Carroll residents will have an opportunity to comment on school Superintendent Cynthia McCabe’s proposed budget on Wednesday evening. The proposal for fiscal 2026 would eliminate the system’s outdoor school program, reduce compensation for bus contractors, cut computer replacements for elementary students, and renegotiate contracts that promise cost-of-living raises for employees. Fiscal 2026 begins July 1.

The cuts are chiefly the result of inflation and lower-than-expected state aid, which have created a budget deficit. McCabe said last week when presenting her spending package.

“The combination of state changes and inflationary impacts leave us in a situation where we need to make reductions to expenditures, simply to present you with a balanced plan for FY 26,” McCabe said. “This means reductions with no improvements to the system and no viable way to offer improved employee compensation.”

Although the system expects a $9.3 million revenue increase in fiscal 2026, expenditures are projected to increase by $12.9 million, Chief Financial Officer Robert Burk said, creating a $3.6 million funding gap. The district expects a $7.2 million increase in county funds and a $2.1 million increase in unrestricted state revenue.

To bridge the gap, McCabe’s proposed budget would save $1.1 million by cutting the outdoor school program’s 9.8 full-time equivalent staff; $1 million by ending the one-to-one device program for third through fifth grade; $400,000 from reductions that include eliminating three front office clerical staff; $400,000 by slashing the instruction materials budget; and $200,000 by reducing transportation reimbursement to contractors. She also has proposed using $500,000 from the fund balance, which is like a rainy-day fund.

In the current budget, the county gave the school system $6 million more than was required. McCabe asked for $10.8 million more and closed the gap by making reductions to smaller expenses. This year’s operating budget is $442.6 million, which includes $248.8 million of county funds, accounting for 42.06% of the county’s operating budget. The largest increase in this year’s budget, compared to fiscal 2024, is $19.2 million for boosting employee salaries.

To balance the fiscal 2025 budget, McCabe cut funding for replacement devices for children in kindergarten, first and second grades. To balance the fiscal 2026 budget, McCabe has proposed axing one-to-one devices for grades three through five.

Carroll’s outdoor school survived previous budget cuts implemented by the school system, Assistant Superintendent of Operations Jon O’Neal said. The program is a tradition that started nearly 50 years ago. Sixth graders learn about the environment through outdoor hands-on learning at the Hashawha Environmental Center in Westminster for a week.

School officials determined they could reduce the yearly bus contractor salary increases from 5% to 3% after learning through discussions with contractors held years ago that 3% is the minimum contractors need for their businesses to remain viable, O’Neal said.

Honoring contracts with the Carroll Association of School Employees, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, and Carroll County Schools Food Services Association would cost about $3 million that the district does not have, O’Neal said. The Carroll County Board of Education approved the agreements in the spring of 2023, which promised cost-of-living raises in 2024, 2025 and 2026, to employees represented by those groups.

“It causes me tremendous remorse that we find ourselves unable to meet our employee compensation goals and existing contracts,” McCabe said. “We made those commitments in good faith, and we made those commitments because they are important and vital to the strength of our organization.”

Public comments presented Wednesday evening could help determine the degree to which the proposed budget is modified before it is adopted, O’Neal said. Neither the proposed budget nor the scheduled hearing are intended to address issues related to the implementation of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future education reform law.

The budget hearing and work session are open to the public and will be streamed live on the Carroll County Public Schools YouTube channel and viewable on the right side of the Board of Education’s website at carrollk12.org/board-of-education/meeting-information, under CETV Livestream.

Anyone who wishes to participate must fill out an online sign-up form at carrollk12.org/board-of-education/meeting-information or call the communications office at 410-751-3020 by 9 p.m. Tuesday.

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