Wicomico County Board of Education expected to OK $160 million budget

SALISBURY -- The Wicomico County Board of Education is expected to approve next year's proposed budget on Tuesday.
Asking for a 2 percent, or $723,938, increase in the county's appropriation from last year, the board is expecting to ask for $36,920,830 from the county government for next year.
Combined with a possible $118,652,019 from the state, more than $3 million in one-time federal education job funds, a savings of $300,000 from this year's budget and other miscellaneous revenue sources, the grand total of the proposed budget is $160,199,120.
"Please don't forget, this is all based on a soft budget," said school district Comptroller Bruce Ford. "I can't say I expect we're going to get the full $4.9 million increase in state revenue. This is a budget based on current information. That's all we can do."
While an increase of $206,000 in appropriations from the county is all that is needed for the school system to meet Maintenance of Effort requirements, school officials said it was important to remember local contributions have been cut by $14.6 million in the past two years.
"I'd like to be applying for the MOE from two years ago," said Superintendent John Fredericksen. "But we live in a new political and economic reality. Unemployment rates are the same as the rest of the nation here. We're coming out of the recession slower than the rest of the state."
After approval, the proposed budget is scheduled to be submitted to the County Council on Thursday. The council will inform the school board of its actual appropriation on May 31, after a public hearing in April.
Also scheduled for a vote on Tuesday is the school calendar for next year, as well as recommendations for an elementary school assistant principal decision.
A vote on the Consistent Attire Program, similar to school uniforms, for possible institution at 11 district elementary schools next year has been delayed until the board's April meeting. Originally scheduled for Tuesday night, the CAP vote was delayed in order for schools to collect more parent input on the decision