HOWARD COUNTY, Md. — Howard County parents call the proposed funding for the area's public schools a crisis.
They say they need tens of millions of more dollars for their kids to continue being successful.
VIDEO: Howard County parents and students voice worries over school funding
Specifically, the district needs around $29 million extra to prevent negative impacts.
And even students are taking notice of the situation and speaking up.
"As far as it looks right now, we're only on a downward trajectory," River Hill High School junior Henry Yarmus said.
Henry told WMAR 2 News he sees the impact funding has on his education just by looking around his classroom.
"My classrooms are already filled. And I know there's tons of students who I've talked to who've had trouble because their teachers are so swamped with kids," he said, "It is so important to see that these kids get the best education that they can, and that is directly correlated to the number of kids in the class because there's only so much one teacher can do."
He's also worried for his teachers.
"I see so many teachers put so much effort into their students, including me, and it hurts so much to see these people scared in a job where they don't get paid enough where they don't have enough stability."
So he, along with dozens of Howard County parents, gave their testimonies to the Howard County Council Wednesday night, asking for more funding for the next school year.
An HCPSS spokesperson tells me the school board requested just over $101 million above maintenance of effort.
The maintenance of effort law states that each county must appropriate an amount equal to or greater than its prior year per pupil appropriation.
After County Executive Calvin Ball presented his budget for next year, including $800 million to the school system, the district got $47.2 million in new revenue.
The district would need a little over $54 million above that to fully fund the board's requested budget.
But $29 million of that request is the magic number to avoid class size increases or cuts to existing services, staffing, and programs like the ones Cat Carter's son enjoys.
"I have a fourth grader, and he takes GT and resource programs, and he loves it," Carter said.
Ryan Powers, whose son is in first grade, told WMAR 2 News that they've been in this situation before.
"This is déjà vu. It happened last year. Class sizes increased for middle school and high school. They were able to keep it steady for elementary school, but with the kind of crisis we're facing again this year, I'm worried about elementary schools," Powers said.
Henry said he'll continue to speak up for his district and community.
"I feel like it's my responsibility and the responsibility of everybody else as students and as people in the community to do as much as they can to help their not happen and help change the trajectory that we treat education and treat it for the value that we need."
As Wednesday night was an opportunity for the council to hear from the community on this topic, members say they'll address the issue in length on Monday during their work session.
