BALTIMORE — The Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners approved the 2023-2024 school budget Tuesday night.
The budget, approved with 9 'yes' votes, carries a price tag of roughly $1.7 billion.
It draws about $1 billion from the State of Maryland. Roughly $400 million would come from Baltimore City - 18 percent of the whole city budget - the largest share ever.
READ MORE: 'Record' levels of school spending in proposed city budget
Among the budget's features of note: funding for mental and behavioral health, and $25 million in continued investments in small-group tutoring.
$45 million is earmarked for extended learning programs - including summer learning.
"Where there are mental health services, community school supports - teachers feel less like the entire burden is on them," Dr. Sonja Santelises, the City Schools CEO, told WMAR.
"We know that children are not just the trauma that happens to them. Children are also their talents and their gifts," added Santelises.
City schools budgeted for staff positions - now, they must continue their efforts to fill them.
“Our vacancies aren’t just because people are walking off jobs," Santelises continued, "Our vacancies are because we gave opportunities for teacher leaders, many of them took those opportunities, and now we’ve got to fill those spaces back in the classroom."
And next time around, Santelises tells WMAR she wants to see more work done on rehabilitating outdated school buildings.
This was the final hurdle for the budget on the school district’s end, the conclusion of a months-long process. The Baltimore City Council still needs to pass it - that process will play out in the coming weeks.
