[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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],{"_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",6188699,"mediaKeyId","5062065-c7e21f85620b56bd25e935c637e9b570","parentId",5062065,"title","PGCPS staff outline FY‑26 budget reconciliation, warn final state aid could alter figures","audioSeconds",2895,"startMs",163000,"endMs",3058000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5062065-c7e21f85620b56bd25e935c637e9b570&start=163&end=3058","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5062065-c7e21f85620b56bd25e935c637e9b570/thumbnail_163000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6188699/Maryland/PGCPS-staff-outline-FY26-budget-reconciliation-warn-final-state-aid-could-alter-figures","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188699-b29a08c1da4cbbd4e7ad1a098be7a9e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163900&Signature=nJ0RZtP4MXldy29SJHJdQZ7-RwlWgJbjV7Xuse37Xr8fv1QySDlWsSjIDF5lbqOSgJEHSFpRnFBiSlwT6sOwlDEYZH5pW3CSXpMuEpJLrjwCHL-hBgUD9Ax46IMo0q9FcTJ9HuqAa6eMV73~Z4Acde4MgXqJ5c8usr-57~dBocHBrpmLj1awc5SxUpe0rY-CAPJISjMru8~OiapkFUlByZo~pU1VzEX5DNlOwjPDt6Lea35c8K8juE-qOKdHafKsJxPlGBVO43PWX9X1lweGTj9IodCCbQ1FCQO-EOk9bulpMnxX0-RUzopRAgxjEI3UPTNQe6V4tkdaJ5H6~v81zQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Prince George's County Public Schools","date","2025-06-25T04:29:52.337Z","article","Prince George’s County Public Schools budget staff told the Operations, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on June 18 that the district will present a reconciled FY‑26 budget to the full board for adoption next week but remains exposed to changes because the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) had not yet issued a final state aid document.

The district’s chief financial officer, Cindy Howe, said the board will consider adoption on Thursday, June 26, and staff will seek signatures for required transmittal documents the following day. “We have to load every FTE and expenditure line item into the budget so that there is a budget to actually execute come July 1,” Howe said.

Director of Budget and Management Services Shavon Smith told the committee the reconciliation is “based off of the projections we already had” and updated by changes from the county. Smith said restricted grant funding expectations shifted during the county’s review and that some items the district had requested the county to fund were not approved, requiring the district to cover local shares from unrestricted revenue.

Why it matters: the final MSDE document sets the official state aid and influences the county minimum contribution. Smith warned that certifying a budget before that document arrives could produce misalignment with later state calculations. “We are going to certify a budget that may not align to that documentation,” Smith said.

Key budget details and near‑term steps

- Total expected operating revenues for FY‑26 were presented as about $2.96 billion; staff reported a net year‑over‑year increase of roughly $57 million compared with FY‑25. Smith said unrestricted revenue availability decreased by about $14 million from the requested cycle, driven by shifts in restricted grants and county funding decisions.

- County contribution: staff reported county funding of about $969 million for FY‑26, an increase of nearly $60 million versus FY‑25’s approved budget.

- Nonpublic placements: Smith said legislative changes shifted the state/local split for nonpublic special‑education placements from 70/30 to 60/40, increasing the district’s local share by about $4 million.

- Labor agreements: the district is still negotiating with two labor partners (PGCEA and Local 2250). Howe and Smith said projected economic costs from anticipated agreements are being estimated and factored into the adopted budget; the district has prepay strategies in FY‑25 to create space in FY‑26 for negotiated payroll increases.

- Fund balance: Chief Powell (staff) and Smith said the FY‑26 plan includes using $95 million from fund balance; the district carried an assumption to use $120 million for FY‑25 and planned $95 million for FY‑26, subject to final closeout numbers.

Blueprint and school‑level funding

Budget staff outlined ongoing work to meet the Blueprint requirement that a minimum share of funding “follow the student” to schools. Smith said the district attempted to set a 72% baseline for school allocations during planning but acknowledged many schools remain below the 75% target and that further reallocation will be discussed with school leadership and the board over the summer. Chief Howe explained some schools experienced simultaneous reductions in Title I allocations (the district planned for a 20% reduction but preliminary guidance reduced that estimate to about 9%), complicating allocation decisions.

Process and publication

Howe and Smith described tight deadlines: after board adoption, staff must prepare certification documents, load positions and line items into the financial system, and publish the approved budget book. Smith asked the board for future dialogue on the budget book’s format and on mechanisms for more substantive pre‑meeting engagement to give board members and stakeholders time to review complex budget choices.

What the committee did: the committee heard the update and will receive the FY‑26 budget for board adoption on June 26; no final vote on adoption was recorded at this meeting.

Ending note

Staff emphasized that reconciliation will continue after July 1 as state and county final documents and post‑adoption adjustments are received, and they flagged the need for continued board‑district collaboration over the summer to align priorities, incorporate negotiated labor outcomes, and refine school allocations.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Operations, Budget & Fiscal Affairs Committee Meeting June 18, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Prince George’s County Public Schools budget staff told the Operations, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on June 18 that the district will present a reconciled FY‑26 budget to the full board for adoption next week but remains exposed to changes because the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) had not yet issued a final state aid document.","taxTitle","Prince George's County Public Schools, School Boards, Maryland","taxId",14202,"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},6188689,"PGCPS sustainability office summarizes Climate Action Plan progress: LEED standard, grants, electric bus pilots",1173,3350000,4523000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5062065-c7e21f85620b56bd25e935c637e9b570&start=3350&end=4523","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5062065-c7e21f85620b56bd25e935c637e9b570/thumbnail_3350000.jpg","/articles/6188689/Maryland/PGCPS-sustainability-office-summarizes-Climate-Action-Plan-progress-LEED-standard-grants-electric-bus-pilots","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188689-f1f9680c446cc32c470b961d0345b617/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163900&Signature=ItbXT4Zy50MDwrVpGEvKOupF8ycKioNKZj-insb9SCjjPKuFG89BK1z0vRgs8wuDHrUNuWTlv~eKTbX6svmkv~ANrIljY5TQfX66PFJvAIS6RRh-Oo9Q06kwhK06lrMWeMObZfyKM2cN7Tzak65UXQWhmKN75mMdGwuhYGa9rHmMudjhVOKeXw4lsYJN4uBZK6~eCJx9pjAPvGTO1Ks1ZJRfDwK33kz5CO4mLTl6FZ05qsMmnYeBzDWyraf8oBu9xZSpdhsP~reN7kdyAhajXy487D2buA11nwaUr~IMl7vcocdvgR5aN6XIuODWIppY7fXg~Kxf3Ix6jrIZvueCjg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dorothy Morrison, director of the Department of Sustainability and Resiliency, told the Operations, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on June 18 that the district is continuing implementation of its Climate Change Action Plan with work on curriculum, building standards, renewable energy and transportation pilots.

“We are a small department with a mighty mission,” Morrison said, describing the office’s role in curriculum audits, teacher training and student engagement around climate education. She said the department helped develop the Climate Action Plan in 2021; the Board of Education adopted it in April 2022 and the department was established in October 2023 to carry out 58 action items across eight priority areas.

Buildings and energy

Morrison said the district requires new construction to meet a minimum of LEED Silver equivalent performance and is pursuing building audits, LED retrofits and HVAC upgrades. She reported the district has applied for and received more than $3.6 million in school decarbonization grants and is pursuing IRA tax credits related to energy efficiency and renewable deployments.

School transportation and renewable energy

The department reported awards and pilot funding for electric buses: roughly $9 million in federal grants to purchase 21 electric buses and about $3.5 million in state grants for eight additional buses. Morrison said the district is developing charging infrastructure at the Mulliken bus lot to support up to about 50 buses, and is pursuing rooftop solar, EV‑ready construction and community solar partnerships for some schools.

Waste, land and curriculum

Morrison said the district piloted composting at 29 schools in the 2023–24 school year and recorded about 306,992 pounds of composted food waste during that pilot. She also said the system reported diverting approximately 3,000,000 (unit not specified in the presentation) of waste from landfills during the 2023–24 school year; the office plans to expand compost pilots to roughly 45 schools in FY‑26. Morrison described tree‑planting partnerships and stormwater management inventories as part of climate‑resilience work.

Challenges and next steps

Morrison cautioned that some external funding partners and incentive programs face uncertainty and pause decisions, which could slow planned work such as tree‑planting and certain energy rebates. She said the department is pursuing alternate funding — including philanthropic and state grant sources — and in‑kind partnerships to sustain priority projects.

Ending

Morrison closed by urging continued emphasis on climate education and community engagement. “We have to educate, inspire, and empower our young folks because they will be the leaders of tomorrow,” she said.","The district’s Department of Sustainability and Resiliency reported early progress on curriculum, building standards and pilot projects — including LEED‑silver minimum design for new construction, federal and state awards for electric buses and a pilot composting program — while noting funding uncertainty for some incentives and partner programs",{"_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},6188694,"PGCPS updates board committee on Blueprint Schools Phase II P3 progress, financing structure",2883,3078000,5961000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5062065-c7e21f85620b56bd25e935c637e9b570&start=3078&end=5961","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5062065-c7e21f85620b56bd25e935c637e9b570/thumbnail_3078000.jpg","/articles/6188694/Maryland/PGCPS-updates-board-committee-on-Blueprint-Schools-Phase-II-P3-progress-financing-structure","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6188694-5895aa79c82a8d2bbfc4807b14dd1dcf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771163900&Signature=m-jn9JE6PFBnZWFM7lZNsxB7K1OHuU4jiI3hDLJMX7OeMOWWbIiYsCt0arlp8Oqd5fdVUbp5ht4dQ4Ckx~5ljSd6rBVInMcuSe7WD7kZ4ocexmhiVJH7JC7EigtJvaXIpL~sBMY635oK1lbP2jxJDDziFG7K4j7m8wgZmwjUit6xrO6QQRFGVe33aVBd3CPBRuFImdkzR8V~9hvGl87CXProT6c3H0nvkx2atTPzO~eenAqzvKso6ba-q5pxXkPxDea1MB8QHrzHlPD1E7NNyEfFSr-DpZiPfG5Z5TEPHtNb2y3u1ki-3UV38crlNMeC4Eqwfk20jOGruCJc6eL0hA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Prince George’s County Public Schools officials briefed the Operations, Budget and Fiscal Affairs Committee on June 18 on the status of Blueprint Schools Phase II, a public‑private partnership (P3) to design, build, finance and maintain eight schools under a long‑term availability‑payment structure.

Dr. William Coleman, chief operations officer, introduced Director Sean Matlock of the Office of Alternative Infrastructure Planning and Development, who said the arrangement pairs the district’s educational specifications with private financing and long‑term maintenance. “It is not privatization. These are still PGCPS assets,” Matlock said.

How the deal works and funding

Matlock and staff described the P3 model as a way to accelerate delivery while shifting construction financing to a private developer. The team described an approximately $800 million program to deliver eight schools. Under the current financing plan discussed at the meeting, the state will provide about $27 million per year and Prince George’s County about $42.7 million per year in availability payments over multiple decades. Matlock said PGCPS itself “adds no money to this transaction.”

“We only pay for construction, as it happens. And then once the schools are delivered, we pay what is known as our availability payment,” Matlock said, adding that availability payments are contingent on contracted performance and availability of the completed facilities.

Construction status and schedule

Matlock said work is proceeding in three tranches. Several sites have foundations poured and mechanical/electrical/plumbing work in place; steel erection had begun at multiple sites. He said two schools are scheduled for delivery next summer, additional schools the following year and two schools in summer 2028. The program uses two prototypes (an elementary prototype and a K–8 prototype) and site‑specific adaptations.

Community engagement and labor

Matlock described ongoing town halls, project planning committee meetings that include parents and community members, and regular coordination with permitting agencies. Associate Superintendent Washington added that the project is governed by a project labor agreement required before moving forward; the agreement and developer commitments also include community‑investment elements and apprenticeship opportunities.

What the committee did: staff provided the construction and financing update and took questions; no new board action was taken at this meeting.

Ending

Matlock said the program has attracted recognition in the architecture and finance communities and that several schools are under active construction with permits and staging underway. Staff said they will continue community engagement and provide periodic updates to the board as construction milestones occur.","Officials said the public‑private partnership to deliver eight schools is under construction, financed through an approximately $800 million P3 deal with state and county availability payments; the district will manage contract and operations but will not place local capital into the P3 escrow account","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

PGCPS staff outline FY‑26 budget reconciliation, warn final state aid could alter figures

PGCPS sustainability office summarizes Climate Action Plan progress: LEED standard, grants, electric bus pilots

PGCPS updates board committee on Blueprint Schools Phase II P3 progress, financing structure