HCPSS outlines $86.7 million FY26 capital request and a new data‑driven prioritization plan

Howard County Public School System leaders told the County Council at a work session that HCPSS’s FY2026 capital request totals roughly $86.7 million and that the district plans to pair the state’s facilities condition data with a new county‑specific assessment of program adequacy to prioritize repairs and renovations.

“ Our initial submission was made October 4th,” Cornell Brown, HCPSS chief operating officer, told the council. He said the request covers roofing and mechanical work, window and vestibule improvements, gym HVAC upgrades at several middle schools, a septic‑to‑sewer scope change at Manor Woods Elementary and a renovation at Oakland Mills Middle using Built to Learn funds.

Why it matters: the Interagency Commission on School Construction (IAC) follows a staged review (a December recommendation for roughly 75% of available funding, later adjustments and final allocations in May). County council members said up‑to‑date figures and a clear link between the school list and available local and state dollars are essential for meaningful oversight and public trust.

Brown described two linked tracks for capital planning: the statutory state submission and a longer‑range planning effort. He said HCPSS will seek board approval to transfer money from existing projects into a design and planning line so the district can hire a third‑party consultant to evaluate educational program adequacy in addition to system condition. “What the Interagency Commission provided was the state’s facilities assessment data…we’d like to evaluate our school facilities to determine what we call our space efficiency and educational adequacy,” Brown said.

The district framed the consultant study as a way to create two independent data points — one on physical condition and one on program performance — so officials can determine which buildings should be renovated, replaced or reconfigured to serve programs such as special education, pre‑K and career and technical education.

Councilmembers pressed staff on details. Councilmember Liz Walsh asked where the updated October board numbers appear in the council packet and requested the board’s amendment be circulated; HCPSS staff said the board added roughly $8 million of local asks in a late amendment and that the administration would follow up with an updated document. The council repeatedly emphasized the need for the October‑dated numbers to arrive before final votes.

Members also asked how the district will reconcile long‑range planning with limited annual funding. Brown acknowledged the scale of the backlog, warned of “sticker shock” when full costs are laid out, and said the district will separate state‑funded project planning from locally funded priorities to have clearer public conversations about what can be implemented in years one through five versus long‑range aspirational projects.

On construction costs and funding pressures, Dan Lubley, HCPSS executive director for capital planning and construction, told the council that since FY2018 construction cost factors used for school estimates have risen substantially: “Since fiscal year 2018 it’s gone up 58%, the current numbers are $416 a square foot just for building and $495 a square foot for building and site,” he said, citing state benchmarks used in estimating.

Council members also reviewed PayGo and general capital allocations to schools over the past decade and several said they will press for larger local commitments — though members acknowledged the county’s available PayGo and bonding capacity limit how fast the backlog can be closed.

Next steps: HCPSS said the consultant engagement and any internal transfers of capital funds will be a future board recommendation and that the district will return with amended, October‑dated budget documents for the council’s review. The work session produced no formal council action on CB 151 during the meeting.