Harford County schools face roughly $20M near‑term increase; board and administration weigh cuts, fund balance use and future fees

Superintendent Bolsom told the Harford County Board of Education on Jan. 13 that the system’s current budget work shows a range of pressures that could leave the district with a substantial local ask unless the board and county find additional resources.

Bolsom said the district’s baseline for FY‑26 spending started at roughly $653 million and that projected increases — including an assumption that the budget would rise about $20 million to approximately $673 million — reflect multiple cost drivers. She said the current-year budget calculations include a planned use of roughly $30 million in fund balance and that the board’s staff and negotiating parameters have trimmed the projected salary/wage package estimate. “We started at $653,000,000, and we're basically at…the budget is going up $20,000,000 to $6.73,” Superintendent Bolsom said (figures as presented).

Key cost drivers identified in the session included:

- Employee benefit and health‑care increases: the administration cited an estimate of slightly more than $13 million in insurance and fixed charges increases. - Electricity and facilities: the district’s consultants project an electricity cost increase of roughly 30…