More Bureaucrats, Fewer Students: What’s Really Happening Inside MCPS?

By MDBayNews Staff

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) added 1,769 full-time employees between the 2018–19 and 2024–25 school years — an 8% increase in staffing — even as enrollment dropped by 3,499 students, according to national education data compiled by Edunomics Lab using federal NCES figures.

Let that sink in.

Fewer students. More employees.

And not just teachers.

Where the Growth Happened

Here’s how staffing changed:

• Teachers: +544 (+5%)
• Paraprofessionals: +329 (+15%)
• Non-teaching school-based certified staff: +329 (+10%)
• District Administration & Central Office: +305 (+22%)
• Transport, food services, custodial, facilities: +260 (+6%)

The most striking number? A 22% increase in district administration and central office staff.

That’s more than four times the rate of teacher growth.

While classrooms saw modest increases, central bureaucracy ballooned.

The Enrollment Reality

During the same period, MCPS enrollment fell 2% — dropping from 162,680 students to 159,181.

In other words, the system is serving fewer students with significantly more staff.

Parents and taxpayers are right to ask: Is this sustainable? And more importantly — is it improving outcomes?

Test Scores: The Quiet Part

Supporters of ever-expanding school budgets often argue that staffing growth reflects investment in student support, equity initiatives, and recovery from pandemic learning loss.

But student performance metrics have not mirrored the staffing surge.

Maryland’s statewide testing data has shown declines in math and reading proficiency over the past several years, particularly post-pandemic. MCPS, once considered a national gold standard district, has faced ongoing questions about achievement gaps and grade-level proficiency.

More administrators does not automatically translate to better results.

The Political Angle

County Executive candidate Andrew Friedson recently touted endorsements from retired educators, emphasizing the need to “sustain a world-class school system” and grow the economy to fund public schools.

But voters are increasingly scrutinizing what “world-class” means in practice.

If the system is adding assistant superintendents and central office administrators at a rate far exceeding classroom growth — while enrollment declines — fiscal oversight becomes more than a talking point.

It becomes a necessity.

A Structural Question

Montgomery County residents already shoulder some of the highest property taxes in the state. The school system represents the largest share of the county budget.

The question is no longer simply whether to fund education.

It’s whether the structure of that funding prioritizes classrooms over bureaucracy.

Even some longtime MCPS observers note that other large Maryland districts operate with leaner central administrations relative to student counts.

When administrative growth outpaces both student growth and teacher growth, the burden falls on taxpayers — and, potentially, classroom resources.

Accountability Before Expansion

Education funding should prioritize:

1. Classroom instruction
2. Teacher recruitment and retention
3. Direct student support
4. Measurable academic improvement

Administrative growth should be justified with transparent performance benchmarks.

Montgomery County families deserve clarity. They deserve results. And they deserve confidence that their tax dollars are being directed where they matter most: inside the classroom.

Adding layers of bureaucracy while enrollment shrinks is not a long-term strategy — it’s a warning sign.

As the 2026 local elections approach, education spending and structural reform may become one of the defining issues for voters.

MDBayNews will continue tracking the numbers.

---

Keep MDBayNews Reporting Free

MDBayNews exists to help Marylanders understand decisions made by state and local leaders — especially when those decisions affect daily life, rights, and public services.

If this article helped clarify what’s happening or why it matters, reader support makes it possible to keep publishing clear, independent reporting like this.

👉 Support Local Journalism

Have a tip or documents to share?

We review submissions carefully and confidentially. Anonymous tips are welcome when appropriate.

 👉 Submit a Tip