Kent County superintendent proposes FY26 budget with 36-position reduction to close $801,000 gap

Kent County Superintendent Dr. McComas on Monday laid out a proposed fiscal-year 2026 budget that she said is intended to 'right-size' the district after the end of pandemic-era emergency funding.

Dr. McComas told the Board of Education the district's preliminary revenue for FY26 is $30.9 million while expenditures total about $32.7 million, leaving roughly an $801,000 shortfall. She said personnel costs make up the bulk of spending — roughly $25.5 million — and that the district has relied on about $15.8 million in emergency grants over the past several years that have now mostly expired.

'Our income is 30.9 and our expenses are 32.7,' Dr. McComas said. 'So how do we deal with this deficit?' She proposed a combination of measures: trimming non-personnel spending by about $500,000, instituting a hiring freeze, offering a retirement incentive, pursuing grant funding and reducing up to 36 positions through attrition and, if necessary, a reduction-in-force process codified in bargaining agreements.

The superintendent estimated that reducing 36 positions would move average secondary class sizes that are presently under 15 up toward the low 20s in many cases, and she emphasized an intent to protect elementary positions where possible. 'There's no other way that we can reduce positions without it impacting our students,' she said, adding that the district will try to mitigate harms through grant-funded instructional coaches and partnerships such as a proposed after-school Boys & Girls Club program for the middle school.

Board members pressed for detail on enrollment trends, per-student funding and projections. The administration reported a net loss of 224 students in grades K'12 over the last five years, which the superintendent said represents about $3.19 million in foregone foundation and supplement funding. She also cited state projections from the Maryland Department of Planning that estimate the district could lose about 40 more students over the next four years.

Dr. McComas noted a partial funding 'win' for the district's planned middle school: while the board's construction bill did not pass this session, the General Assembly pre-authorized $4 million in FY27 and another $4 million in FY28 for the project, and it provided a near-term $150,000 allocation for maintenance needs.

The superintendent said she will present the budget to county funding partners and requested the board move final approval earlier than their regular schedule. The board voted to schedule a public hearing on the budget for April 28 and to hold a May 5 town-hall-style meeting at 5:30 p.m. for possible approval so the district can appear before county commissioners on May 6.

Votes at a glance: - Motion to set May 5 as a dedicated budget town hall (for approval): passed by voice vote. - Meals of Hope mini-grant approval: passed by voice vote. - Piggyback procurement approvals (Cloverland dairy; Hershey Creamery): passed by voice vote. - Red Acres Hydroponics extension (Caroline County piggyback): passed with one abstention.

What happens next: The board will hold a public hearing April 28 and the superintendent will report back before the May 5 meeting; if the board approves the budget on May 5, the administration intends to present the budget to county funding partners the next day.

Reported authorities and data sources mentioned at the meeting include the Maryland Department of Planning (enrollment projections), the state's Blueprint legislation and the state Accountability and Implementation Board (AIB) waiver process, and several grant programs (COVID emergency stabilization grants and the Maryland LEADS grant).