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 away from providing every secondary student a permanently assigned device while keeping sign‑out options for students who need one for work at home.

Why it matters: officials said the budget relies on a larger reserve than usual to balance a roughly $8.4 million decrease in revenue compared with the originally proposed budget. The district also faces uncertainty over federal grants and state allocations; staff said they modeled a possible 15% cut to Title I funding when preparing estimates. That combination of lower revenue and lingering high operating costs — for example, increases in special education and contracted behavioral‑health supports — is the reason for the targeted personnel and program shifts.

What the district will change - Staffing: The district will adjust staffing ratios in fourth and fifth grades and in secondary schools. District leaders described those moves as attempts to “do the least amount of damage” while preserving core programs. They said third grade class sizes were spared in part because of potential retention requirements tied to literacy standards. - Summer school: The district will prioritize students who need credits to graduate and those who fell behind during the year. Transportation and some original‑credit costs for summer courses are no longer fully covered as they were during the period when federal ESSER funding was available. - Technology: The district will stop universal permanent 1:1 device assignments but said schools will maintain a sign‑out process so students who need a device for assignments may obtain one. Officials also said they will reduce screen time expectations for primary grades. - Contracts and professional learning: Several outside contracts for professional development will be scaled back; the district plans to expand internal capacity to deliver training through teacher leaders and a “train the trainer” model.

District finance summary The presentation updated the board that a $14 million county shortfall (as shown in the district presentation materials) combined with smaller-than-expected state revenues has produced an overall gap. The revised budget assumes an increased use of fund balance (approximately $10 million) to balance the FY26 plan. The district also restored line items for special education, food service deficit coverage and technology equipment to reflect known pressures.

Federal and state funding risk District staff repeatedly emphasized continuing uncertainty about federal and state grant streams. Staff modeled potential cuts and said Title I and other federal formula funds together support more than 100 positions across the district. “If that funding is reduced, we’ll have to make proportional decisions and consider moving people into other vacant positions,” Navarro said. Staff also said they are waiting for final state guidance before making personnel decisions tied to federal grant changes.

Public concern and context Public commenters and parents emphasized class‑size and literacy time tradeoffs during public forum. Two speakers at the meeting urged the board to limit increases in elementary class sizes — especially in grades 4 and 5 — because of reading and math needs and classroom space constraints. One speaker cited I‑Ready data showing roughly 62% of fourth and fifth graders reading below grade level on the winter assessment; she called attention to a reduction in small‑group reading time from one hour to 40 minutes in some schedules and warned that larger classes could reduce the number of students a teacher can see in small groups.

What’s next District staff said they will present the FY26 budget for final board action at the June meeting after state revenue numbers are finalized. Officials also said they will continue discussing staffing allocations and the precise use of the fund balance once more data are available.

Ending note: District officials framed the FY26 proposals as aimed at limiting harm to core instruction while acknowledging the path will require difficult choices if state or federal funding assumptions worsen.