Howard County schools' budget relies on nearly $30 million of one-time funds to cover recurring costs and includes $47.4 million to fund staff compensation increases, $7.5 million for transportation costs related to new school start times and $2.5 million to open Guilford Park High in Jessup.
Members of the Howard County Council lambasted the Howard County Public School System’s budgeting process as the council voted 3-2 on Wednesday against a budget amendment to provide $2.7 million more to the school system’s fiscal 2024 operating budget.
Howard County Public School System Superintendent Michael Martirano has recommended that the school board adopt a fiscal 2024 budget balancing scenario today that would cut 101.1 full-time equivalent staff positions, resulting in the possibility of increased class sizes across the system. The school board is set to vote on the proposal at a 5:30 p.m. work session.
The Howard County Public School System is considering two budget balancing scenarios that ask for additional county funding while cutting school system spending in order to address a $67.3 million gap between County Executive Calvin Ball’s proposed $1.1 billion education operating budget and the school board’s requests.
Howard County Executive Calvin Ball’s proposed operating budget for fiscal 2024, unveiled Monday night, aims to fully fund salary increases for county educators and school personnel and give the school system a record amount of funding for next fiscal year $1.1 billion.