[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6668094,"mediaKeyId","2245540-8825c276d7819a129d4678f2c0b465df","parentId",2245540,"title","Student well-being budget adds converted health and social-work positions; some supports remain unfunded","audioSeconds",247,"startMs",7699000,"endMs",7946000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2245540-8825c276d7819a129d4678f2c0b465df&start=7699&end=7946","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2245540-8825c276d7819a129d4678f2c0b465df/thumbnail_7699000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6668094/Maryland/Student-well-being-budget-adds-converted-health-and-social-work-positions-some-supports-remain-unfunded","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6668094-7e59abe2ee23e375c8fc6b4c37c62913/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136333&Signature=BClHH6XlMki92E4HsDefCwU3WEphKbilelxlqKVRpWKJt2Jn36FP2dH3xkpzOLoe3gwV2PNgK1KriWncTs6UMnFpsXzPCEpvovZYpFgO9QmXVEBHJrs2hEhKsnU5DEQT-euyU5lNI7EJSHCF7zqeDHy7fh~wfBup8YB0pgopGQ0oSE7XDTGP7HtXu~kfMN5UCZ8wiGcZepTcYQPq9G8yzHS5Xd3tEPJz-QIZPJP-3mplFg260V3~hyUEuW11AGkAGbbFYefoHj5yKe77HFg6vLALW8VQhT1SuBls1rp8BdRAWWZ-lkbuzYEqlYv0JTsXq-t8~Th1F1xaVRny5rljqg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Howard County Public Schools","date","2025-02-06T00:00:00Z","article","The Howard County Board of Education heard Thursday that the Department of Student Well-being'which covers counseling, psychological services, social work, home-and-hospital services and health services'includes several targeted staffing changes in the superintendent's FY26 proposal.

At the presentation, staff said the proposed budget converts two school social workers from grant-funded to regular, system-funded positions, completing a five-year roll-out of school social-work staffing begun in prior cycles. The budget also transitions two nurses and two health assistants from contracted roles into full-time HCPSS positions; staff described that move as budget-neutral because the contractual savings offset conversion costs.

The division noted an additional counselor for Guilford Park as part of the proposed staffing, and listed the addition of an instructional facilitator focused on student engagement as an unfunded priority.

Board members pressed staff on pupil personnel worker (PPW) caseloads and on the allocation of PPW and other pupil support staff across schools. Staff said PPWs typically cover about three schools each and that assignments are made by student need and enrollment, with specialized staff supporting unhoused students, transitions and other higher-need cases.

The division's presenters said that while counselor, psychologist and social-worker headcounts have increased incrementally over recent years, security and alternative-education staffing needs were among the priorities that remained unmet in the proposal. Staff said they will provide additional detail about long-term staffing plans and performance targets as a follow-up to the board.

One board member asked the division to return with an explicit multi-year staffing plan that estimates desired staffing levels for counselors, social workers and other pupil-support staff and the cost of reaching those levels.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Howard County Public Schools - 1 p.m. Virtual Board of Education Work Session III of the *Superintendent's Proposed FY26 Operating Budget - Feb 06, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Department of Student Well-being budget converts several grant-funded health and social-work roles to full-time staff while leaving an instructional facilitator for student engagement on an unfunded list.","taxTitle","Howard County Public Schools, School Boards, Maryland","taxId",17367,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6668099,"Academics budget: HCPSS leaders flag unfunded professional learning, reorganization and coach shortages",1947,673000,2620000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2245540-8825c276d7819a129d4678f2c0b465df&start=673&end=2620","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2245540-8825c276d7819a129d4678f2c0b465df/thumbnail_673000.jpg","/articles/6668099/Maryland/Academics-budget-HCPSS-leaders-flag-unfunded-professional-learning-reorganization-and-coach-shortages","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6668099-17469879e1f51d511ffea524f8d362e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136333&Signature=hr-XF7ufEYR-SAiOG8h4ah-nKrRIVWrWMhSSgiuj4kr9ZM-W8nXBoLJR48WNfmswBM5ffqdSH5O4PlsWEYMRc~puYPeRXILxdo-hDdRXXf6HXSNk0XiydEegpwoBuaaCg9CBysTB2R7H7PaPkM6gF4QOnf0v~J7O3cellg~4inrBpdJrWO26kQ0ANxj6i0J4~M81B34E0SFZdTNCAvp2~mhp6C3pq3cwmuPsmeBeOyE89nrGD9emVvIkTQzvYe8oZ8DX~EQOBsElG-AVotBH6qnVf7VxGbf-8LtAKnE-wRwG3zp0u7aTGD2du4E~M87D7I3fGIV3cbDFrHNc53L~xg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chief Academic Officer Terri Savage and curriculum leaders told the Howard County Board of Education Thursday that the Division of Academics' FY26 proposal maintains core central-office positions but leaves several program priorities unfunded.

\"Beginning on page 249 you will find the budget summary for the Division of Academics,\" Savage said. She described two major departments in the division'the Department of Special Education and the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment'and identified central office support and academic supports for schools as the primary programs.

Savage said the chief academic officer's program includes about 41 FTEs of central-office staff and that those positions account for roughly $7.3 million of the FY26 proposed amount; academic support for schools accounts for about $1.7 million in the proposal. She told the board that, following the superintendent's reorganization that took effect this school year, several positions were realigned to other programs (student well-being, equity and innovation) and that one FTE was reclassified to support early childhood.

Curriculum leaders emphasized that an unfunded priority in the division is professional learning wages. \"Those funds are used year round for our professional learning opportunities,\" Ebony Langford Brown, executive director for the department of curriculum, instruction and assessment, said. She said funds support curriculum writing, revision after mandates or board direction, and occasional CPD credit opportunities for teachers.

Board members and staff discussed a series of unfunded priorities that Savage identified: converting six half-day pre-K classrooms into full-day pre-K classrooms (staffing needed), additional reading and math coaches and specialists, and expanded related-arts staffing to reduce reliance on some nonpublic placements. Savage and other staff described literacy and ELD capacity as especially constrained: the division currently lists 14 literacy coaches across elementary schools, with many coaches serving multiple schools and one coach rotating among as many as 12 schools. For English language development (ELD), staff said there are three ELD coaches who each service two schools; those positions are funded through a Title 3 grant and the division wants more support aligned with school needs.

Staff detailed secondary math supports as well: \"At the secondary level, in terms of mathematics coaches, we have 4 middle school mathematics coaches...and 2 high school mathematics coaches,\" said a curriculum official, and the division reported 15 secondary math specialist FTEs distributed across high schools and middle schools.

Board members asked for more detailed plans and cost estimates for the unfunded priorities. Dr. Savage and the curriculum leadership agreed to return with more specific numbers and recommendations, including the number of additional coaches or specialists the division would ideally add and the cost of those additions.","Division of Academics leaders said the FY26 proposal preserves central staff but leaves key learning supports unfunded, including professional learning wages and additional literacy, ELD and math coaches.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6668104,"Howard County schools project $8 million FY26 gap after proposed state changes; county ask rises to $76 million",6727,140000,6867000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2245540-8825c276d7819a129d4678f2c0b465df&start=140&end=6867","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2245540-8825c276d7819a129d4678f2c0b465df/thumbnail_140000.jpg","/articles/6668104/Maryland/Howard-County-schools-project-8-million-FY26-gap-after-proposed-state-changes-county-ask-rises-to-76-million","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6668104-20e5692d54020d2ead5b5b7bacbfed30/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136333&Signature=ZJfgVQwuomGGMIi4pCOZkyQSa-GIaDo5vAFBbsxTlOOLm02C5j5A75PmhVMnTwDhjbXxlIg8dIFSg7Jdb3TOa6MNmVTLb9MwPZI-6Kbdm2KlP10vgIGBd7id4i3U7IClPnI9hMCa7pEUiKB9af5CgEXJAlC31hnljKZs~s2GejA-tZ9UxnjFn9pk0VfhaXevjetbNCEAzWiELpwO-vk6HfHc6unvEWt8oZaRrtcqjLbaGZLd1Hn8FmSyEuy32Fd0Y-jjSuOHCWLzlrYwbSOxEe5PeMhcVojDJ9G9l3qCxxqJeXcZ0qG7F0R3j3P32FM7Yyj7Q~QzT0bugr685zxrRA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Howard County Board of Education's finance team warned Thursday that proposals in the governor's budget and other state-level changes could widen the school system's FY26 budget gap by roughly $8 million.

\"What I'm going to share here is all based on the proposed budgets at the state. None of this has been passed into law or has been finalized yet,\" Brian Hall, Howard County Public Schools chief financial officer, told the board during a virtual work session on Feb. 6. He said the figures presented were staff projections.

Hall said one component of the governor's proposal would delay implementation of a \"collaborative time\" foundation payment until FY30. That reduction equates to about $163 per student in foundation funding and an initial estimate of roughly $4 million less in foundation revenue for HCPSS. Because several other state funding streams are indexed to the foundation amount, Hall said those streams would also fall.

The district had previously estimated a $6 million hit from the state changes; Hall said a revision that holds special education funding harmless reduced the estimate to $5.5 million in lost state revenue. At the same time the state proposal would shift about $2.5 million in nonpublic tuition costs to local governments in FY26 (rising in FY27), increasing local expenditures. \"So the total impact, will increase our gap by about $8,000,000,\" Hall said.

Hall also said the superintendent's originally requested above-maintenance-of-effort (MOE) ask from Howard County was $67.1 million; under the new state proposals that ask would rise to about $76 million if other factors remain constant. He added the county's own budget picture is constrained: county staff had shared an updated revenue projection that matched the district's $76 million ask but also indicated the county faced roughly $61 million in total requests beyond available revenue.

At the meeting outset the board approved the agenda by motion. The agenda approval motion was made by Mr. Abasiolu, seconded by Dr. Chen, and the board recorded the motion as carrying 8-0.

The district stressed that these numbers are preliminary. Hall said staff will continue to update the board as state and county proposals evolve and as legislation moves through the session.","The Howard County Board of Education's finance team warned Thursday that proposals in the governor's budget and other state-level changes could widen the school system's FY26 budget gap by roughly $8 million.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6668089,"Board debates proposed new security assistant positions and security upgrades; staff promise revised job description and cost options",5908,8350000,14258000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2245540-8825c276d7819a129d4678f2c0b465df&start=8350&end=14258","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2245540-8825c276d7819a129d4678f2c0b465df/thumbnail_8350000.jpg","/articles/6668089/Maryland/Board-debates-proposed-new-security-assistant-positions-and-security-upgrades-staff-promise-revised-job-description-and-cost-options","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6668089-98eb3bff580f2b352aea42e567c3fdcb/orig.mp4?Expires=1771136333&Signature=CShSerxbG25kGOB3~AwEn3TWnF1UGVU2QWSiKBMOQSdRc2NoMkZZzLTjdx8fxWyXxM5XRA4vqcbKizRfPsPa~qZGOmlc8l9rRjP~dk~J9V-ZYFw~3MVVX3p~Q-dguj8RnnzcF-QaF6tSy-HdbmLrxNDBjzAR~xROPNEtocXt6DXVqK6gswt-zVARP4HWKUXBuSZsrVBPlhO1j1YDtPC4ETT9zElPlPQUqSyscUzaaTwnuCN5pYa8f1M2hqFFfeo6iiIc4EdcvK6WBg35UV-gkIWqW4TNzojgMjEzHKC4vkoR3wgs1HL-0OPdF45UX-H4snZog9uyri33Mby4xWbW0A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Howard County's Division of Schools presented a proposal Thursday to expand school safety and security staffing and to pursue additional physical security upgrades.

Presenters said the FY26 proposed budget includes funding increases to add a series of security-assistant roles (a figure of 33 positions was discussed); the district is drafting a new job description to replace the existing security-assistant classification and said the new role will include expanded responsibilities and additional training. \"We are in the process of creating a new job description with a new title as well as new responsibilities,\" the division said.

Board members questioned whether the proposed positions should be retooled to emphasize relationship-building, mentoring and de-escalation rather than enforcement. Several board members and district leaders described the training requirement from the Maryland Center for School Safety, including a 70-hour training expectation, and said the district would layer additional professional learning specific to de-escalation, cultural competency and disability awareness.

Superintendent Barnes and staff also said they are evaluating a range of one-time equipment options (door alarms, upgraded cameras, visitor management systems and other detection devices) and coordinating with county officials to identify funding opportunities. \"We can provide the board with a cost sheet for door alarms...we've already secured funds to fill out cameras, upgrade cameras, and make sure we have adequate camera coverage in all of our buildings,\" the superintendent said. Staff encouraged consideration of county one-time funding as a feasible source for equipment purchases.

Some board members voiced repeated concern about converting grant-funded or other in-house staff to full-time security roles and urged the district to consider redeploying existing non-teaching staff or alternative job classifications (paraeducators, non-teaching ITLs, assistant principals) to achieve multiple functions. District staff and the new director of safety and security, Debbie Toppins, said they're engaging community groups, principals and current security assistants in drafting the new job description and will return with a confidential draft and cost options.

The district said the proposed security assistant role is not a police role and emphasized the priority of hiring staff who can build relationships with students and support school culture while also responding to incidents.","District leaders proposed adding security-assistant positions and upgrading physical security; they said a new job description emphasizing relationship-building and required training is in development.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Student well-being budget adds converted health and social-work positions; some supports remain unfunded

Academics budget: HCPSS leaders flag unfunded professional learning, reorganization and coach shortages

Howard County schools project $8 million FY26 gap after proposed state changes; county ask rises to $76 million

Board debates proposed new security assistant positions and security upgrades; staff promise revised job description and cost options