PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — With mere hours to go and many remaining questions, the Calvert County Public Schools Board of Education voted 5-0 to approve the fiscal year 2026 (FY 26) budget. The approved general fund budget is $288,125,000, a 6.1% increase from the previous year.
Throughout the meeting, board members shared that they found some of the budget line items unclear in comparison to the fiscal year 2025 (FY 25) budget. Complicating matters, the Maryland State Department of Education did not release the amounts for school districts until Friday, June 27. Chief Financial Officer Scott Johnson said the amount disclosed aligned with what his team included in the proposed budget.
FY 26 includes some savings from retiring teacher salaries and fewer payments to private pre-K providers, among other sources.
The FY 26 state allotment is approximately $109 million, which is in line with typical amounts from the state. The FY 25 state amount was lower than usual, by about $23 million. This was a point of concern for several board members, who worried that the FY 26 budget was not lean enough to sustain county needs in case of additional reductions.
Johnson reiterated that the schools had spent wisely on programs and improvements that would have a clear, positive impact on the experiences and outcomes of students and staff.
He described the budget as a “living, breathing document” that can be revisited and amended when necessary.
The board also passed the FY 25 budget amendment to approve a fund balance transfer, which they previously voted down in the regularly scheduled June 12 meeting.
The next regular board meeting will be on Thursday, Aug. 2.
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