Maryland School for the Deaf’s $57.8M FY27 Allowance Includes $1.9M Deficiency to Restore Staff Pay
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Summary
DLS presented a $57.8 million fiscal 2027 allowance for the Maryland School for the Deaf, a $2.2 million (3.9%) increase from fiscal 2026; the agency and DLS flagged a proposed $1.9 million FY26 deficiency to cover salary and fringe shortfalls and asked the school to explain recent enrollment fluctuations and delayed kindergarten readiness results.
The Department of Legislative Services recommended concurring with a $57.8 million fiscal 2027 allowance for the Maryland School for the Deaf (MSD), an increase of $2.2 million, or 3.9%, over the fiscal 2026 working appropriation. Natalie Andrade, the DLS analyst, told the Education, Business and Administration Subcommittee that salaries and fringe benefits make up about 83% of MSD’s budget and that a proposed fiscal 2026 personal deficiency of roughly $1.9 million covers lower‑than‑expected vacancy savings.
John A. Serrano, superintendent of the Maryland School for the Deaf, said the school concurs with the analysis and stressed the importance of the deficiency funding. “This funding will help restore resources that were previously reduced due to statewide budget cuts ... and ensure that MSD can continue to provide a free and appropriate public education as mandated by law,” Serrano said. He reported 56 students admitted for the 2025–26 school year and total enrollment of 492 as of Jan. 30, the highest level since pre‑pandemic years.
DLS asked MSD to explain recent enrollment fluctuations and provide results from the redesigned kindergarten readiness assessment (KRA). Serrano said KRA results were available for the Frederick campus but the Columbia campus remained pending due to accommodation‑related data entry delays; he said the KRA and other measures guide differentiated instruction and early intervention. DLS’s analysis noted that the MSD general fund allowance is formula based, using a per‑pupil amount and an enrollment formula set in statute, and that the four‑year averaging used for formula funding smooths short‑term population swings.
The subcommittee did not take a formal vote during the hearing. DLS’s recommendation to concur with the governor’s allowance was presented to the panel, and agency leaders answered questions about enrollment trends, assessment timing, and how the deficiency will be applied to salary and fringe shortfalls.
