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 decreased state and local funding based on maintenance of effort and the state funding formulas." He advised commissioners the figure will shape November–December budget talks as the county and school board prepare FY2027 budgets.

The declines showed up across grade bands. Elementary schools were down 142 students systemwide year‑over‑year; middle schools declined by about 53 students, and the district’s three high schools declined by 136 students total. Smith said some schools — for example, Hollywood and Lexington Park elementary schools — saw modest increases, but many others registered single‑ and double‑digit declines. He pointed to an unusually large graduating class last year as the primary reason Leonardtown High School’s current decline was steeper than the other high schools.

Commissioners pressed Smith on causes and regional context. Smith said Charles County is seeing growth tied to higher‑density development, while Calvert County mirrors Saint Mary's with a slight multi‑year decline; he added that the downward trend for Maryland overall is driven by multiple factors including demographic aging and families choosing other education options.

Homeschooling rose sharply during the pandemic, Smith said, with more than 1,600 students at the peak and a subsequent drop; the district has seen homeschooling numbers rebuild since then. He cautioned that homeschooled students who later seek to reenter the public high school often do not receive automatic course credit unless they pass end‑of‑course exams.

The district is weighing strategies to retain and attract students, including outreach to families who homeschool and examining virtual academy options. Commissioners and board members were told the enrollment trends are a core consideration in an ongoing comprehensive redistricting and facility utilization review that the district has contracted to Cannon Design to complete.

The district also emphasized it is compliant with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future requirements and has advanced in several pillars (teacher pay ladders, college‑and‑career readiness, wraparound services). Smith said the county is positioned well under Blueprint accounting rules but cautioned that declining enrollment complicates long‑term planning.

District and county officials said the official, final enrollment and funding numbers will be set after the state completes cross‑LEA reconciliation; the district will use those final figures in budget planning.