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Charles County leaders warn Blueprint mandates and rising contract costs will push up school spending
Summary
A joint session of the Charles County Board of Education and county commissioners examined fiscal impacts of Maryland''s Blueprint law, highlighting a $60,000 minimum teacher salary, projected hiring needs, large special-education overruns and shrinking funding flexibility as local share grows.
A joint meeting of the Charles County Board of Education and the Board of County Commissioners reviewed how implementation of Maryland''s Blueprint education law is affecting local finances, with staff and elected officials warning that teacher pay mandates and rising contracted service costs are driving larger-than-expected budget pressures.
Chris Miller, the district''s blueprint coordinator, told the two boards that special education, transportation and college-and-career readiness consistently show the largest gaps between budgeted funds and actual spending. "In fiscal year 25, as an example, we're funded around $29,000,000 and the actual spend is about $65,000,000 when it comes to special education," Miller said, citing recent budget comparisons.
Why it matters: The Blueprint sets minimum compensation and programmatic requirements that change the district''s cost profile. Miller and finance staff said those requirements, together with higher contract rates for therapies and transportation, have reduced…
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