Continuing a pattern of prudent and responsible budgetary decisions and placing a clear emphasis on prioritizing people over launching a slate of new programs in light of budgetary constraints at various levels, Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell tonight recommended a Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget to the Board of Education tonight that dedicates nearly 49 percent of new funding to employee compensation and benefits.
Dr. Bedell’s $1.9 billion recommendation allocates $56.6 million to compensation and benefits increases, investing in the employees that he called “pillars” of the school district’s success. As evidence of that success, Dr. Bedell pointed to increases on state assessments, Advanced Placement, and SAT tests, a significant increase in the number of five-star schools, decreases in chronic absenteeism and the eradication of a “gatekeeping” mindset that has led to a greatly increased diversity of student enrollment in advanced courses.
“Programs don’t produce results, people do,” Dr. Bedell told the Board in his budget address. “I want to be clear that this work and our results are not about Mark Bedell. They are about a dedicated team of 12,000 people strong in schools, divisions and offices across our county.”
Subject to negotiations with employee bargaining units, the compensation funding includes a step increase for all eligible employees, a 2 percent cost-of-living increase for all employees. These would build on 18 percent increases contained in the last three fiscal years. The district has seen significant decreases in vacancies and increases in retention rates in that time.
“I wanted to do more, but not at the expense of existing positions,” Dr. Bedell said. “This recommendation does not lay off a single employee.”
Dr. Bedell also included $2.7 million for National Board Certification stipends as the number of such educators continues to increase in the school district and $510,000 to fund pay increases for Temporary Support Assistants.
Dr. Bedell’s recommendation contains 205.3 positions, with more than 96 percent of those having daily interactions with students. More than 40 percent of the positions recommended by Dr. Bedell would serve students with disabilities, a population that has risen by 17 percent over the last five years.
To continue to meet the needs of students with disabilities, Dr. Bedell has included $9.7 million for 82.2 positions. These include 24 positions at comprehensive schools, 13.8 positions to expand specialized instruction and 12 positions in the Birth to Five program.
In his recommendation, Dr. Bedell also allocated:
$12 million to fund mandates under the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future law, including more than $6 million in funding directed to 47 community schools.
$4.1 million for the New Village Academy Public Charter School, which will open in August in Annapolis Mall.
$3.0 million for additional student laptops to replace Chromebooks at the high school level.
$1.1 million to open the Carver Early Education Center, which will accommodate 120 prekindergarten students.
$900,900 for 10 English Language Development teachers
$722,130 for two school counselors, one school psychologist, one social worker, and one pupil personnel worker.
As he expressed confidence that the district would continue to see increased student achievement as it takes its next steps, Dr. Bedell made repeated references to the difficult budgetary days that lie ahead.
“As we take those next steps, however, we must do so fully aware of the fiscal uncertainty that swirls throughout our county, state and nation,” he said. “Over the last several years, we have crafted budgets aimed at long-term sustainability while talking openly about the tougher economic times that were on the horizon. Those days are here now.”
CAPITAL BUDGET RECOMMENDATION
Dr. Bedell’s $231.7 million FY2027 capital budget recommendation contains nearly $136 million in construction, study or design funding for five major capital projects:
Old Mill High School, $71.4 million (construction)
Old Mill Middle School North, $48.2 million (construction)
Ruth Parker Eason School, $4.6 million (study/design)
Riviera Beach Elementary School, $4.0 million (study/design)
Arundel Middle School, $7.6 million (study/design)
Dr. Bedell’s capital budget recommendation also includes:
$32.9 million for building systems renovations.
$6 million for prekindergarten expansion.
$6.5 million for a school bus facility and lot.
BOARD PUBLIC HEARINGS AND WORKSHOP
The Board has scheduled two public hearings and a public workshop Dr. Bedell’s budget recommendation. Public hearings will be held on Tuesday, January 6, 2026, at Severn Run High School, and Thursday, January 8, 2026, in the Board Room at the Parham Building in Annapolis. Both hearings begin at 6 p.m. The workshop will be held at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, in the Board Room at the Parham Building.
Testimony at the hearings will be limited to two minutes per person and speakers may only offer testimony at one hearing. No budget-related public testimony will be taken at the workshop or at the February 18, 2026, meeting at which the Board is scheduled to adopt its budget request. Should the Board offer amendments at the February 18, 2026, meeting, testimony will be taken on the amendments only. The Board has also scheduled time to meet on February 19, 2026, if it is necessary to complete work on its budget request.
The January 8 public hearing and the January 20 workshop will be broadcast live on AACPS-TV and on AACPS’ YouTube channel.
Dr. Bedell’s full Fiscal Year 2027 operating and capital budget recommendations, as well as a text of his budget address and a Budget in Brief document, will be posted at www.aacps.org/fy27budget no later than December 18, 2025.