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Queen Anne's County Board of Education adopts FY26 operating budget with $9.1 million increase
Summary
The Queen Anne's County Board of Education approved a balanced FY2026 operating budget that increases total spending by about $9.1 million, driven largely by an above-required local contribution from county commissioners and salary and fixed-charge increases.
The Queen Anne's County Board of Education on June 18 approved a balanced fiscal year 2026 operating budget that increases systemwide spending by about $9.1 million.
Rob Watkins, supervisor of finance for Queen Anne's County Public Schools, told the board the district's current budget is about $118 million and the proposed FY26 budget is about $127.5 million, a roughly $9.1 million increase. Watkins said the state share is projected at $1.4 million and that the Queen Anne's County Commissioners are providing $7.6 million above the district's maintenance-of-effort requirement, a primary driver of the local increase.
The additional local funding allows the district to present a balanced budget after earlier position adjustments. Watkins noted the district used position reductions and fixed-charge adjustments to close a previously reported multi-million dollar gap. He also warned that the state’s final funding file (the statewide MSDE formula) had not been delivered and that the draft numbers used to prepare the budget remain subject to change. "When MSDE is able to share it with us, we will certainly update," Watkins said, adding that any material change would require a budget amendment.
Board members asked about specific line-item shifts in the budget book. Watkins said he moved athletic trainers from one budget category to another to reflect their status as full-time employees and redistributed an outdated $60,000 charge that had previously been held in category 5. He also explained a $144,470 tuition adjustment tied to private pre-K seats that MSDE is expected to route directly to private providers in a future aid file; the district included both the revenue and an offsetting expenditure in the FY26 presentation.
A motion to approve the FY25–26 Queen Anne's County Public Schools operating budget passed by voice vote; the transcript records a voice "Aye" and does not include a roll-call tally.
The board directed staff to monitor the final MSDE funding file and return with any necessary amendments if the final state numbers differ materially from the draft used to prepare the budget. Watkins said the district will report updates as they become available and that the board will see the fund 1 (operating) financials during the coming year.
The board approved the budget by motion and voice vote.
