Carroll County board hears FY27 enrollment decline and Blueprint-driven funding shifts
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Summary
Finance staff told the board that Sept. 30 enrollment fell about 437 students to just under 25,200, affecting FY27 state funding calculations; targeted per-pupil amounts under Maryland's Blueprint shifted (pre-K up notably) and board members expressed concern about restricted program funding and overall budget growth.
Carroll County Public Schools finance staff presented initial FY27 budget guidance and an enrollment update at the Nov. 12 board meeting, flagging a year-over-year enrollment decline and program-driven changes under the state's Blueprint funding formula.
Staff reported an official Sept. 30 head count down by approximately 437 students to just under 25,200. Because Maryland's funding rules use the higher of prior-year enrollment or a three-year average, the district's funding calculation will reflect a 151-student decline under the formula, staff said. Rob and Mr. Burke (budget presenters) told the board these enrollment changes are concentrated at the elementary level; middle schools were slightly up and high schools slightly down.
The presentation walked the board through targeted per-pupil amounts embedded in Blueprint: pre-kindergarten funding increased sharply (both enrollment and per-pupil formula increased), compensatory education funding edged lower, multilingual learner counts and special-education counts shifted slightly. Staff emphasized that many Blueprint dollars are program-specific, which can reduce local flexibility because funds must be used for the designated program rather than general operating needs.
Board members pressed staff for context and possible fiscal responses. Member Mr. Whistler criticized the structure of Blueprint and said aloud that the operating budget had grown substantially; in an emotive exchange he characterized the statewide formula as "killing us," noting the apparent paradox of rising budget totals alongside falling enrollment. Finance staff and the superintendent said they will provide detailed work-session materials, including possible cost reductions, program implications and a chronology of prior cuts, at upcoming budget work sessions in late November and December.
Staff cautioned that while some state program buckets increased, others decreased or remain uncertain (in particular the college-and-career–ready category is being reconciled), and recommended careful program-by-program analysis rather than a single net figure. The board scheduled next steps: multiple budget work sessions and a January vote on any policy proposals developed during the review.
No formal budget adoption occurred at the Nov. 12 meeting; the presentation served as foundational briefings ahead of November/December work sessions.