St. Mary’s schools face $6.3 million shortfall; superintendent warns of potential staffing reductions

St. Mary’s County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Smith told the Board of Education on April 23 that the district is “currently flat funded” by the county and faces a $6,300,000 gap between the system’s proposed budget and projected revenue.

The shortfall, Dr. Smith said, stems from the county’s proposed budget that provides no additional funding to cover negotiated salary agreements for teachers, support staff and administrators. “We ask for an increase of $5,300,000 from the county commissioners to fund our negotiated agreement,” Dr. Smith said. “We are currently flat funded...we are $6,300,000 off of that budget.”

Why it matters: the superintendent said recurring operating shortfalls must be balanced with recurring revenue. Without new funding from the county commissioners, Dr. Smith said the district would face hard choices because “we can only use recurring dollars for recurring costs.” She and staff outlined the arithmetic: at an average salary cost of about $70,000, eliminating 90 positions would cover roughly $6.3 million. “If we were to fully honor the negotiated agreement, we would have to cut an additional 90 positions out of St. Mary’s County Public Schools,” Dr. Smith said.

Board members and staff stressed that personnel reductions would be implemented methodically. “You can't cut 90 positions in May. People depend on us for their livelihood,” Dr. Smith added, and later said the district would “be methodical about rightsizing an organization to the available revenue.”

Next steps and calendar: Dr. Smith outlined the county budget timeline: a county commissioners’ budget work session on May 6 (first review of public hearing comments), a second work session May 13 where commissioners typically decide direction for the school system, county finalization around May 20, and the Board of Education’s adoption of a balanced fiscal year 2026 budget at the board’s May 21 meeting. The superintendent said staff will prepare a revised budget and present options in May.

Student concerns and public comment: Student board member Hannah Heisler said she and peers discussed the budget at a Superintendent Student Leadership Council meeting and reported student worries that lower per-pupil allocations and a declining county share for education “will create a domino effect.” A public speaker that evening thanked residents who attended the county hearing and urged that any tax increase for education be directed to schools.

What was not decided: the board took no formal vote on budget cuts at the April 23 meeting; the shortfall and possible options were presented as discussion and preparation for May decisions. Dr. Smith emphasized the district will not implement abrupt, mass layoffs without a structured process.

Funding details and quantification pulled from the meeting: requested negotiated agreement increase $5,300,000; total shortfall stated by superintendent $6,300,000; approximate average position cost used in staff example $70,000 leading to a 90-position equivalence. The superintendent said state aid projections improved slightly but remained below earlier expectations by about $1,000,000, increasing the county funding gap the district must address.

The board will resume budget work in May when commissioners’ decisions and the district’s response will determine any formal reductions or alternative measures.