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Board fails to adopt initial FY26 budget; year-end FY25 amendment deferred for further review
Summary
The Board of Education did not approve the district's initial FY26 budget and deferred final action on FY25 year-end amendments, citing limited review time; a tentative follow-up meeting was proposed for June 30.
The Calvert County Board of Education declined to adopt the district's initial fiscal year 2026 budget during its June meeting. The board voted on the proposal after several hours of presentation and public discussion but the motion failed by voice vote.
Chief Financial Officer Scott Johnson told the board the FY26 package presented an initial unrestricted fund, restricted fund, food service fund and school construction fund budget and noted state aid amounts had not yet been finalized by the Maryland State Department of Education. "As of 09:15 this morning, the Maryland State Department of Education had not yet released the FY26 state aid amounts," Johnson said, noting that the uncertainty could require revisions to state-aid projections and county revenue allocations.
Board members said they had received the proposed budgets too recently to review thoroughly. Several members asked for clearer documentation showing changes since earlier draft budgets and requested supplemental schedules that identify where proposed cuts or additions (for example, school resource officers or behavioral supports) were located within the packet. One member requested a side-by-side comparison of the budget previously approved in February and the new proposed FY26 budget.
After debate, the board rejected the initial FY26 proposal by voice vote (the transcript records the motion as failing). Board members set a tentative date of June 30 to reconvene for additional review and possible adoption, contingent on software availability for a meeting in late June.
The board also discussed a recommended FY25 year-end budget amendment intended to update accounts and transfers; district staff said the amendment reflects more current projected FY25 activity and must ultimately be approved by the Board of County Commissioners after the board's action. The board did not finalize the FY25 amendment at the meeting and directed staff to provide clearer comparative schedules and supplemental detail ahead of the next session.
