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District projects structural budget gap; health insurance and enrollment trends cited as major pressures
Summary
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.
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,…
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