$1.82 billion 2026 operating budget passed by Anne Arundel County Board of Education
The Anne Arundel County Board of Education passed its $1.82 billion FY2026 operating budget along with $204.7 million in capital projects, members said Wednesday.
The budget includes a total of $8.8 million in recommendations from Superintendent Dr. Mark Bedell. The requests focus on increasing employee compensation, and supporting multilingual learners, special education programs and the emotional wellness of students.
The recommendations include:
- A 1% mid-year cost-of-living increase for employees and a 3% increase at the start of FY2026.
- A $10-per-day increase in compensation for substitute teachers
- A $1,000 incentive payment to employees with 30 or more years of experience who agree to work for more than one year
- Funding to provide National Board Certified school counselors with additional stipends that certified classroom teachers get
- Compensation for fourth-grade teachers who attend overnight field trips with students to the Arlington Echo Outdoor Education Center
- Funding for musical instrument repair and replacement
- Two additional social workers
- Four additional school counselors
- One additional Pupil Personnel Worker
- Two additional school psychologists
- Additional funding for the CASE Agricultural Science Program
- Funding to expand a pilot program for non-invasive weapons detection systems to all high schools
- Two additional 12-month bilingual facilitators
The board also approved $10.3 million in board-sponsored amendments, which added 11 positions to Superintendent Bedell's recommendation.
Officials said the 2026 budget request is $138.4 million more than the 2025 budget and asks for a total of 239 measures or positions.
Board of Education capital budget requests
The board approved Superintendent Bedell's recommended $204.7 million FY2026 capital budget. The budget includes nearly $120 million in capital projects for three schools in the Old Mill Master Plan, including:
- $13 million for projects at the Center of Applied Technology North
- $77.1 million for projects at Old Mill High School
- $29.7 million for projects at Old Mill Middle School North
The district is planning to open the new Old Mill High School on the property where the current school is located. The property will also include the new Center of Applied Technology North.
The new Old Mill Middle School North is under construction on the current property of the Center of Applied Technology North, according to board members.
The capital budget request also includes:
- $33 million for building system renovations
- $9.2 million to build a new school bus facility
- $8 million to reduce a maintenance backlog
- $5 million for kindergarten and pre-k additions
- $4 million for additions to existing buildings
- $4 million for improvement to athletic stadiums
- $2 million for security upgrades
The budget requests still must be approved by County Executive Steuart Pittman as part of the county's overall FY2026 budget, which he will deliver to the county council in May.
The county is expected to hold public hearings before finalizing the budget by June 15. The Board of Education will adopt the final budget by June 18.
Baltimore County school budget
Baltimore County Superintendent Dr. Myrian Rogers unveiled her proposed $2.98 billion operating budget in mid-January.
The FY2026 budget is $126.4 million more than the 2025 budget and aims to address student needs and invest in staff recruitment and retention.
According to the superintendent, the budget prioritizes academic achievement, infrastructure, safety, and effective teachers and staff.
It also requests a pay raise for all staff and additional special education teachers, paraeducators and adult assistants.
The budget is expected to be adopted by the county's Board of Education on Feb. 25.
Howard County school budget
Howard County school educators and parents spoke out about Superintendent Bill Barnes' proposed $1.2 billion budget on Feb. 11, saying there were several things lacking.
The proposed FY2026 budget is $74 million more than the 2025 budget and adds about 70 new positions, including 33 security assistants and 35 special education teachers.
The head of the county's teachers union - the Howard County Education Association - said the proposed budget should not have been released until contract negotiations had ended.
Some parents and students pushed for full-time athletic trainers as the district currently contracts less than 10 trainers, leaving many games and practices uncovered.
Students argued getting full-time athletic trainers is a matter of safety.
