St. Mary's County Board of Education previews $294 million FY2026 budget amid state funding uncertainty

The St. Mary's County Board of Education received a preview of Superintendent Dr. Smith's proposed fiscal year 2026 budget during its Jan. 22 meeting and held a public hearing before closing public comment. The recommended budget totals about $294 million and includes pay-step increases, a 2% cost-of-living adjustment for teachers and smaller COLAs for support staff and administrators; presenters warned that changes in the governor's proposal and pending state legislation could reduce state aid and shift retirement costs to local governments.

Board members were given a line-by-line summary of the superintendent's recommended budget and recent state aid estimates from the Maryland State Department of Education. The presentation by Ms. McCormick and Dr. Smith outlined recurring and nonrecurring revenue differences from the current year, reductions requested to align staffing with declining enrollment, and the potential local cost if state funding is reduced. Dr. Smith and Ms. McCormick repeatedly urged vigilance as the legislature and state agencies finalize numbers in Annapolis in the coming months.

School officials said the superintendent's recommended budget, as originally presented, called for roughly a $5.3 million (4%) increase in local funding and increases in state and federal aid, producing an initial recommended total near $293.2 million; updated state figures and other adjustments raised the recommended total to about $294 million, a roughly 1.7–1.76% net recurring increase. Ms. McCormick told the board the recommended budget includes funding to meet negotiated…