Board approves phased high‑school redistricting; county officials warn of big CIP needs

County and school officials presented redistricting decisions and capital planning needs to the joint meeting on April 14, describing a phased reassignment of some Leonardtown High School students and a larger capital‑improvement funding problem for aging facilities.

Mike Watson, chief operating officer, said a yearlong redistricting process culminated with the Board of Education’s March 18 meeting. The board approved version 1.1A, which phases reassignment of some rising 9th‑grade students from Leonardtown High School to Chopticon High School and a small area to Great Mills beginning in the 2026–27 school year; students already attending Leonardtown may remain there if they choose.

Watson said the board took no action on elementary or middle‑school redistricting and will monitor White Marsh Elementary School enrollment for two years before making closure decisions; a consultant’s option to close White Marsh was not adopted.

On school facilities and the CIP, Watson said 74% of county schools have components 50 years or older and listed five schools that the state rates as worn or dilapidated. He cautioned that building a new high school would be expensive—“north of $150 million,” he said—and that renovations typically require multiple funding sources and several years to assemble.

Commissioners and board staff pressed that the county must coordinate with state funding bodies and pointed to the county’s limited annual IAC target (about $5 million) as insufficient to address large‑scale renovations; speakers urged advocacy in Annapolis for greater state support.

Next steps: families affected by redistricting were notified; the district will phase students as described for the 2026–27 school year and continue enrollment monitoring for elementary schools; CIP planning and funding discussions will continue with state and county leaders.