By Emmanuel T. Erediano
emmanuel@mvariety.com
Variety News Staff
FOLLOWING the loss of four Mondays due to budget shortfalls, the Public School System plans to restore at least one Monday per pay period once pending funding bills become law.
“One good thing that is starting to occur — although it hasn’t moved as quickly as we would like — is the increase in the PSS budget,” Commissioner of Education Dr. Lawrence F. Camacho said. “I’ve noticed momentum again, particularly with the conversations surrounding the governor’s revised budget submission. That revision would increase PSS’ budget from about $31 million to $37 million.”
Camacho said both the House and the Senate appear to be working toward the same funding level for PSS in the revised budget.
PSS students have been without classes every Monday since Nov. 17, 2025, following the enactment of the $127 million fiscal year 2026 budget, which appropriated $31.7 million for PSS. The funding shortfall forced the autonomous agency to implement austerity measures, reducing employee work hours to 64 per pay period. Earlier this year, PSS submitted a $49 million budget request to maintain 80-hour work schedules.
Gov. David M. Apatang, in his revised budget submission on Oct. 14, 2025, proposed $37.7 million for PSS. On Nov. 7, 2025, the House passed House Bill 24-74, appropriating $1 million in public land interest income to shield Nutrition Assistance Program recipients from the effects of a federal government shutdown. After the shutdown ended on Nov. 12, the Senate passed its own version of the bill on Dec. 1, allocating $250,000 of the funds to PSS.
On Dec. 5, the House passed House Bill 24-75, allocating $936,896 in fiscal year 2025 lapsed funds to PSS.
On Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, the House and Senate are scheduled to act on House Bill 24-80, which appropriates $37.9 million of the $152.2 million FY2026 budget for PSS.
In an interview Friday, Camacho said the $37.9 million in H.B. 24-80, combined with the $250,000 in H.B. 24-74 and the $936,896 in H.B. 24-75, would raise PSS’ budget to slightly more than $39 million, up from $31.7 million.
Although PSS estimates it needs at least $42 million to restore employee work hours to 72, Camacho said the $39 million would be sufficient to increase hours to 68 and restore one Monday of classes per pay period.
PSS’ long-term goal remains restoring 80-hour work schedules and all Monday classes. Camacho said that could be achieved if PSS is allowed — through action by the Board of Education, not the Legislature — to use $4.9 million in fiscal year 2025 lapsed funds.
“We are also counting on the $4.9 million in unrestricted funds, which cannot be part of the budget because we already have that,” Camacho said.
He explained that the funds represent part of the CNMI government’s constitutional obligation to allocate 25% of its general revenues to PSS. As unrestricted funds, the money belongs to PSS and cannot be returned to the general fund or reappropriated for other purposes without impairing the constitutional mandate.
“We reviewed this issue with our legal team, and it was determined that the $4.9 million was authorized, allocated, and left unencumbered from prior years,” Camacho said. “The Constitution does not require unused portions of the 25% allocation to revert to the general fund.”
He said that once the Board of Education reappropriates the $4.9 million for FY2026, PSS’ total budget would reach about $44 million, allowing the agency to restore 80-hour work schedules for employees.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
