TOWSON, MD—Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski has proposed a new budget that would fully fund Baltimore County Public Schools, according to a press release.

The $2.6 billion plan would also raise the starting salary for educators to $60,000, invest in early childhood education, hire more bus drivers, and expand access to college courses for high school students.

The funding would allow Baltimore County to “prioritize investments in areas of greatest need,” Olszewski said in a statement.

“As a former BCPS teacher, parent to a BCPS second-grader, and as County Executive, education will always be my passion and priority,” Olszewski said. “For the sixth year in a row, Baltimore County’s budget delivers another major investment in BCPS.”

“County Executive Johnny Olszewski is a true champion of education, and we deeply appreciate his longstanding commitment to Baltimore County Public Schools as demonstrated by his record investments in our system and Team BCPS students, staff and families,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers. “The County Executive recognizes that it is critically important to invest in our students now to build a thriving Baltimore County and secure our community’s future as a great place to live and work. We look forward to working with the County Council to move this budget request across the finish line and continue our work to build an innovative and collaborative learning community where all students excel and reach their highest potential.”

The Baltimore County Council is scheduled to vote on the proposed budget on May 23. The budget must be approved by the council before the start of the new fiscal year.

If approved, the new budget would represent a significant investment in education for Baltimore County, and would help to ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.