Montgomery County School Budget Tour Dates Set

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Montgomery County officials are hosting a series of five public forums to address the school budget process of the County's public school system and its community college starting Feb. 15.

Education Committee Chair Craig Rice, Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jack Smith and Montgomery College President DeRionne Pollard will kick off the series at Northwest High School. The officials will then travel to four other schools to meet with residents, explain the FY18 budget process, discuss what the schools are doing to prepare for Fiscal Year 2018 and seek residents' input.

The County Council will adopt the FY18 budget in May, and it will go into effect on July 1.

“We will talk about how budget decisions are made and will work to explain the circumstances concerning the new budget we are addressing for the fiscal year that begins on July 1," Councilmember Rice said in a press release. "We also will discuss the opportunities residents will have to influence budget decisions. And in this early stage of the budget process, we want to hear from residents about their concerns, their priorities and how they fit with the amount of funding available.”

This is the third year County education leaders are organizing a Countywide tour to address the school budget process.

Here's a look at the schedule. All forums will go from 6:30-8:30 p.m.:

• Wednesday, Feb. 15: Northwest High School (cafeteria). 13501 Richter Farm Road, Germantown.
• Wednesday, March 8: Montgomery Blair (cafeteria). 51 University Blvd. East, Silver Spring.
• Wednesday, March 15: Montgomery College’s Takoma Park/Silver Spring campus (Catherine F. Scott Building, also known as the CM Building, Room 211). 7600 Takoma Ave., Takoma Park.
• Wednesday, March 22: Walter Johnson High School (cafeteria). 6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda.
• Wednesday, March 29: Richard Montgomery High School (cafeteria). 250 Richard Montgomery Drive, Rockville.

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