Harford school board proposes eliminating 150 positions to address $60M funding deficit

Yahoo

28-01-2025

Harford County Public Schools is proposing the elimination of 150 positions and lower raises for employees next year as school officials work to reduce a $60 million budget deficit.
The $60 million funding deficit that has plagued the district's FY26 budget comprised a $20 million salary package, $10 million in cost increases and $30 million needed to make up for the $30 million the school system pulled from its savings account to cover its operating budget last year.
Based on current revenue projects from the state, county and other revenue sources — all of which are subject to change — Harford County Superintendent Sean Bulson proposed that the system reduce its salary package from $20 million to $13 million, reduce 150 positions equaling a savings of $15 million, and use $10 million in savings as opposed to $30 million.
'We are at a place where we have to make tough decisions,' Bulson said during his presentation to the board of education Monday night. 'This proposal is based on the financial health of the school system and what I think is the best path forward for the school system.'
Bulson emphasized that he is confident the school system will be able to cut the 150 positions through turnover with staff retiring or not returning to the district next year. However, he said the reduction will impact students.
'Unequivocally, yes this will impact student achievement,' Bulson said. 'I can't balance this budget in a way that doesn't impact student achievement.'
With the proposed reductions, Harford schools' funding request to the county government in FY26 is projected to be about $347.6 million — an increase of $26.24 million compared with last year and a reduction of about $33.76 million to the $60 million deficit.
Bulson pointed out many issues he said superintendents across the state have with the statewide education funding initiative, Blueprint for Maryland's Future. Much of Bulson's concerns focused on the initiative's plans to fund expensive programs and areas of education budgets that he said do not yield a return on investment.
Citing the high cost of Blueprint, Bulson said he would like to see things like college and career readiness be more of a funding priority in the Blueprint and a reduction in spending in other areas to allow school systems the ability to fund initiatives to hire more teachers and lower class sizes.
'The way [Blueprint] is currently designed, this is the blueprint to increase class sizes in the state of Maryland,' Bulson said.
Since the start of FY26 budget conversations, school officials have pitched the idea of implementing fees for athletics, transportation and magnet schools along with closing smaller schools like Darlington Elementary to save money.
Bulson said that his proposal does not include closing any school facilities or implementing fees other than the system's already existing 'use of facility' fee that he said he would like to get up to market rate.
Bulson explained that he is opposed to passing fees on to parents and students because it would generate more angst than revenue significant enough to fill the school's budget deficit.
Going forward, Bulson said he is focusing on cutting costs to ensure Harford schools come up with a sustainable budget that delivers the most to students given the current fiscal realities of the state and its low revenue projections.
The proposed budget is subject to change based on board of education deliberations and fluctuating revenue projections.
On Wednesday, Feb. 6, the board of education will host a public input session on Harford schools' FY26 budget at 6 p.m. at the A.A. Roberty Building at 102 South Hickory Avenue in Bel Air.
Board members are set to vote on the proposed budget Feb. 10.
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