Opinion: MCPS needs to tame its monstrous overhead costs

Getting rid of costly electric buses is a good start

By Gordie Brenne

March 30, 2026 3:00 p.m. | Updated: March 30, 2026 2:53 p.m.

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Literacy and math proficiency rates for low-income Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students were a dismal 35% and 15% respectively last year. Instead of funding additional interventions and tutoring for these students, MCPS chose to fund its alarmingly high overhead costs, which continue to grow as the student population declines. The district’s overhead rate for non-instruction spending is 45%; for Fairfax County Public Schools it is 35% — a difference of $250 million. And worse, this overhead monster continues to be fed every year.

To fix this, policy makers must look at base spending for alignment with the 2025-2030 strategic plan approved by the county school board last year. Electric buses are a $30 million per year example of base spending that doesn’t even have a transportation strategic objective since the strategic plan refers only to green infrastructure enhancements.

According to The Washington Post, MCPS will purchase 140 more diesel buses to add to its fleet of more than 1,300 buses. The story quoted an MCPS spokesperson who said these buses are needed because the district’s 285 electric buses don’t start in the cold, don’t handle longer routes, and can’t be recharged for field trips or midday runs. Furthermore, the Maryland State Board of Education has determined that the contract with Highland Electric Fleets should be overturned.

We’ve calculated that the incremental 10-year life cycle costs of electric buses — above what 285 diesel buses would cost — is $300 million. This takes into account higher costs for funding bus leases under this contract out of the operating budget — and not the capital budget, which funds diesel bus purchases for far less — plus costs for charging stations, sole source maintenance, and higher energy and operations costs. 

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The district’s rational for using electric buses is to meet environmental goals and compliance with county law for greenhouse gas emissions. Are the potential emission reductions worth the higher costs resulting from this law? How many low-income kids could receive needed interventions and become proficient in reading and math with this money? MCPS has set an ambitious strategic plan objective of increasing low-income student proficiency by 50%.

The county Office of the Inspector General has reviewed the electric bus contract and found MCPS failed to hold the company accountable for performance shortfalls. But there has been no reported follow-up by the office and no audit of the money wasted to fund electric buses over diesel. This waste is just one example of why MCPS needs a dedicated inspector general reporting to the school board. We believe a dedicated inspector general will improve the school board’s ability to govern MCPS independently of management. A plan to phase out electric buses is needed and should be reviewed by an inspector general who understands how overhead spending takes money away from instruction. 

Gordie Brenne of Silver Spring is the treasurer of the Montgomery County Taxpayers League

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine