Anne Arundel County Board of Education approves $1.69 billion budget, with raises for some teachers and new positions – Capital Gazette

The Anne Arundel County Board of Education adopted its final operating and capital budgets for fiscal year 2025 during a school board meeting in Annapolis on Tuesday evening.

The $1.69 billion operating budget, which the board approved June 14, was approved by the school board on a 6-1 vote, with the lone no vote coming from Corrine Frank, of District 3. The $184.4 million capital budget was approved unanimously.

The capital budget is for construction and renovation, while the operating budget includes salaries and school services.

“We are in much better shape than some other school districts in the state and that is a testament to the teamwork that exists here in Anne Arundel County. This is a moving budget that will help us help all of our students belong, grow and succeed, said Superintendent Mark Bedell.”

The council voted to reallocate more than $3 million that would have gone to New Village Academy, following news that the school’s opening has been postponed until 2025.

The charter high school, originally scheduled to open this fall in the former Nordstrom space at the Westfield Annapolis Mall, will delay its opening until fall 2025 after a lease could not be finalized.

“These funds will allow us to address larger class sizes by hiring additional teachers and supporting lesson coverage of teachers who lose scheduling periods due to staffing issues or illness,” Bedell said.

More than $2.1 million will go to pay increases for teachers who lose planning time filling in for other teachers, which has happened more often since the pandemic, said Matt Stanski, the school system’s chief financial officer.

The plan also calls for 93 positions for staff at the new Two Rivers Elementary and Severn Run High schools, both opening in August.

“While the budget is not as robust as in recent years, when I look at the headlines from other jurisdictions, I am grateful for where we are on June 18,” Stanski said.

The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund, a fund established by the Ministry of Education, has contributed to the province’s budget to help address the problems caused by COVID-19. As the realization of these funds finally comes to an end, millions of dollars have been shifted in recent years to offset the loss. In 2024, the board approved more than $106 million in grant funding. This year, that number has dropped to $65 million, a difference of more than $40 million.

Michelle Corkadel of District 7, who originally voted against the operating budget in February, voted in favor of the budget this time despite her reservations.

“I am still concerned about the cuts to special education and health care funding, which have been cut by nearly 50%, but I appreciate the reimbursement of other much-needed programs,” she said.

There will be $1.3 million less in special education funding and $7.5 million less in the province’s health care contributions for employees. Some of the losses the province has had to adjust to are due to the elimination of some COVID-related grant funding.

“As with any budget, difficult decisions must be made,” said Robert Silkworth, school board chairman. “However, I believe that when it comes to our school system, everyone involved in this process has kept our students at the forefront and provided us with funding that puts us in a better position than some other jurisdictions to help those students. .”

Capital budget

The $184.4. million capital budget, which the council approved on June 14, was passed with only one amendment requiring revision.