Charles County schools map FY26 budget cuts to staffing, summer programs and device policy

Charles County Public Schools officials on May 19 outlined a revised fiscal year 2026 budget that relies on a $10 million fund balance and a series of internal cuts to balance a projected drop in revenue.

The system’s presentation said county revenue flowing to the schools is down, and district leaders described actions they have taken to limit the impact on classrooms: trimming certain staffing ratios at fourth and fifth grade and at middle and high school, narrowing purchased instructional licenses, and shifting some work that had been done by outside contractors into internal “train the trainer” capacity.

The revision also reinstates some previously reduced summer offerings but narrows the scope of transportation and original-credit subsidies compared with pandemic-era practice. The administration said it will again charge fees for some original-credit summer courses that are optional, while noting a separate state law requires the district to pay for summer classes that are necessary for a student to graduate. The presentation added that the district has been keeping a smaller set of summer programs because federal COVID relief funds that temporarily supported expanded offerings have ended.

“We are no longer gonna be 1 to 1 but there's still a need for additional computers,” Superintendent Maria Navarro said as she described a move…