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Board reviews FY2027 capital plan, makes Fruitland Primary top priority amid state funding constraints
Summary
Wicomico County school officials presented the FY2027 Capital Improvement Plan, prioritizing Fruitland Primary and asking the county and state for forward funding as state target allocations tighten; the district cited roughly $150 million in deferred projects and said an intergovernmental agreement with the county is under legal review.
Wicomico County Public Schools staff presented the district's FY2027 capital improvement plan and outlined a funding strategy that centers on Fruitland Primary as the top priority. Kayla Campbell, district staff leading the CIP presentation, said the district received just over $12 million from the state for the Fruitland Primary project and secured a MEA decarbonization grant of a little over $2 million to install solar and advance a net-zero building design.
Campbell told the board the Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC) recently recalculated target allocations and advised the district to plan on about $5.6 million in state target funding for FY2027. She said the IAC also calculated roughly $9 million for enrollment growth and relocatable classrooms but cautioned final allocations are not set until May 2026.
''"We will be requesting additional construction funding from the state as well as forward funding from the county based on the intergovernmental agreement," Campbell said, describing an IGA now with county attorneys for review and expected to need county council approval.
Campbell said the district's request to the state lists a $41.7 million state share for Fruitland Primary, though she said she did not expect the state to fully fund that amount. At the time of the presentation, Campbell said the district had been carrying a roughly $79.5 million budget for the project and had trimmed contingencies, lowering the figure to the high $70 millions; she described the state's remaining share as about $54.6 million and said the county share had been largely planned for locally.
Board members pressed staff about the effect of constrained state funding on the district's capital schedule. Campbell said statewide funding delays are stretching the rhythm for major new and renovated schools beyond the historical 3'2'5-year cycle and that systemics work (roofing, HVAC, safety systems) is also being delayed. The district said it is pursuing alternative funding sources and will ask the county for forward funding so projects can proceed as needed and be repaid by the state later.
Board members noted the district's long backlog: staff identified more than $150 million in deferred capital needs across school buildings, and multiple HVAC, roofing and security-camera projects repeatedly appear near the top of the plan. Campbell listed the next priorities after Fruitland Primary: an HVAC upgrade for Fruitland Intermediate, replacement and site acquisition for Wicomico (transcript: 'Bridal') School, districtwide security-camera upgrades, and HVAC projects at Westside Intermediate and Salisbury Middle School.
The board discussed coordination with the county executive's office. A board member asked that Superintendent Dr. Stauffer and other district leaders meet regularly with County Executive Giordano to keep the county apprised of timing and forward-funding needs. Campbell said the IGA contains the budget numbers and will guide county review.
The board is scheduled to consider the CIP draft on September 9; the district's county submission must follow and the packet to the state is due October 6, with the county letter of support and final amendment window due November 28.
What happens next: the board will review the CIP at the September meeting, and district staff will continue to press for county and state funding and pursue grant or alternative funding options to address deferred projects.
