A promised pay raise for Baltimore County teachers is inching closer to reality, but the teachers' union says the current proposal still falls short of what was originally agreed on.

Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) had initially committed to a 5% raise for educators as part of a three-year compensation package. However, after the district received less funding than requested from County Executive Kathy Klausmeier's budget, the offer was reduced to 1.5%.

Following pushback from the Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO), including rallies and a shift to "work to rule" — where educators limit their work strictly to contracted hours — the district returned from negotiations with a revised offer of 2.5%.

But it was still below the union's expectations.

After further negotiations, BCPS announced an agreement with four of the five unions representing district employees. Under the new proposal, teachers would still receive the full 5% raise, but not until Jan. 1, 2026, rather than the originally planned July 1, 2025. 

The entire compensation timeline has now been shifted six months later than originally scheduled.

"It's definitely been a tough budget season, but we have thankfully made some progress," said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers.

Revised Compensation Schedule:

• Original Year 2: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026
• New Year 2: January 1, 2026 – December 31, 2026
• Original Year 3: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027
• New Year 3: January 1, 2027 – December 31, 2027

"We are able to provide the full year-two compensation package to all Team BCPS employees," Dr. Rogers said. "The only difference is the timing."

TABCO fights for an initial pay raise agreement

TABCO has not accepted the new deal and is weighing its next steps. The union is expected to vote on whether to declare an impasse — a formal process that could lead to third-party arbitration to resolve the issue.

"Our members are definitely not in the position to do that," TABCO President Cindy Sexton said. "They are still very angry. They still want to keep showing up every day in these walk-ins, walk-outs, and work-to-rule actions."

Sexton also plans to attend and speak at the upcoming school board meeting on Tuesday, June 10, continuing to press the district to honor the original compensation timeline.

School district has financial limitations

Dr. Rogers said she empathizes with the teachers' frustration but emphasized the district's financial limitations.

"If we could, I would have been the first one saying, 'Here it is,' and celebrating with everyone," Dr. Rogers said. "But that's just not the fiscal climate we find ourselves in."

Negotiations remain ongoing as educators, administrators, and union leaders work toward a final agreement ahead of the upcoming school year.

Possible Baltimore County school cuts

Dr. Rogers recently stated that the school district encountered an unexpected level of financial instability due to its limited resources.

In an email, Rogers outlined plans for cost-saving measures, which included eliminating some supervisory positions in the central office, extending a hiring freeze for non-school building roles, cutting $14 million from supplies and materials, and reducing division and department budgets.