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COO warns of ‘ESSER cliff’ as per‑pupil funding gap widens; CCPS ranks low on local contribution
Summary
Chief Operations Officer Marcia Stevens told the board that CCPS’s FY25 total per‑pupil funding was $14,942 and that state pandemic ESSER funds are ending, creating a funding 'cliff'; the district ranked 112th of 132 in local per‑pupil contribution, widening the gap to the state average.
Marcia Stevens, chief operations officer for Caroline County Public Schools, told the board on June 8 that the division’s total per‑pupil funding for fiscal year 2025 was $14,942 and cautioned that the end of one‑time ESSER pandemic funds will leave fiscal gaps going forward.
Stevens reviewed a decade of historical funding (FY15–FY25). She reported FY25 per‑pupil funding components as follows: state aid approximately $7,617 per pupil (51% of revenues), local contribution $4,292 (28.7%), and federal about $1,520 (including ESSER). She said CCPS ranked 112th out of 130 school divisions for local per‑pupil funding and remains below the state average; the division’s total per‑pupil funding was $3,829 lower than the state average in FY25.
Stevens and board members described the “ESSER cliff” — the scheduled end of pandemic relief funds — and noted that some instructional initiatives funded during the ESSER period will lack replacement funding. Board members discussed strategies such as pursuing competitive grants, requesting additional appropriations from the Board of Supervisors, or reducing budget items to close gaps. Stevens stressed that appropriating bodies (the board of supervisors) must approve some funding before the school division can spend it, and that many grants are reimburseable.
Why it matters: One‑time federal pandemic funds temporarily boosted district revenues; the loss of that funding year‑over‑year forces districts to choose between cutting programs, shifting local funds, or seeking new revenue. Stevens said facility costs and transportation burdens (Caroline’s 528 square miles) add to funding pressures.
What’s next: Staff will continue to model budget scenarios and present reconciliation details to the board. Board members asked for peer comparisons to assess how similar divisions manage funding and for continued joint communication with the Board of Supervisors about appropriations.
