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Superintendent presents FY26 budget draft; $1M proposed use of fund balance and program additions outlined
Summary
Superintendent and finance staff previewed the FY26 budget draft on May 13, proposing a $1,000,000 use of fund balance, several program additions, and multiple instructional-material purchases while warning state funding figures remain preliminary.
Garrett County Public Schools staff presented a draft fiscal year 2026 operating and capital budget at the May 13 board meeting and highlighted major initiatives and assumptions.
Finance staff said preliminary state funding numbers are pending; the district expects final figures by the end of the week. The presentation noted a shift in the foundation formula from state to local share (about $2.4 million) and that, unlike a prior estimate of a possible $1.8 million drawdown, the proposed budget uses $1,000,000 of fund balance to balance the operating budget.
Major initiatives and notable line items called out in the presentation included: - Driver’s education: $30,000 budgeted to contract with a vendor for classroom and on-road components (initial offering focused on juniors and seniors). - Culinary arts: one new full-time teacher at Northern High School to start a culinary arts program; future facility upgrades anticipated and grant applications under consideration. - Instructional materials: $600,000 allocated for elementary English language arts materials; $93,000 for middle grades science materials. - Summer programming: $45,000 in local funds budgeted for elementary summer programming plus other federal/title funds. - Pilot “teacher leader” program (stipends projected at $12,500) to provide additional instructional support at selected schools. - Payroll/HR system upgrade: approximately $150,000 set aside to modernize payroll and reduce manual workload in finance.
Staff noted enrollment projections indicate a potential decline of roughly 100 students next year, while special education needs are rising as a share of the population; the district flagged that special education staffing needs could change depending on student need. Capital items included funding for a new Bradford School project and a request to county commissioners for $140,000 for two vans.
Finance staff urged board members to submit questions in writing before the next meeting so staff can provide detailed answers; the board will vote on the budget in June after final state numbers are received.
