Harford’s Glassman Certifies Budgeted Increase Qualifies Schools for State Kirwan Grant
Harford County Executive Barry Glassman today signed documentation certifying that the county’s FY 2020 budget provides Harford County Public Schools with $10.7 million to raise teacher salaries, an amount that qualifies the school system to receive an additional state “Kirwan” grant. The certification is required under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future legislation. As a result of the increased county funds, supplemented by the grant, all HCPS classroom teachers will receive an average salary increase of 5% at the start of the upcoming school year. Without a sufficient increase in the county budget, HCPS would have been ineligible for the grant. County funding for school system operations totals more than $256 million for FY 2020.
Teacher salaries are negotiated between the school board and HCEA, the teachers’ bargaining unit. According to their negotiated salary schedules, effective July 1, 2019, salary increases for all classroom teachers will range between 4.43% and 5.53%, depending on their location on the pay scale. Increases for 11-month school psychologists will reach as high as 11.15%. Per an agreement between County Executive Glassman and the schools’ superintendent, $650,000 of county funding will support school psychologists and mental wellness in HCPS. All other HCPS employees will also receive salary increases ranging from 2.5% to 7.5%, depending on their bargaining unit and other factors.
County Executive Glassman has directed funding to raise teacher salaries in each of the five years of his administration. By May 2020, all HCPS employees, including teachers, will be caught up on multiple salary step increases they missed prior to the Glassman administration. Employees who are owed final make-up steps will receive these additional increases in April and May of the upcoming school year.
