Board approves FY2027 state capital budget request after discussion of HVAC, roofing and gym air-conditioning priorities

The Howard County Board of Education on Thursday approved the superintendent's proposed FY2027 state capital funding request after a work session on building repairs and systemwide projects.

Board members voted 6-0 to approve the list of projects the district will ask the state to allocate funds toward in fiscal 2027, Chief Operating Officer Cornell Brown and Executive Director of Capital Planning and Construction Daniel Lubley told the board during a presentation that outlined systemic renovations, roofing replacements and the remaining gym air-conditioning projects that qualify for state funding.

The request focuses on four categories: security-related renovations, deferred maintenance for HVAC, roofing work and the HCPSS gym air-conditioning initiative that began in 2021. Lubley told the board the projects selected for FY27 meet state timing and eligibility requirements; some larger renewal projects such as Dunlago Middle School did not yet meet design-timing thresholds and were not included in the state-funded list.

Why it matters: The request frames which school systems projects will be eligible for state construction dollars next year and shapes the county's ask to the state. Many of the district's older buildings need HVAC and roof work; the board's approval sends this prioritized list to the state for review and potential allocation.

What staff told the board

Brown and Lubley said the recommendation uses the district's…