BCPS Short $20M In Budget Proposal, Job Cuts Also Planned: Reports

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Baltimore County Public Schools is nearly $20 million short on funding for its upcoming budget because of the statewide deficit, a report said. Job cuts were already planned, but the new shortfall announced this week demands additional action.

At a Tuesday work session, BCPS Superintendent Myriam Rogers said there is a $19.92 million "variance" between the school system's request and the state's proposed contribution, The Baltimore Sun reported.

The $2.98 billion BCPS fiscal year 2026 budget proposal includes a $126.4 million increase over this year's general fund budget. That's up 6.5% from the current fiscal year 2025 budget.

The Sun, however, reported that the budget proposal is up 21.7% from last year when also counting the capital budget for construction projects. The Sun said the large increases, which appear in even-numbered budget years because of ballot referendums on construction funding, will contribute to a replacement of Dulaney High School and renovations at Towson High School.

These challenges come as Maryland faces a $3 billion statewide budget deficit, leading Gov. Wes Moore (D) to push some funding responsibility back to the counties.

Moore's budget proposal includes $2 billion in cuts, but he plans to fill the remaining gap with tax hikes on the highest earners and raised fees for state services.

Moore "would create a new 6.25% tax rate for people who make more than $500,000 and a 6.5% rate for taxpayers who make more than $1 million," the Associated Press reported. On the flip side, AP said nearly two-thirds of Marylanders would receive a tax cut, while 82% would either receive a tax reduction or see no change. The tax relief would benefit residents with low and middle incomes.

BCPS Budget Cuts, Additions

BCPS acknowledged the funding difficulties and its efforts to trim spending.

"BCPS is facing a complex and difficult FY 2026 budget landscape. With the termination of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds in 2024 and uncertainty from the state as it faces the largest budget deficit in decades, the school system has had to refine its plans," BCPS said in a Jan. 14 press release announcing Rogers' budget proposal.

The release outlined some of the areas where BCPS found savings.

"These savings include central office position reductions, reduced cell phone stipends, limited conference travel, teacher adjustments to match enrollment, shifts in revenue sources, and other built-ins," the press release said.

This year's proposal includes $26 million in reductions.

"The number of $26 million that we see here was not gained easily," Rogers said earlier this month, according to WBAL. "There were not big pockets where we could find this. We had to go through every single thing."

Last year saw $104 million in cuts. WYPR said BCPS last year eliminated 527 school staff positions, "increasing some middle and high school class sizes by two or three students."

This year, WYPR reported that class sizes will stay the same while cutting nearly 120 mostly administrative positions. WYPR said the budget would also create 32 special education jobs, pay $75.5 million into district-wide raises and benefits and add pre-Kindergarten slots at four schools.

"It will cost us $9.4 million more this upcoming year to provide gas and electric to our schools and facilities. That is a significant increase," Rogers said on Jan. 13, calling it a "no-frills budget," according to WYPR. "We also know that there are some things that we must do as a school system, that we must invest in, to continue to take care of all of our students."

Even with the cuts, the BCPS budget proposal includes:

• Enhancing compensation for all BCPS staff.
• Increasing the number of special education teachers, paraeducators, and additional adult assistants.
• Preserving current class size staffing allocations across all grade levels.
• Expanding full-day prekindergarten classes across zones.
• Prioritizing infrastructure efficiencies and maximizing cybersecurity.
• Funding additional athletic trainers.

BCPS is scheduled to adopt the budget at its Feb. 25 meeting at 6:30 p.m.