ELKTON â The 2022 Cecil County Public Schools (CCPS) budget, presented by Superintendent Dr. Jeffrey Lawson to the Citizens Advisory Committee on Tuesday, would increase spending by 1.7%, or 3.7 million dollars. A marked decrease from the previous yearâs budget increase of 4.5%.
Though Lawson is confident that schools will re-open safely, a long-term decline in enrollment, leading to revenue reductions and staff cuts, continues to affect CCPS.
The school systemâs loss of 500 students between 2020 and 2021 is part of a decrease of enrollment by 9.2% since 2009. Declining enrollment is especially prevalent in younger students, with 591 less pre-middle school students in 2020 than in 2019.
Assistant superintendent Dr. Carolyn Teigland said the district is preparing for a possible small spike in enrollment in some schools, however, as parents who began homeschooling their children due to the pandemic return when in-person learning resumes.