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Board reviews FY 2027 budget timeline and staffing requests as enrollment trends and state pressures loom
Summary
CFO Scott Johnson briefed the board on FY '27 budget development, noting directors' submissions and principal allocations; staff requested more than 50 new/additional positions and highlighted blueprint‑driven cost pressures and a proposed January 29, 2026 superintendent's budget presentation.
Scott Johnson, the district chief financial officer, briefed the Calvert County Board of Education on development of the FY 2027 budget and initial staffing requests.
Johnson described multiple tracks in the budget process, from departmental submissions and director reviews to principals' preliminary allocations based on current enrollment data. He said the superintendent's proposed FY '27 budget will be presented to the board on Jan. 29, 2026.
Johnson noted cost pressures tied to the state's Blueprint for Maryland's Future, including minimum school funding spending requirements (75% or in some cases 100% of targeted streams by school), the need to replace certain grant funding in the unrestricted fund for pre‑K, continued funding of career ladder costs and increasing National Board Certification expenses. He said more than 50 new or additional positions were requested for FY '27 (staff reported 45.5 FTE proposed by staff plus additional board proposals).
Board members pressed for clarity on enrollment changes and the potential use of fund balance in FY '27. Johnson said enrollment likely declined slightly and offered to provide exact figures by email. Board members discussed operating under a flat‑funding assumption given state fiscal pressures and emphasized meeting negotiated labor agreements and maintaining a fund balance target (a board member referenced a 12–16% target for fund balance).
Why it matters: staffing, blueprint implementation costs and enrollment trends will shape next year's budget and affect classroom services, bargaining agreements and fund balance policy.
Next steps: the superintendent's proposed FY '27 budget will be presented Jan. 29, 2026; the executive leadership team will continue narrowing staffing requests and cost estimates before that presentation.
