting. Gov. Wes Moore has proposed changes to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, the state’s sweeping education reform plan, that would reduce new funding local school systems had been slated to receive. Lawmakers would have to approve those changes, which have faced strong opposition.

About the Education Hub

This reporting is part of The Banner’s Education Hub, community-funded journalism that provides parents with resources they need to make decisions about how their children learn. Read more.