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Public commenter urges immediate charter funding; superintendent says opening is planned for 2026–27 and staff will review state guidance
Summary
At public comment a resident urged the board to grant funding and permission for a charter school to open this fall; the superintendent and staff said the charter’s approved agreement and contingencies set an opening timeline for the 2026–27 school year and that district staff will review recent state guidance on charter funding.
A member of the public told the Garrett County Board of Education on June 10 that the approved charter school has not received funding 15 months after approval and urged the district to grant funding and permission to begin planning immediately.
The commenter, identified in the meeting as Henderson, said funding would not “cost the budget a nickel” and called for the district to allow the charter board to begin planning for a fall opening. Henderson said the charter school has been financed at reduced rates in the past and that delays and renegotiations have lengthened the timeline for opening.
Superintendent Dr. Brennan McCartney responded that the charter agreement the board approved contains contingencies and a timeline: the charter is not slated to open in the upcoming fall but rather to open in the 2026–27 school year if contingencies are met. McCartney told the board staff and the charter board have been coordinating on the contingencies and that the charter board’s budget submission and forecast work are due later in the year, with a budget forecast typically due in October.
McCartney also said district staff received a document from the state superintendent late last week that provides guidance on charter school funding; she said the district’s finance and administrative staff (Ashley Glodfelty and Dr. Miller) will read and interpret that guidance and will work with the charter board to follow any state requirements. The superintendent said the board will act in accordance with the approved agreement and its dated contingencies.
Henderson repeated frustration with the pace of progress and said if the charter board is to open, it must be granted funding now so planning can proceed. The superintendent reiterated that district staff and the charter board are working to meet the agreement’s conditions and that if the contingencies are satisfied the district anticipates the charter could open for the 2026–27 school year.
No board action was taken during public comment; the superintendent said staff would continue working with the charter board and will update the board as required by the agreement and state guidance.
