Superintendent proposes $670 million FY2026 operating budget; seeks $26.2 million additional local funding, flags $15 million in position reductions

On Jan. 27 Superintendent Dr. Bolsom presented his proposed FY2026 operating budget to the Harford County Board of Education, proposing a $670 million unrestricted operating budget and requesting an additional $26.2 million in local funding to balance FY2026 spending.

Key numbers and the trade‑offs

- Total proposed operating budget (unrestricted): $670,000,000 (≈ +2.6% vs. FY2025). - Local request to Harford County: $26,200,000 (≈ +8.2% vs. FY2025 local funding). - Estimated state revenue (based on the governor’s budget): +$10,700,000 (3.6%), subject to legislative changes. - Proposed use of fund balance: $10,000,000 (administration seeks to reduce reliance on fund balance compared with prior years). - Salary/wage package included in proposal: roughly $13,000,000 (lower than earlier board parameters; board earlier discussed a larger package). - Proposed position reductions: administration proposed approximately $15,000,000 in position‑related savings (roughly 150 net positions by the department’s estimate) to reduce the local funding request and hold the district to an achievable ask.

Administration warned the board the trade‑offs are consequential. “I can’t balance this budget in a way that doesn’t impact student…