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St. Mary's County schools report multi‑year enrollment decline; superintendent flags $4–$5 million funding shortfall
Summary
Superintendent James Scott Smith told county commissioners and the Board of Education that enrollment has fallen across the district for three consecutive years, which will reduce state per‑pupil funding under the three‑year rolling average and could shrink combined state and local revenue by an estimated $4–$5 million if current numbers hold.
St. Mary’s County Public Schools reported a three‑year decline in student enrollment during a joint meeting with county commissioners and the Board of Education on Oct. 28.
"Following the pandemic, we find ourselves with declining enrollment," Superintendent James Scott Smith told the joint panel, presenting unofficial but largely verified data the district has submitted to the Maryland State Department of Education. The district projects about 320 fewer students in 2025 compared with prior years; using the state’s three‑year rolling average the effective decline for funding purposes would be about 267 students.
Smith said that, using a base foundation amount of roughly $9,700 per pupil, the drop in the three‑year average could reduce state and local funding "about a little between 4 and $5,000,000 in…
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