[{"_1":2,"_124":-5,"_125":-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",[32,76,88,100,112],{"_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",5975054,"mediaKeyId","5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a","parentId",5829584,"title","Superintendent proposes redistricting plan to relieve Bryant Woods; board schedules public hearings and work sessions","audioSeconds",191,"startMs",2693000,"endMs",2884000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a&start=2693&end=2884","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a/thumbnail_2693000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/5975054/Maryland/Superintendent-proposes-redistricting-plan-to-relieve-Bryant-Woods-board-schedules-public-hearings-and-work-sessions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975054-5f90f82b75e506c53c7bc21e840b900e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442658&Signature=frLIm8hMOAlCkG6aWZTm4NQLy1Y1i1LoP-FMbAOUpfPEbBvNp8BGtYrWlk~E8K4r6ZWo2CaoPiJxL6it3nmdA3STKrIh6RYMXrBb6Wvbm2wEDdLJPshCg0Jh6h0l~AsYeih0MiZO20stCYuRpFxaCtOM1tCunMHPl1U3fJm~4EkSWVph5EFCUHjL5NbP10k4zVTaYEpSMnb8sSB3QmemT4YEyOfFnP9cxLgzd3kQ818AazBMdxKWMMbC7nXOr~Pb23P2lX5zxRblmV8XAYJTLAZ~aWhlZNY2CB9ikfTEFeg-yh-D9RZJiGG7FNhzH-dczF7FG0Gcg9xZKrovwN6T4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Howard County Public Schools","date","2025-09-25T00:00:00Z","article","Superintendent staff presented a proposed attendance-area adjustment plan to the Howard County Board of Education on Sept. 25 that would reassign about 253 elementary students among nearby schools to relieve sustained overcrowding at Bryant Woods Elementary School and rebalance utilization across adjacent schools.

The plan: Tim Rogers, manager of school planning, told the board the superintendent’s proposed plan would reassign roughly 253 elementary students. The proposal would send about 74 students in neighborhoods along Owen Brown Road from Bryant Woods to Clemens Crossing, about 16 students in the Columbia Town Center area from Bryant Woods to Running Brook, and move several other neighborhood polygons so Clemens Crossing would send 125 students from Clary’s Forest to Swansfield and Swansfield would send about 38 in the Hawthorne area to Clemens Crossing. Staff projected resulting utilization rates would place Bryant Woods between roughly 93%–100% over the next ten years and keep Clemens Crossing at or below about 95%.

Exemptions and timeline: staff recommended announcing exemptions early for rising fifth graders and for students with IEPs, 504 plans and active-duty military families so affected families can plan. The boundary process was initiated Feb. 13, and staff set public hearings for Oct. 19 and Nov. 6 and board work sessions on Oct. 9, Oct. 23 and Nov. 13, with a planned final vote on Nov. 20.

Transportation and costs: John Siddiqui, director of student transportation, said most route shifts could be absorbed by existing buses but the proposed reassignments create a tiering imbalance that likely requires one additional bus for the Swansfield tier at an estimated cost of about $100,000. If exemptions for fifth graders and students with IEPs and 504 plans are granted, staff projected a need for up to two general-education buses and two specialized buses, with a modeled exemption-related cost of roughly $470,000; a general-ed bus was estimated at $100,000 and a specialized bus at $135,000.

Equity and demographic impacts: staff and consultants warned the changes would alter school demographics. The proposal would increase Bryant Woods’ direct certification (a proxy for concentrated poverty) from about 46% to 52.6% in the modeling provided the board; Running Brook and other schools saw smaller shifts. Board members asked staff whether the plan would further concentrate poverty at schools already above county averages and whether any threshold exists to prevent that; staff said policy 60-10’s 14 considerations were balanced and that changes were measured against countywide averages rather than a single statutory threshold.

Data requests and follow-up: board members asked for polygon-level detail on which student households would move, grade-level breakdowns of the relatively small moves (for example the 16-student move to Running Brook), the bus-route polygons that cause tier imbalance, and a clearer community-accessible GIS viewer for proposed boundaries. Consultants from Cropper GIS and district staff said they will provide a GIS map and additional polygon-level data and meet one-on-one with board members for deeper modeling.

What was not decided: the board did not vote on the plan Sept. 25. The presentation begun the board’s formal phase of engagement; staff emphasized that modeling continues and that the plan could be modified after the scheduled public hearings and work sessions.

Ending: staff framed the proposal as an initial, community-informed compromise that seeks to relieve Bryant Woods while minimizing long bus rides and preserving community contiguity; the board will take public testimony and work through recommended alternatives before a final vote scheduled Nov. 20.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Howard County Public Schools - 4 p.m. Meeting of the Board of Education of Howard County - NO EVENING SESSION Sep 25, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Howard County staff presented a proposed elementary attendance-area adjustment on Sept. 25 that would reassign roughly 253 students among nearby schools to relieve Bryant Woods Elementary; transportation, demographic and exemption impacts were discussed and board hearings were scheduled.","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},5975059,"Howard County principals and district staff outline next steps for special education supports and school visit protocol",645,1655000,2300000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a&start=1655&end=2300","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a/thumbnail_1655000.jpg","/articles/5975059/Maryland/Howard-County-principals-and-district-staff-outline-next-steps-for-special-education-supports-and-school-visit-protocol","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975059-5c317e533649ade3382a92f14abbafb4/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442658&Signature=PAO~nmyXSS9pMYziTXr4EEJ3OjmAGWJEayNIj~HG4P3llR~VFoJ~45OchxXZuoSWmItNpkYtmJj-eqDc976q5zORNrrNUC-~XdLvjCrIhl-AMeXrQFRMiiBteocIK3q4JPJBQfDcZoW4vjD0jss~X6RxTA1sRXggT7p9x7ATMvOJf04LkDKmHUdoZR0U-fyPbg8gSYibYTJBYgSla0pvpZuH7tUqX1Vq3C20mh9xbpC6dbSqR2XgjhLKD8deb3G7f-t5zAlE0Yq9BdyvlmNMSpic6-WPxlksuuD6muuPsY5nnjkmS5beYz-pHcfwr7JuYYoJUS4JMFs9Stea073sLA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Principals representing the Howard County Association of Supervisors and Administrators told the Howard County Board of Education on Sept. 25 that the district’s elementary continuum of special education services needs to become more flexible and consistent across schools.

The principals — led by Debbie Holmes, principal of Gorman Crossing Elementary School and vice president of HCASA — said five elementary schools now have a dedicated special education instructional team leader and that those leaders have immediately improved scheduling, compliance, coaching for new teachers and coverage during crises. “These leaders have begun to send weekly updates with important information and identified needs, which has improved communication and alignment across staff,” Holmes said.

Why it matters: principals said increased student need and more complex caseloads mean a single set of practices is no longer sufficient and urged the board and central office to partner on building feedback loops, staffing structures and finances that let schools respond consistently.

District reaction and next steps came from Superintendent Bill Barnes and central office staff. Barnes said the new leaders were a pilot model and that central office will continue to “find the finances, figure out how to make that work” and try to reduce costs by changing how teams operate. Barnes asked board members to coordinate visits so principals are not overwhelmed and said staff will expand leadership roles and propose personnel adjustments for consideration.

Board members asked for guardrails and clearer invitation processes for school visits. Board Chair Mosley and several members described prior guidance that had limited board visits to short, prescheduled periods; members said they want longer, deeper visits but also want principals to be able to prepare staff. Barnes and HCPSS staff said they will put a structure in place and offered to let board members and school leaders pilot a schedule of longer visits with coordination through the central office.

Concerns and clarifications: principals said that the dedicated instructional team leaders cover tasks that include adjusting schedules to reflect caseloads, managing calendars for IEP meetings and modeling evidence-based strategies in classrooms. Gillian Spivey, principal at Running Brook Elementary, said the elementary continuum “has not kept pace” with evolving student needs and that rethinking how supports are organized is required. Board members pressed for data on how frequently leaders are pulled to cover crises versus doing the planned capacity-building work; principals said the leaders are not intended to be case managers and that coverage is primarily for emergency responses while vacancies in paras and substitute roles are being filled.

What was not decided: the board did not vote on any staffing changes or funding at the Sept. 25 meeting. Staff said they are working to identify ongoing funding, will present staffing proposals and will return with more detailed modeling and timelines. Superintendent Barnes said he has directed staff to pursue seed positions and other pilots and that a subset of those changes could be announced soon.

Ending note: HCASA asked board members to spend a day in schools — not just short visits — to observe classroom practice, dismissal and arrival and to better understand operational constraints. Several board members accepted the invitation to pilot longer, scheduled visits and staff committed to creating a coordinated schedule to avoid disrupting school operations.","Principals from the Howard County Association of Supervisors and Administrators told the Board of Education on Sept. 25 the district’s elementary continuum of services must be more flexible and consistent; district staff described recent pilot positions and promised further modeling and funding work.",{"_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},5975039,"Community Advisory Council chair urges better follow-through on translation, prayer-space logistics and chronic absenteeism",430,3002000,3432000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a&start=3002&end=3432","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a/thumbnail_3002000.jpg","/articles/5975039/Maryland/Community-Advisory-Council-chair-urges-better-follow-through-on-translation-prayer-space-logistics-and-chronic-absenteeism","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975039-6dd6db305802325328ad7e1fc38fa870/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442658&Signature=DJPaKLxfpSMuT97TOfbBBZss7tFg1qLUATLM4~VaIkvA9tlJn0x8~CGMb~FUCKUHYXbUMRZKdwS76IrWJx4jLRJQ4EHJX3euxSAEckaaXPAWDJYEKbfhn43T-zkHF6k90NjWNPc~XQ36RXof5gt-7GHJ4FrVgFTE0h70072Psd6hvayX85rGoeogjWEkR0VZGP8OAlZn0n9wyrVPvrv0MtYgEdCJQoj-5UZ9BUCXAo1HXCb49OzXLQlF4ZSvPyeJFQAzgNaQphLw-7BkeIvo7GQoOPNUiE3k-5P~veTGedk-aB9D3Bt87Q~fyoWS0BT71lFjSbwV9ciPsrG6HUiO1Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Liz Hammond, the newly elected chair of the Howard County Community Advisory Council, told the Board of Education on Sept. 25 that the CAC will prioritize follow-through on several operational issues: access to district translation services for outreach, clearer communication and signage for prayer-space logistics, and a stronger, locally tailored approach to chronic absenteeism.

Translation and outreach: Hammond asked whether CAC and volunteer groups could be granted easier access to HCPSS translation services or a small dispensation for materials so the council can better reach multilingual parents. She said volunteers had solicited community translations but that those volunteers were often connected to the district, and she urged a streamlined approach so the CAC can be more inclusive.

Prayer-space logistics: Hammond said staff had made prayer spaces available in some schools but students reported difficulty finding the rooms and understanding excusal protocols; she asked the district to improve signage and protocols so accommodations are effective in practice.

Chronic absenteeism and transportation: Hammond flagged substantial absenteeism at some middle schools and urged the district to pilot transportation solutions tailored to neighborhoods with high absence rates. She and board members discussed non-transportation-zone rules, crossing-guard availability and whether creative routing or reassigning bus stops could increase attendance. Board members and Superintendent Barnes suggested targeted pilots and said the board chair and others volunteered to work with principals and transportation staff on options.

What the board said and next steps: several board members volunteered to examine attendance data and meet with principals and transportation staff. Board member Dr. Chamblee said she had already signed up to work on absenteeism and suggested route adjustments in communities with high absence could be explored. District staff said they would follow up with CAC about options for translation access, signage and pilot transportation programs.

Ending: Hammond closed by urging the board to seize the moment to implement improvements and to maintain transparency and follow-through; the board indicated willingness to partner on pilots and to return with recommendations.","The newly elected CAC chair told the board Sept. 25 the council will press for improved follow-through on translation and outreach, better communication about designated prayer spaces in schools, and creative approaches to chronic absenteeism — including transportation pilots for high-absence schools.",{"_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},5975043,"Residents urge support for media specialists and for protecting history curriculum during public forum",118,185000,303000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a&start=185&end=303","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a/thumbnail_185000.jpg","/articles/5975043/Maryland/Residents-urge-support-for-media-specialists-and-for-protecting-history-curriculum-during-public-forum","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975043-41fecf2d069c70bb80c05e7ff3728962/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442658&Signature=ol1HqK7oSsNVKSRxXT4aRz82WLh7UgAzzO51MTCo0lIg0AxBCuXRnngt3WSvy9jeUMeJsZgRxqftPP7II1aw2V~GL275e8G6Hbzug7XSR79qsjVtRIdGaAQyJJKCA4QrZm5ykaVRjZ3-9w56mkk1yb2vgkh~hqDggy7o2KMuljxrTJgYudEP7OQxAu20W1ouqgGz1jmB7TFnjOPgPiBEpKQzhqHHIDu9weodiMXYmM6hLmEVlbKFrnl8RFvvzHZsF7VTthwvojgFgoEvn1Kqvst5R5gikjl8YFHRnGZQlw8bU6QMxeaHhidyRUWn-cfi2rR~GukCiRbXo7OwA-JZug__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the Howard County Board of Education public forum on Sept. 25 residents urged the board to support library media specialists and to preserve history curriculum that acknowledges difficult and painful aspects of the past.

Library support: Jennifer McClurg, who identified herself during public forum, asked the board to “trust” trained media specialists to select age-appropriate material and argued libraries are “gateways to literacy, critical thinking, and inclusion.” \"Libraries are not just shelves of books,\" McClurg said, and she asked the board to continue supporting media specialists at all levels.

History curriculum: Paula Sebright said recent national debates and actions have put “history under attack” and stressed the educational value of studying painful episodes so students learn to avoid repeating mistakes. She described memorial practices she observed in Amsterdam and said decentralized, local memorials help communities reckon with the past.

Dissenting, ideological comment: Other public commenters, including Luisa Garrity and Susan Dreyes, framed recent national events and campus commentary through a religious lens and called for parental rights in determining curricula. They criticized what they described as “woke ideologies” in education and asserted that schools should not “impose” particular worldviews on children. Those remarks were offered during the public-comment portion of the meeting and represented the speakers’ opinions, not board policy.

What the board said and did: The board received public comments as part of its standard public forum procedures and made no formal action Sept. 25 in response to individual remarks. The board’s public forum guidance — referenced at the start of the meeting — restricts comments about individual personnel, active appeals and solicitation and asks speakers to observe decorum.

Ending: The public forum included a variety of perspectives. Board staff reminded speakers that written testimony may also be submitted to the board email address for official record and distribution.","During the Sept. 25 public forum several residents spoke in support of library media specialists and defended inclusive history curriculum; speakers described books and memorials as tools for learning and urged the board to resist efforts to remove uncomfortable historical material.",{"_33":113,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":114,"_41":115,"_43":116,"_45":117,"_47":118,"_49":119,"_51":120,"_53":121,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":122,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":123,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},5975049,"District projects structural budget gap; health insurance and enrollment trends cited as major pressures",1791,7286000,9077000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a&start=7286&end=9077","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5829584-cae6e4928e561ca56b122e2d0ed5663a/thumbnail_7286000.jpg","/articles/5975049/Maryland/District-projects-structural-budget-gap-health-insurance-and-enrollment-trends-cited-as-major-pressures","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/5975049-14bf53a40058371cbe807cdea02274e9/orig.mp4?Expires=1770442658&Signature=G1QVbkHSqKAD5xPty58Qp8U~Jl8Xatg7HnnuTJ1xcY4C8U-sDvnr1wiBYeFEhgX3P5uIwerrxog1fWPfpc1eIudJsan8MkWl7f-kfo17XC6h9~FPzUykenSrXNrhk420z27v5NRVJ76VY4lXcrxU7wVac5Lt-soHhWT5Y9GEfzgE8Ftl1PS-9oQ6hwSrlbxTVlEuVDaabdftDsxvDl6WCddW0-g5aKuMNR4ZfdLQs3PyHrT3Jye0Vjib2fiqaNMmcOeMrupzrZ076MTkG768BshorMw7eJXagjHm2kX5sZgRTZCIOr8sm1qHvDpAQHVYWtfV2jE9z8qvfm-IPyZAzg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Howard County Public School System staff presented a fiscal outlook for FY 2027 at the Board of Education meeting on Sept. 25 that projected structural budget shortfalls unless new recurring revenue or program reductions are identified.

What staff presented: Darren Conforti, executive director of budget, said recent budgets have required reallocations and cuts because expenditure growth — driven by Blueprint for Maryland’s Future implementation, pandemic-era changes and increased costs in special education and transportation — has outpaced revenue. The operating budget grew from about $862 million in FY 2019 to roughly $1.2 billion in FY 2026, Conforti said, a 41% increase over eight years.

Key cost drivers and projections: Conforti highlighted several pressures: implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, which phased in across years and raised compensation and program costs; pandemic-driven labor and contract pressures that increased contracted services and transportation costs; higher nonpublic placement costs; and sustained enrollment declines since 2019 that reduce per-pupil state funding. The district’s actuary projected health insurance costs could rise more than 19% in FY 2027, which staff estimated could add more than $30 million to expenditures. Conforti also said the district’s ratified contract with HCEA is preliminarily estimated to cost about $27 million for FY 2027.

Projected budget gaps and scenarios: Using a set of four planning scenarios, staff presented possible FY 2027 budget gaps ranging from roughly $45.4 million (scenario A) to $75.4 million (scenario D), with the largest scenario approximating FY 2026’s growth. The outlook assumes continued enrollment declines; staff used enrollment projections (finalized with the Sept. 30 count) to model state formula and county maintenance-of-effort (MOE) impacts. Conforti said a preliminary starting point for FY 2027 showed a small positive position of roughly $4.6 million after one-time adjustments, but that known pressures (health insurance and negotiated compensation) would far exceed that amount.

County partnership and funding: Conforti said the county provided a historically large above-MOE contribution in FY 2026 but that county fiscal capacity is limited; the Spending Affordability Committee’s projection furnished as context suggested the county might have about $55 million of new recurring revenue available for all county services, which staff said could be insufficient to cover the largest modeled gap. Staff urged early collaboration with the county executive and county council on above-MOE funding and described ongoing internal prioritization to find savings, efficiencies and potential reallocation of services.

Next steps and calendar: cabinet-level work and department-level planning will continue through October and November; the superintendent’s proposed FY 2027 budget will be presented to the board on Jan. 8, 2026. Staff offered to hold office hours and meetings with board members and to bring more detailed scenarios and trade-offs to forthcoming sessions.

Ending: Conforti said the outlook is a planning tool and not a final forecast and urged that multiple strategies — revenue, reallocation, efficiency and program prioritization — will be required to produce a balanced FY 2027 budget.","HCPS staff presented the FY 2027 fiscal outlook Sept. 25, showing recurring expenditure growth outpacing projected state and county revenue and modeling possible budget gaps between $45.4 million and $75.4 million depending on cost scenarios; health insurance and enrollment declines were singled out as acute pressures.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Superintendent proposes redistricting plan to relieve Bryant Woods; board schedules public hearings and work sessions

Howard County principals and district staff outline next steps for special education supports and school visit protocol

Community Advisory Council chair urges better follow-through on translation, prayer-space logistics and chronic absenteeism

Residents urge support for media specialists and for protecting history curriculum during public forum

District projects structural budget gap; health insurance and enrollment trends cited as major pressures