Harford County schools propose $52.4 million operating budget increase for FY 2027; board to seek public input

Harford County Public Schools officials presented a proposed FY 2027 operating budget on Jan. 12 that would increase the district’s operating request by $52.4 million, bringing the total proposed operating budget to $724.9 million.

Assistant Superintendent for Business Services Deborah Judd and Director of Budget Eric Clark outlined the major components of the request, calling the budget a tool to “reflect our values” and to prioritize student achievement. Clark described a $28.3 million wage package included under board-negotiated parameters and said the requests add 91 positions.

Key line items and requests identified by staff included:

- 20 additional teachers for pre-K through second grade and pre-K paraeducators to expand early-learning supports; - Eight multilingual teachers and nine Title I overstaff positions retained from FY26; - $300,000 for student executive-function supports and intervention programs, including literacy interventions required under MSDE policy; - An early-college program request for Swan Creek that added six positions (about $1.2 million in staffing) and a district estimate for the program cost near $1.156 million in one line (staff described the figure as an estimate tied to potential enrollment); and - An estimated $2 million increase in contracted transportation costs and additional transportation positions for special education supports.

Clark said the increase is an estimate that assumes a state allocation of roughly $11 million; the district is showing the request without using fund balance and is seeking $53.9 million from the county, a 15.5% local request increase. Officials said restricted budgets and food service figures will be finalized later in the year when state and federal allocations are finalized.

Board members asked for more line-by-line detail. One board member asked whether a full line-item budget could be viewed before a vote; staff said the current FY26 line-item budget is published online and that the FY27 additions are shown as proposed increments. “In June, when we finalize the budget, we will present the line the line item budget at that time,” Judd said.

The Swan Creek early-college proposal drew questions about authority and cost. Board member Alvarez said she had concerns that the program had been advanced without a prior board vote and asked legal counsel whether adding the program operationally required board approval; counsel said operational program decisions typically fall to the superintendent and administration, though counsel was not familiar with the precise program details and offered to review legal requirements.

Officials emphasized that no vote on the budget was requested that night; the board is expected to schedule public input sessions and consider a vote in early February before forwarding the final budget to the county executive.

What happens next: district staff will hold public input sessions, provide more detail on line-item impacts, and expect a formal board vote in the first February meeting.