Courtney Desabay, executive director of financial systems and operations for Baltimore City Public Schools, told the Budget and Appropriations Committee that the district’s Q4 draft general fund close showed a gap that the district expects to reverse with near‑term supplementals and reimbursements. "The current amount is a deficit of $15,000,000 we expect that, however, after our supplemental appropriations that are pending that that'll change to an end result of a surplus of about $2,500,000," Desabay said.

Desabay said the state provides roughly 68% of the district’s revenue and the City of Baltimore about 26%; the district’s FY25 general fund budget is approximately $1.5 billion. The presentation—data dated Sept. 13, during year‑end close—showed typical fourth‑quarter timing where many payments and year‑end transactions post in Q4 and where supplemental appropriations and carryover adjustments often change the final position.

What to watch: the largest BCPS expenditure categories are salaries, wages and fringe benefits (about 73% of the budget) and contractual services (about 16.5%), with transportation and facilities maintenance among the largest contracts. Desabay said fourth quarter transactions typically represent about 35% of annual spending because some expenditures are annual or concentrated at year end.

The district said it will finalize year‑end accounting by Sept. 30 and intends to present supplemental appropriation requests to its board and to the City Council as required. No council action occurred during the committee briefing.

The committee asked for clarification on student health services, contractual services categories and how surplus equipment from closed schools is handled. Desabay said student health services are largely provided by the city and so do not appear in the BCPS general fund; contractual services are largely transportation, facilities and nursing contracts; and the district will follow up with operations staff about reuse or disposition of school equipment.

Speakers noted that BCPS is still in the year‑end close window and that figures presented are draft and subject to change during the final closing and pending supplementals.