Charles school board continues to deal with budget shortfalls

Schools in Charles County have steadily lost a chunk of the county budget every fiscal year since 2021.

From having 45.2% of the total county funding in the $433.4 million fiscal year 2021 budget to having 41.2% of the $561.3 million fiscal year 2025 budget, the school system has had to continue to make hard calls to keep up with the continually growing county and school system this year.

This year, the school system received $17 million less than their ask of the county, resulting in a total of $231 million from county government. The school system’s total revenue budget now sits at $506 million, made up mostly of county and state funding.

At their May 21 meeting, the board of education heard from Karen Acton, the school system’s chief financial officer, on further adjustments being made to the system’s budget.

Reductions have been made in short-term disability insurance, Affordable Care Act payments and extended learning supplies, wages and transportation, totaling $4.8 million.

About $11 million has been cut from various offices and initiatives the school system previously had planned, including $4.5 million from the office of school administration and leadership, $3 million for instructional supplies, $1.9 million from the office of supporting services positions, $1.5 million from the office of technology, and $78,000 from the office of human resources.

Maria Navarro, the superintendent of Charles public schools, said, “We are looking at all of our options so we can make some of these programs still happen.”

Grant applications are being filled out to help fund programs and positions like youth engagement advocates.

“We’re trying to work through those pieces, and we won’t know all the impacts until later on in the fall,” Navarro said.

Acton said the postponed initiatives, like extended learning supplies, will need to be a part of the budget ask next year from the county.

“It kind of puts us in a little bit of a hole for the next budget cycle,” she said.