Morgan Stroud and her family were heartbroken when they learned the New Village Academy would not be opening.

Her six kids struggled in public school before her family took on the daunting task of homeschooling.

“When I was reading information on New Village, I said, ‘Ha, guess who’s going back to public school?’ because that whole entire concept was beautiful,” said Stroud. “My heart was set on it.”

Project-based, career-building instruction and being in the Annapolis Mall were just a few aspects of the school that got Stroud and her family excited.

Four of Stroud’s children were enrolled, and her youngest, who’s in middle school, was also going to attend. They are among the 107 high school students who enrolled before the school was built.

Stroud’s kids were brimming with excitement for their return to in-person school — pondering what to wear, growing out their hair and stressing over what planner to use.

On April 16, the board of New Village Academy voted to not open the school.

“The project faced insurmountable challenges stemming from a disrupted federal funding environment and rising construction costs,” an April 28 release said.

Since taking office for his second term, President Donald Trump has attempted to significantly reduce federal funding for a number of agencies, including the Department of Education. The uncertainty over federal funds caused New Village Academy’s backers to withdraw.

A charter school is a publicly funded school authorized to operate through a contract with the Board of Education.

New Village Academy would have been the first charter school in Annapolis in 15 years. The school leased space on the second floor of Annapolis Mall near the Container Store, with an entrance from the parking-lot rooftop.

The school promised to be “high school done differently.”

The nonprofit was expecting around 168 students this fall who would have been in small classes and assigned advisers who stayed with them all four years.

The school’s founder, Romey Pittman, is a former Annapolis High School history teacher and sister to County Executive Steuart Pittman. Her goal was to create a place where kids who struggle in a traditional school setting can learn effectively.

“High school is just not working for so many kids and sometimes it’s social emotional and they’re academically rock stars. Sometimes the academic part isn’t working, but they’re really socially active. For a lot of kids, it’s too cookie cutter and too far from real life,” said Pittman. The Anne Arundel County Board of Education approved the school unanimously in 2023.

“It’s so indirect,” said Pittman. “We didn’t directly lose funding. Even our partners didn’t directly lose funding. They just got freaked out.”

The school was partly funded by the county. New Village Academy also secured a $5.8 million construction loan through two nonprofit lenders that were backed by federal funds.

In early February, an organization set to run an on-site health clinic and also be a subtenant backed out, citing federal funding turmoil. The withdrawal triggered a reapproval of the school’s construction loan.

The school then lost $2.9 million when a loan partner reliant on the U.S. Department of Education pulled out. This brought the project to a halt because the school’s contract required proof of full funding before breaking ground.

At the same time, inflation, tariffs and supply chain delays increased construction costs by an additional $900,000, according to the school.

After an unsuccessful search for new funding, the board voted on April 16 to halt the launch.

Stroud runs a small marketing business, so when her family got involved, she was asked to join the board and volunteer to lead the school’s marketing effort. She was part of the decision to call off opening the school.

“We had some really difficult conversations,” said Stroud. “How else can we move forward with this? Because Annapolis still has the need.”

Pittman recently started teaching again at Phoenix Academy in Annapolis, but she has not given up on the idea for the school. The board is investigating several options, including one where the school has no physical space and moves throughout the community. However, it would take several years for that idea to come to fruition.

Most of the would-be New Village Academy students will stay where they are. Stroud’s kids will be homeschooled for another year. The younger kids still hope to attend one day, but her juniors, with one year left in high school, are heartbroken.

Have a news tip? Contact Bridget Byrne at bbyrne@baltsun.com or 443-690-7205