[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-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",[32,75,87],{"_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":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6571033,"mediaKeyId","3167385-4de8850efe1f0f27dde3772202f8b27d","parentId",3167385,"title","Residents, students and educators urge Howard County Council to restore $29.3 million to FY26 school budget","audioSeconds",2802,"startMs",0,"endMs",2802000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3167385-4de8850efe1f0f27dde3772202f8b27d&start=0&end=2802","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3167385-4de8850efe1f0f27dde3772202f8b27d/thumbnail_0.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6571033/Howard-County/Maryland/Residents-students-and-educators-urge-Howard-County-Council-to-restore-293-million-to-FY26-school-budget","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571033-70a0dea9cd61dcdee578453e3ef181f4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770404964&Signature=j4d5yZXa6l92VYA40vICzkArX0xJWyyUQMaPei33Qpk9SF~knSpxrZf6UXzGMugnVfzTsJAPNfrloRk7lPNgkp5UsHbu4TrfkLSKhDLFpH--AgoK6MTouMyyrIrHmNRFaJgv2HiPka7lH3xZQ03VQilh-2jY02F~4NauCHpZuz83Uzh7uQQLBKhhEPRhYp9l3qB1J~-RzpSuA3FOgRDn6PD8ehgZ33Xb3jvCRoueQDpmjYItgk-bmEOYghABmn-hnSBMxOa~RJLfaxYNScg3i4T1aXZbBw5d5cwmlTZYFIgwAieTox-Jn-LMCfOX9zQkKeI3WdAC56QqHWjiCXdZkw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Howard","date","2025-04-30T00:00:00Z","article","Dozens of students, teachers, parents, union leaders and school officials testified at a Howard County Council public hearing that the county should restore at least $29.3 million to the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) FY2026 operating budget to avoid cuts to programs, staff and services.

Saisha Diaz, an eighth‑grader at Folly Quarter Middle School, asked the council not to “put our school system or any elements of it on the chopping block” and urged funding to preserve programs such as college‑and‑career readiness, gifted and talented, athletics and arts. River Hill High junior Henry Yarmus told the council: “If the proposed budget goes through, the situation will become even worse,” saying class sizes, program cuts and lost teachers would harm students’ outcomes.

Why it matters: HCPSS officials say a $29.3 million gap exists between new recurring revenue and costs to maintain existing services; restoring that amount would prevent immediate cuts school leaders say would otherwise be considered. School officials and advocates said deeper restoration (they cited up to roughly $54 million more) would be required to fund additional priorities such as special education, athletic trainers, safety staffing and competitive compensation.

School leaders' case

Howard County Public School System Superintendent Bill Barnes said the district must “work to close a nearly $30,000,000 funding gap” to meet existing commitments, including inflation, insurance and mandated state costs tied to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. Brian Hall, HCPSS chief financial officer, reiterated the $29.3 million figure and warned that “anything short of this will result in cuts to existing services,” listing possible outcomes such as class‑size increases, program reductions and staff losses.

Board of Education Chair Jolene Mosley and Vice Chair Lingfeng Chen urged the council to restore as much of the BOE’s requested funding as fiscally possible. Mosley said the board “has clearly identified the needs and priorities” in its request and that insufficient funding would force difficult decisions that “could impact special education, school safety, athletic trainers, and other critical services.”

Teachers, unions and advocates

Benjamin Schmidt, president of the Howard County Education Association (HCEA), characterized the budget shortfall as “the exact same situation we did last year,” saying the board faces a $27.7 million shortfall to “keep the lights on” and describing possible consequences including layoffs, program cuts and pay freezes. Several classroom teachers and school staff described lost sections, larger classes and increasing workloads; a high‑school teacher said her department lost 2.5 positions and the school lost 15 teachers overall despite enrollment holding steady.

Special education and reading supports

Multiple speakers pressed the council about special education staffing and reading instruction. Testimony cited 114 special education vacancies and cited year‑over‑year increases in students requiring special services. Erin Parker and others urged investment in the science of reading, additional speech‑language pathologists, literacy coaches and non‑teaching case managers to reduce overload on special educators and reduce expensive non‑public placements.

Safety, portables and school operations

Parents and PTA leaders cited overcrowding and safety concerns tied to the county’s 238 portable classrooms, arguing that unmonitored side and back doors increase security risk. Dunloggin Middle School PTA president Karen Biederman asked the council to fund security assistants and reconsider assistant principal allocations; she told the council portables cause thousands of ‘‘back door’’ openings countywide each day and argued a second assistant principal was needed at several Ellicott City middle schools.

Numbers and county responses

Speakers and school officials gave multiple budget figures: HCPSS officials said the district’s operating request exceeded the County Executive’s proposal by roughly $54 million for broader priorities and that $29.3 million is the immediate gap to maintain existing services. Testimony noted County Executive Calvin Ball’s proposed budget included approximately $47 million in new revenue for HCPSS, including $39.3 million above the maintenance‑of‑effort (MOE) baseline; advocates urged the council to use additional available investment income and other one‑time funds to close the gap.

Process and next steps

Council members and HCPSS officials agreed to continued negotiations. Superintendent Barnes and council members scheduled a council work session to discuss scenarios and supplemental transfers. Barnes said he would provide further detail on specific cost categories — for example safety and compensation figures — at upcoming meetings. Several public speakers urged the council to prioritize recurring operating dollars rather than diverting recurring surpluses into one‑time PAYGO capital projects.

Ending

Speakers closed by saying restoring recurring operating funds is an investment in the county’s future workforce and economy. The council’s next budget work sessions were set for early May; council members said they would review revenue projections, investment income and possible funding adjustments before finalizing the FY2026 operating budget.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Howard - Budget Public Hearing - Education - Apr 30, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Dozens of students, teachers, parents, union leaders and school officials testified at a Howard County Council public hearing that the county should restore at least $29.3 million to the HCPSS FY2026 operating budget to avoid cuts to programs, staff and services.","taxTitle","Howard County, Maryland","taxId",13634,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6571023,"Howard Community College asks council to back operating budget, warns federal actions could affect students",88,3528000,3616000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3167385-4de8850efe1f0f27dde3772202f8b27d&start=3528&end=3616","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3167385-4de8850efe1f0f27dde3772202f8b27d/thumbnail_3528000.jpg","/articles/6571023/Howard-County/Maryland/Howard-Community-College-asks-council-to-back-operating-budget-warns-federal-actions-could-affect-students","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571023-64e99b096298c97238353735fc19ab5b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770404964&Signature=KXrn2HcOVBLcdSUdSeVYLah-O6mdpzBdMvHTBfgj6SmHqMqX8V6SZp3c8bvv1KyJlG58vWnxeCi-H1L9fs4zylYO4jeXg69qWMubhLd-NvcuuSLwoIF68XYpfcW7qBdVf8TiuIBzykRhGyT8Eekt8gc0~f4yhZyLsKPGtexAKwdqBefYj~~jnmyP~HgL2Fo1mD~7ZO65Z7LoEJCwAhkczCvZ3MWP2f4gzerI98fPOs~qlhQyPdvdJYMTR-HnpxIsDBdFEAvBbZFZL5SD7YfkbmPce~Tq0F19IFMQADNtFBsGHGeNShRfA4ZeJwyKS3CCmh4~0Yw37-MGSQs9pY9mlw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Howard Community College (HCC) leaders told the Howard County Council they support the county executive’s FY2026 operating request and asked the council to fund modest employee cost‑of‑living increases and rising operational costs.

HCC President (Dr.) Russell Frisbie Willis (introduced in testimony as Dr. Willis) said the college serves about 22,000 students and more than 2,200 faculty and staff. She urged the council to “fully fund the county executive’s budget proposal for the very best community college in the state and nation,” and described rising employee benefits costs and operating expenses totaling roughly $800,000 in new pressure.

Trustees and workforce arguments

Vivian Moore Lawyer, interim chair of the HCC Board of Trustees, described the trustees’ professional experience and called the college “an anchor institution” that yields professional and economic outcomes for residents. Trustee recruitment and retention of faculty and staff were framed as critical to sustaining workforce training that benefits Howard County’s economy.

Federal and accreditation concerns

Willis also said a recent White House Office of Management and Budget memo and other federal actions could affect students’ eligibility for Pell and other federal supports — particularly part‑time and parenting scholars — and that such changes would force the college to rely more heavily on operating dollars and private fundraising to sustain programs such as its children’s learning center.

Questions and closing

Councilmember Young asked whether the college’s proposed 4 percent cost‑of‑living increase was negotiated with unions; Willis said HCC was “actively negotiating in good faith” and that the 4 percent figure was the proposed COLA. Trustees and the president asked the council to support the executive’s request, saying the modest increases and targeted investments are essential to retain staff and keep local students in county programs.

Ending

HCC leaders asked the council to approve the county executive’s operating recommendation and to treat the college as a strategic local workforce and education asset.","Howard Community College President urged the council to support the executive's operating budget request, citing rising costs for benefits and operations and warning that federal policy changes could affect students' eligibility for grants.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6571028,"Howard County Library leaders seek funding; library employees say board has delayed ratifying contract",6500,750000,7250000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3167385-4de8850efe1f0f27dde3772202f8b27d&start=750&end=7250","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3167385-4de8850efe1f0f27dde3772202f8b27d/thumbnail_750000.jpg","/articles/6571028/Howard-County/Maryland/Howard-County-Library-leaders-seek-funding-library-employees-say-board-has-delayed-ratifying-contract","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6571028-32d24770f42c097d3fd5a24df60bd9cc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770404964&Signature=WyA0RmUoS~r31PLW1UE66yJrklawsatgLWa75io5NBxhQD8bnAMGjTR03JutP3AG7S06dfL3S3Wt5eh2riqCuR-IQcsjQ4YyoLQYetMPxNTQYoxTYOEu~pMmiznq54J05Ydw-X2U9GefWtsDcCiSw3YwsaxP~Djv~VrwOtlpN~M-t9IwM89P6WDGKwylKZ-uenqCIOX9DEgL6e-JsXxqJssLxk32AtUlQdCD-HVfGzcPagu5AlMj3VU5hiP01Mmj6Ucl2sKOQs97aoXuQwDym~9U4c6zcTRH3lxOjNlm~bIQxziseAunuuGPNDRVlcrJGC057aFzWM0I~L~WNzlShQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Howard County Library System officials and staff urged the council to fully fund the county executive’s FY2026 proposed operating request for the system and to allow the board to finalize a recently negotiated labor agreement.

Tonia Akins, president and CEO of the Howard County Library System, told the council the proposed operating budget request included cost‑of‑living and step increases for staff and modest increases to support training and technology. Liz Banach, chair of the library board of trustees, described library programs supporting early childhood, teens and adult learners and asked the council to “invest in the thousands of children, teens, adults, and seniors who value and use our libraries every day.” She cited system usage metrics including more than 7.4 million items borrowed last fiscal year and the system’s high per‑capita borrowing rate in Maryland.

Library union and contract delay

Library staff and union leaders said they voted to ratify a tentative collective bargaining agreement after about 10 months of negotiations. Jessica Lee, a system administrator and bargaining‑team member, said members voted unanimously on April 24 to accept the pact, which included wage increases, a sick‑leave bank and other workplace protections. Lee asked the council to “unequivocally stand with us” after the library board’s counsel indicated the board could not ratify the agreement immediately because of county executive sign‑off or concerns over funding availability.

Library employees represented by Howard County Library Workers United, AFSCME Council 3, said they have roughly 200 eligible staff with about 70% membership in the bargaining unit and called on county leaders to ensure the agreement is implemented. Union representatives said they would provide written communications to the council in advance of a Monday work session to clarify the board’s position and timeline.

Why it matters

Library testimony framed the library as a core educational and workforce resource that depends on competitive salaries to retain staff and deliver services. Library leaders tied their request to the county executive’s proposed funding and said that modest staff increases were necessary to recruit and retain trained instructors and maintain high levels of programming.

Ending

Library leaders asked the council to support the executive’s requests and urged the trustees to ratify the agreement once funding questions are resolved. Union representatives said they would forward written communications about the board’s legal counsel opinion before the council’s upcoming work session.","Howard County Library System leaders asked the council to fund the executive's FY26 request for staff cost‑of‑living and step increases. Library employees said they ratified a tentative collective bargaining agreement but the library board has not signed it, citing funding approval concerns.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Residents, students and educators urge Howard County Council to restore $29.3 million to FY26 school budget

Howard Community College asks council to back operating budget, warns federal actions could affect students

Howard County Library leaders seek funding; library employees say board has delayed ratifying contract