July 23, 2025 Staff Update - Compensation Agreements Finalized
Dear Team BCPS—
The Board of Education of Baltimore County and the Teachers Association of Baltimore County (TABCO) reached a tentative compensation agreement July 17, 2025.
Under the agreement, all TABCO-represented employees will receive a one percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), effective September 20, 2025. This increase, on average, amounts to $329 in additional pay per TABCO-represented employee. Additionally, a salary step and compression will be delayed until January 1, 2026, in alignment with agreements previously reached with the other BCPS unions.
The agreement, which must now be ratified by TABCO members, also includes the following provisions:
- Subject to Board revision of the school system calendar, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving 2025 would be half-day remote professional development and half-day “mental health”. In 2023, schools and offices were closed and in 2024, schools and offices were closed 3 hours early.
- One existing professional development day will be converted to a remote professional development day.
As part of our ongoing commitment to recognize the dedication of all Team BCPS employees, AFSCME, CASE, ESPBC, OPE and non-represented staff members will also receive the one percent COLA effective September 20. The total value of the September 20, 2025, COLA for all employees is $4.0 million.
Effective January 1, 2026, all employees will receive their applicable step increase and any remaining COLAs. The term and salary amount are the same as in the original contracts, which were outlined in the June 6 update to Team BCPS. The graphic below highlights the details of year 2 compensation by union.
Our unwavering commitment to the education and well-being of our 110,000 students was at the center of our negotiations in 2023 and has remained true despite this extraordinarily challenging fiscal climate. As shared throughout the budget process in 2023 and 2024, BCPS was slated to see a significant increase in Blueprint dollars from the state for fiscal years 2026 and 2027. Those additional Blueprint funds, strategic reductions in staffing and materials, and anticipated local and federal funding were to be used to fund our compensation packages. However, it became increasingly clear that uncertainty at the federal, state and local levels meant that we would need to approach the budget differently.
We appreciate the collaboration of all parties involved in the negotiations. This agreement reflects our commitment to providing competitive salaries for Team BCPS staff and to fiscal responsibility while fast forwarding student achievement. Every member of Team BCPS plays a vital role in our efforts to continue the forward progress, growth and success of our students and system.
Thank you for your support.
Regards,
Dr. Myriam Rogers
Superintendent