Council approves $18.4 million in supplemental federal and state grants for Anne Arundel schools

The Anne Arundel County Council on March 3 approved Bill 8‑25, a FY2025 second‑quarter supplemental appropriation and transfer totaling $18,421,900 for the Anne Arundel County Board of Education.

Ethan Hunt, representing the administration, said the appropriation reflects additional federal and state grants and transfers between expenditure categories; no new county funding is required. CFO Matt Stanski told the council the majority of the amount is federal money, including $12.3 million tied to adjustments in annual grants, $1.17 million for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and $2.6 million for the Maryland Leads program; full line‑item detail is in Exhibit 2 of the fiscal note.

Council discussion referenced the fiscal note and how restricted grant funds are identified on page 2 of the bill. Kurt Svensson, a public commenter, asked about Exhibit 2’s availability and whether it makes clear the portion that is restricted federal or state grant funding; staff confirmed the fiscal note (Exhibit 2) is available online and in the record.

The bill passed on a 7–0 roll call. The administration and school division will implement the transfers and use the grant funds according to the fiscal note.

Why it matters: The appropriation adjusts the FY2025 budget to reflect additional grant awards and carryovers that support school programs without asking for new county operating dollars.

Next steps: The Office of Budget and Finance and Anne Arundel County Public Schools will carry out the transfers and apply the restricted grant funds as described in Exhibit 2 of the fiscal note.