[1.01 Call to Order  ]
          [00:00:06]
          OKAY, EVERYONE, IT IS 5:00. SO LET'S CALL TO ORDER OUR BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY
2027 BUDGET WORK SESSION JANUARY 28TH, 2026. MR. DAVIS, WILL YOU LEAD US IN THE PLEDGE? ABSOLUTELY. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE
REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. 
          ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. 
          THANK YOU. AND FOR OUR FY 27 BUDGET PRESENTATION,
DOCTOR LAWSON. 
          [1.03 FY27 Budget Presentation ]
THANK YOU, MISS HEATH. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. 
          THANKS FOR COMING OUT. AND GIVING US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU OUR FIRST EFFORT AT
PRESENTING A FY 27 BUDGET, AND I'D LIKE TO MAKE A FEW REMARKS REGARDING THE BUDGET AND THIS PROCESS. 
          BEFORE I TURN THE BULK OF IT OVER TO MISS SOPA,
DOCTOR HAMMER AND DOCTOR BUCKLEY. 
          BEFORE I DO WANT TO SPEAK TO THE WEATHER, JUST FOR A MOMENT,
IF I MAY THANK THE COUNTY ROAD CREWS THE STATE ROAD CREWS. 
          THEY'VE BEEN HARD AT WORK NOW FOR THREE DAYS FOUR DAYS. 
          AND IT'S BEEN PARTICULARLY TOUGH SLEDDING, I GUESS. 
          NO PUN. BUT YOU KNOW, YOU'VE HEARD BY NOW THAT WE HAVE DECIDED TO GO WITH VIRTUAL
INSTRUCTION FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS. 
          THANK YOU, DOCTOR HELM, FOR HIS EXTENSIVE ROAD WORK. 
          I WAS OUT FOR FOR A WHILE MYSELF, I BELIEVE,
AS WAS DOCTOR BUCKLEY EARLIER TODAY. 
          AND REALLY, THE SIDEWALKS HAVE US VERY CONCERNED. 
          WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE OFFICIALS FROM THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES AND WHAT WE'RE
ASKING THEM TO CONSIDER, IF AT ALL ABLE, IS TO HELP US, CLEAR SIDEWALKS ON THOSE SIDEWALK ROUTES THAT WE KNOW
STUDENTS USE HEAVILY. I'D SAY SPECIFICALLY PERRYVILLE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE. 
          RISING SUN I SPOKE WITH MAYOR MARION. HE HAS AGREED HE'S GOING TO TRY TO GET HIS STAFF OUT
THERE. 
          ORDINARILY, CLEANING SIDEWALKS IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOMEOWNER. 
          AND BUT YOU KNOW, RIGHT NOW, WE'RE NOT GETTING ANY HELP FROM MOTHER NATURE. 
          NOTHING IS MELTING. AND IF YOU HADN'T CLEARED YOUR SIDEWALK BY NOW,
IT IS REALLY HARD TO DO SO. 
          I CAN SEE THAT BEING A PROBLEM FOR US. BUT AGAIN,
A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD AND WE'RE JUST APPRECIATIVE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT. AS FAR AS THE BUDGET GOES,
I WANT TO BEGIN BY THANKING THE LEADERSHIP TEAM. 
          THIS LEADERSHIP TEAM HAS BEEN TOGETHER NOW FOR,
I GUESS, UPWARDS OF FOUR YEARS. 
          AND I THINK THE PROFESSIONALISM, THE COMPETENCE,
IT GROWS. 
          I THINK WE EVOLVE AS PROFESSIONALS, ALL OF US. 
          WE GET BETTER AT WHAT WE'RE DOING. AND I THINK THIS BUDGET,
YOU KNOW, THIS LEADERSHIP TEAM IN PARTICULAR, WHICH I WOULD ARGUE IS THE STRONGEST I'VE BEEN AROUND IN MY 17 YEARS IN CECIL COUNTY. 
          THEY HAVE REALLY KIND OF SHOWN WHAT THEY CAN DO. 
          AND SO I THINK YOU'LL BE IMPRESSED WITH THE LEVEL OF AWARENESS WE HAVE. 
          KEEPING IN MIND HOW THIS PROCESS WORKS IS THAT WE WILL BEGIN DISCUSSION WITH OUR PROGRAM
LEADERS, WHETHER IT'S COORDINATOR, SECONDARY MATHEMATICS,
SPECIAL EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY, JUST THE DIFFERENT PROGRAM LEADERS, AND JUST KIND OF ASKING WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT THEY FEEL AS THOUGH THEY NEED TO HAVE AN
EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT PROGRAM. THEN THAT NUMBER, IF YOU WILL,
IS MASSAGED AND TALKED THROUGH AND VETTED BY THE LEADERSHIP TEAM. 
          AND THAT IS WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE. YOU ARE GOING TO SEE THIS EVENING WHAT THOSE FOLKS
BELIEVE IS THE NUMBER THEY NEED TO MAKE THEIR PROGRAM RUN WELL AND, YOU KNOW, WHILE NONE OF US HAVE A CRYSTAL BALL,
WE HAVE A DECENT IDEA OF WHAT THE REVENUES WILL LOOK LIKE. 
          MS. SOPA WILL SHARE THAT IN DETAIL AND YOU WILL FIND A GAP BETWEEN WHAT WE WANT AND WHAT
WE THINK WE'RE GOING TO GET IN TERMS OF REVENUES. 
          AND SO OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS THE LEADERSHIP TEAM IS TO BRING THE BOARD BY THE END OF
FEBRUARY, A BALANCED BUDGET, A RECOMMENDATION FOR YOU TO APPROVE,
KNOWING THAT THE BUDGET DOESN'T ULTIMATELY GET BALANCED UNTIL JUNE 30TH. 
          AND SO WE WILL DO THAT THE NEXT TIME WE COME TOGETHER WILL BE NEXT TUESDAY AT 10:00. 
          IT'LL BE PRETTY MUCH A DAY LONG BUDGET PRESENTATION. 
          THAT IS WHERE YOU'LL GET THE LINE BY LINE BREAKDOWN OF THE ROLL UP CODES YOU'LL SEE
TONIGHT. 
          AND IN THERE YOU WILL BEGIN TO SEE THE MARKUP CHANGES,
IF YOU WILL, FROM WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TONIGHT REFLECTING WHAT WE THINK IS CLOSER TO THE ACTUAL REVENUES WE WILL RECEIVE FROM THE COUNTY,
STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS. 
          YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SOME BUDGET PRESSURES. NONE OF THIS IS GOING TO SHOCK YOU. 
          FY 27 WILL MARK THE LAST YEAR OF OF WHAT WE BELIEVE IS A REQUIRED,
ALTHOUGH IT'S NEGOTIATED. 
          WE KNOW WE HAVE TO OFFER AT LEAST A 3.75% COLA GOING INTO FY 27 TO MEET THE $60,000
MINIMUM FOR THE BLUEPRINT THAT IS REQUIRED. 
          SO THAT IS MORE THAN WE HAVE PUSHED IN TERMS OF INCREASES FROM SALARIES. 
          [00:05:07]
MOST MANY OF US OWN HOMES, JUST LIKE IN OUR OWN FAMILIES,
WE SEE AN INCREASE IN INSURANCE, AS HAS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. WE SEE AN INCREASE IN HEALTH CARE COSTS,
AS HAS THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          AND YOU CAN GO RIGHT ON DOWN THE LIST, BUT HEALTH CARE INSURANCE WE ARE SEEING JUST
UNPARALLELED INCREASES IN SPEAKING WITH ONE OF OUR COUNTY OFFICIALS THIS MORNING WHO INDICATED THAT, YOU KNOW,
WE WOULD REALLY LIKE TO SEE YOU RECONCILE A DECREASE IN ENROLLMENT. 
          AND YET COSTS HAVE NOT DECREASED ACCORDINGLY. 
          AND SO I ACTUALLY WENT IN I DID SOME NUMBERS,
AND I BELIEVE IT'S SINCE 2014, WHICH IS WHEN WE TREND BACK TO WE'VE DROPPED ABOUT 1400 STUDENTS. AND SO THAT'S A RAW COUNT. BUT AT THE SAME TIME,
OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION POPULATION HAS GROWN 400 STUDENTS, SO THAT THE ACTUAL OFFSET YOU WOULD SEE IS NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT WOULD BE LOSING 1400
STUDENTS. 
          LOSING 1400 STUDENTS AMOUNTS TO LOSING ABOUT 45 STUDENTS PER SCHOOL,
OR ABOUT 8 TO 10 STUDENTS PER GRADE. 
          AND THESE ARE NOT THE KIND OF NUMBERS THAT CAUSE YOU TO CLOSE SCHOOLS,
REDUCE TEACHERS. 
          I MEAN, AND SO YOU WILL SEE, YOU KNOW, IF THE BUDGET FORCES,
IF THE REVENUES FORCE, WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE SOME REDUCTIONS. 
          AND ANOTHER THING THAT I THINK HAUNTS, IF YOU WILL,
CECIL COUNTY, ARE WE HAVE FIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT ARE ALL AROUND THE 250 STUDENT RANGE, AND A LITTLE KNOWN TRIVIA QUESTION THAT YOU CAN ALWAYS WIN AT A PICNIC OR A HAPPY
HOUR IS WHAT SCHOOL HAS THE HIGHEST COST PER PUPIL? WELL, FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN A ROW IT WAS BAINBRIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND NOBODY WOULD EVER
THINK THAT. 
          AND THE REASON IS, IS BECAUSE BAINBRIDGE ELEMENTARY HAS A PRINCIPAL AND ASSISTANT
PRINCIPAL, A NURSE, A COUNSELOR, A RATHER VETERAN TEACHING STAFF,
AND A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF STUDENTS. 
          SO WHEN YOU TAKE THOSE COSTS AND DIVIDE IT BY 270,
WE'LL SAY THE PER PUPIL COST ENDS UP BEING THE HIGHEST. 
          AND WHEN YOU ASK THAT QUESTION TO A TYPICAL PERSON IN THE COMMUNITY,
THEY WOULD THROW OUT LIKE AN ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL, A RISING SUN HIGH SCHOOL, EQUATING A BIG SCHOOL WITH A LOT OF COSTS WHEN THE FACT OF THE
MATTER IS OUR FIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS CAN MORE LEADS CHARLESTOWN, BAINBRIDGE AND CECILTON. THOSE FIVE ARE ALL VERY SMALL SCHOOLS,
AND IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN NECESSARILY COLLAPSE SCHOOLS, RIGHT? BECAUSE OF THE RIVERS. THEY SEPARATE THE SCHOOLS. 
          YOU'D BE CREATING, YOU KNOW, EXTREMELY LONG DRIVES FOR KIDS. 
          SO THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ALL COME TOGETHER AND REALLY ADD TO WHAT WE KNOW ARE JUST
INCREASED COSTS. 
          AND THESE HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH EFFICIENCIES. 
          YOU KNOW, WE ARE REQUIRED TO OFFER HEALTH CARE TO OUR EMPLOYEES. 
          AND WHEN YOU SEE HEALTH CARE COSTS GOING UP 10,
15, 20%, THAT'S GOING TO BE REFLECTED IN OUR BUDGET REGARDLESS OF HOW FRUGAL WE ARE. 
          AND SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME OF THE CHALLENGES. 
          BUT AGAIN, WE LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU,
TO SHARING WITH YOU EVERYTHING WE HAVE. 
          I THINK YOU'LL FIND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM IS VERY WELL PREPARED. 
          THE FINAL PIECE I'LL PUT OUT THERE IS IN THE WAY OF REVENUES. 
          OPEB. OPEB OTHER POST-EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS IS AN ANNUITY THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS TO HELP
OFFSET HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR RETIREES. THE HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR RETIREES TYPICALLY HOVERS BETWEEN 3 AND $4 MILLION. 
          SO IN THE EVENT THE BOARD SEES THAT AS AN OPTION FOR REVENUE,
THAT IS ONE WAY TO HELP OFFSET SOME OF THE INADEQUATE INCREASES WE'RE SEEING PRIMARILY FROM THE STATE. IT'S 140-$145 MILLION DOLLAR FUNDING SOURCE FROM THE STATE,
WHEN IN FACT WE'RE SEEING ABOUT AN INCREASE OF $1.7 MILLION. SO IT'S SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH TO DO WHAT THE STATE IS ASKING US TO
DO THROUGH THE BLUEPRINT. 
          AND SO WE'LL TRY TO OFFER YOU AS MANY OPTIONS AS WE CAN IN TERMS OF REVENUE STREAMS. AND AGAIN, WE WILL GO THROUGH THE NEXT 45 MINUTES OR SO,
AND I WOULD URGE YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY. 
          FEEL FREE. EVERYTHING IS FAIR GAME. ANYTHING YOU SEE,
WE BELIEVE HAS BEEN PARSED AND VETTED, AND WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE READY TO GO. AND WITH THAT,
I WILL TALK US THROUGH A COUPLE OF SLIDES REAL QUICKLY. 
          AND MISS SOPA IS GOING TO CLICK FOR ME. THIS IS OUR STRATEGIC PLAN. 
          WE TRY NOT TO LOSE SIGHT OF IT. THESE THINGS WE HOLD NEAR AND DEAR TO OUR HEART,
WHETHER IT'S ENGAGING WITH THE COMMUNITY, HAVING HIGH STANDARDS, BEING HONEST AND ETHICAL,
VALUING EQUITY. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, EQUITY GETS KICKED AROUND AN AWFUL LOT IN A NEGATIVE WAY SOMETIMES. 
          AND SIMPLY ALL WE'RE SAYING IS WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE EVERY ONE OF OUR STUDENTS WHO COME
THROUGH OUR DOOR THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS A STUDENT WOULD GET DOWN THE ROAD. 
          THAT KIND OF THING. WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE EVERYBODY GETS THOSE KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES. 
          AND, YOU KNOW, I'LL GIVE A SHOUT OUT SOME KUDOS TO MR. ROUSH. I THINK WE ARE SECOND TO NONE AS IT RELATES TO OUR SAFE SCHOOLS EFFORTS. 
          [00:10:04]
WHETHER IT'S THE DRILLS, THE ACCOUNTABILITY THAT WE HOLD OUR ADMINISTRATORS TO. 
          BUT UNDER MR. ROUSH'S LEADERSHIP, THAT IS CERTAINLY A STRENGTH FOR US. SO THE STRATEGIC
PLAN IS SOMETHING WE VALUE AND WE DON'T LOSE SIGHT OF IT. 
          ALSO CLICK. THANK YOU. THESE ARE CERTAINLY WE VALUE OUR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT. 
          WE TRY TO KEEP OUR CLASS SIZES AS SMALL AS POSSIBLE. 
          ALTHOUGH THAT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE. AGAIN,
YOU KNOW, WE'VE MADE SOME HEADWAY IN THAT AREA. 
          AND THAT'S GOING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE DIFFICULT MOVING INTO FY 27. 
          AND THEN CERTAINLY SAFETY FOR OUR EMPLOYEES,
OUR SCHOOLS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, OUR STUDENTS. 
          AND THEN THE CHALLENGES. I'VE TOUCHED ON SOME OF THESE TALKING ABOUT THE SAFETY,
OBVIOUSLY, THE PRESSURES PUT ON US BY THE THROUGH THE BLUEPRINT. 
          AND AGAIN, I DON'T WANT TO BADMOUTH THE BLUEPRINT. 
          THERE ARE SOME REALLY GOOD THINGS HAPPENING. MY ONLY CONTENTION WITH THE BLUEPRINT IS
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO DO WHAT IT IS THEY'RE ASKING. 
          OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE A DIVERSE COMMUNITY DIVERSE STUDENT BODY. 
          WE'RE TRYING TO. IF YOU DIDN'T CATCH DOCTOR LACAB'S COMMENTS TO COUNTY COUNCIL,
I GUESS IT WAS LAST THURSDAY NIGHT. 
          HE RAN OFF A LAUNDRY LIST OF THE STUDENTS. HIS SENIORS HAVE BEEN ACCEPTED TO THE DIFFERENT
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO INCLUDE YALE, JOHNS HOPKINS, UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE'S HONORS PROGRAM,
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND'S HONORS PROGRAM. 
          SO AGAIN, SOME OF THE TOP ACADEMIC OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY. 
          AND THESE ARE COMING FROM ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL,
WHICH YOU COULD MAKE THE CASE IS ONE OF OUR MOST CHALLENGING SCHOOLS IN CECIL COUNTY. 
          AND SO GREAT THINGS ARE HAPPENING IN OUR CLASSROOM EVERY SINGLE DAY. 
          THE FACILITIES AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE. THE BOARD IS WELL AWARE OF THAT. 
          WE WILL SHARE WITH YOU THIS EVENING A SMALL CAP LIST FOR THE COUNTY'S CONSIDERATION. 
          AGAIN, WE BRIEFED THEIR CFO AND I GUESS DIRECTOR OF FINANCE THIS MORNING ON OUR WISH LIST. 
          AND AGAIN, STAFF RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION. WE PRIDE OURSELVES ON BEING AMONG THE BEST IN
THE STATE AS IT RELATES TO KEEPING OUR PEOPLE. 
          WE DO A GOOD JOB. THE FOLKS BEHIND ME, YOU KNOW,
THERE'S JUST HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF YEARS EXPERIENCE AT THIS TABLE. 
          SO YOU KNOW, DEVOTED AND COMMITTED TO CECIL COUNTY,
AND THAT'S FOR SURE. 
          AND WITH THAT, I BELIEVE I WILL TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR HAMMER. 
          GOOD EVENING EVERYONE. PRESIDENT HEATH MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. AT THIS TIME,
I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE TRENDS IN STAFF IN STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS. THIS GRAPH, WHICH YOU'LL SEE SHOWS A TOTAL OF 2,056.2 EMPLOYEES THAT WERE
APPROVED BUDGET POSITIONS IN THE FY 26, OUT OF BOTH RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED FUNDS,
01,553.8 OF THEM ARE TEACHERS RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS, AND THEY ARE INDICATED IN BLUE. 
          THEY WORKED DIRECTLY WITH OUR STUDENTS EVERY SINGLE DAY. THE REMAINING 503 EMPLOYEES THAT
ARE INDICATED IN RED HERE INCLUDE OUR PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, MAINTENANCE, SECRETARIAL EMPLOYEES THAT WORK IN EACH OF OUR 29
SCHOOLS. 
          AND IT ALSO INCLUDES CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS,
PSYCHOLOGISTS, NURSES, PPWS, SOCIAL WORKERS, SECRETARIES, CUSTODIANS, BUS DRIVERS, AND [INAUDIBLE] TOO. 
          THIS IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE WHEN YOU SEE THIS TREND,
THAT IT DOES NOT INCLUDE THE 38.7 ABOVE BUDGET POSITIONS THAT WERE ADDED. 
          IT'S ABOVE BUDGET OF THE FY 26 THAT WERE ADDED USING THIS YEAR'S FUND BALANCE AND
RESTRICTED BUDGET. 
          20 OF THESE POSITIONS WERE TEACHERS, 14 WERE PARAS. 
          ONE WAS A SECRETARY, ONE WAS A COUNSELOR, ONE PPW,
ONE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND ONE PROGRAM FACILITATOR. 
          OKAY. NEXT. DOCTOR LAWSON ALREADY ALLUDED TO YOU ABOUT OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENT AND OUR OUR
PER PUPIL ALLOCATION IS USED IS DETERMINED BASED ON THE SEPTEMBER 30TH COUNT OF STUDENTS. 
          AND THIS YEAR, YOU CAN SEE IS 14,453 STUDENTS. 
          AND OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, THERE HAS BEEN ABOUT A 9% DECLINE IN STUDENT POPULATION. 
          AND BELIEVE IT OR NOT, IT ALIGNS WITH THE DECLINE IN BIRTH RATES NATIONWIDE,
WHICH IS AT 8%. 
          SO IT DOES ALIGN WITH THAT. BUT THERE IS ANOTHER KEY FACTOR HERE THAT THAT CONTRIBUTES TO
THIS DECLINE. 
          AND THAT IS A REDUCTION IN OUR PRE-K STUDENTS. 
          THIS REDUCTION WAS INTENTIONAL, BASICALLY, TO LIMIT ENROLLMENT TO ONLY THOSE STUDENTS WHO
RECEIVE FULL FUNDING FROM THE STATE. 
          AND I'M GOING TO SPEAK TO THIS IN A LATER SLIDE FOR YOU. 
          OKAY. THIS DECLINE IN ENROLLMENT, DOCTOR LAWSON ALLUDED TO THIS ALREADY,
DOES NOT ALLOW US TO ELIMINATE TEACHING POSITIONS, AS THESE STUDENTS ARE SPREAD ACROSS ALL GRADE LEVELS IN OUR 29 SCHOOLS. 
          AND IT'S NOTEWORTHY TO TO SHOW THAT 50 STUDENTS HAVE INCREASED SINCE THIS COUNT WAS TAKEN
IN SEPTEMBER. 
          IN SEPTEMBER, AND WE WERE UP TO 14,504 STUDENTS IN OUR DISTRICT AS OF THE 21ST. 
          [00:15:04]
SO THE NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE GOING TO SHOW HOW OUR POPULATION CONTINUES TO BECOME MORE AND
MORE DIVERSE. 
          DOCTOR HAMMER, ONE QUESTION FOR CLARIFICATION,
BECAUSE YOU HAVE THE TOTAL STUDENTS THERE. 
          BUT IF YOU WERE TO LOOK ON THE BUDGET THE ENROLLMENT USE FOR BUDGET PURPOSES,
THERE'S THE K-12 NUMBER IS USED MORE OFTEN. 
          RIGHT. BUT THERE'S, SO THERE'S TWO FUNDING SOURCES K-12 AND THEN PRE-K AND PRESCHOOL. 
          IS THAT RIGHT. AND THAT'S THE ROLL UP OF BOTH OF THEM. 
          THIS IS PRE-K THROUGH GRADE 12. ALL I'M SAYING IS,
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET LIKE IT'S SIGNED BY THE COUNTY, IT WAS SAID 14 TO 18 FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR. BUT IT'S WITH THE INCLUSION OF THE PRE-K AND
PRESCHOOL. 
          IT'S 14.853. SO CORRECT. THIS INCLUDES EVERYTHING,
BUT OUR FUNDING IS BASED ON K TO 12, EXCEPT FOR OUR SEPARATE PRE-K FUNDING. 
          AND ALSO OUR FUNDING IS BASED ON THE THREE YEAR AVERAGE. 
          SO WE CAN BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE HIRE OF OUR ACTUAL ENROLLMENT OR THE THREE YEAR AVERAGE. 
          SO THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL SEE AN EVEN DIFFERENT NUMBER. APPRECIATE I THOUGHT I JUST WANTED TO
MAKE SURE THAT I UNDERSTOOD THERE IS DIFFERENT. 
          THAT'S THE ACCURATE COUNT OF THE STUDENTS. BUT WHEN YOU LOOK AT A BUDGET,
IT MAY REPORT ONLY THE K 12 BECAUSE IT'S A DIFFERENT FUNDING LINE OR FUNDING SOURCE FROM THE PRE-K AND PRESCHOOL. THANK YOU. THANKS FOR SEEKING CLARIFICATION. 
          SO THE NEXT SLIDE OVERLAYS THE TWO PREVIOUS GRAPHS YOU JUST SAW. 
          SO IT DOES SHOW THE DIRECT SUPPORT THAT IS PROVIDED TO THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN OUR PRE-K
THROUGH GRADE 12, INCLUDING TEACHERS, RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS,
PARAPROFESSIONALS ALIGNED WITH OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENT. 
          SO AT THIS POINT, I WANT TO TALK TO YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE SPECIAL POPULATIONS THAT WE
SERVE IN OUR DISTRICT, INCLUDING STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, ENGLISH LEARNERS. 
          AND WE'RE GOING TO START WITH OUR STUDENTS RECEIVING FREE AND REDUCED MEALS HERE. 
          THIS GRAPH SHOWS AN INCREASE OF 235 STUDENTS WHO HAVE QUALIFIED FOR FARMS OVER THE LAST
TEN YEARS. 
          AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, YOU SEE THIS LITTLE DIP HERE,
THIS LITTLE DIP HERE. 
          ALL STUDENTS IN 2021 AND 22 RECEIVED FREE MEALS AS PART OF THE COVID RELIEF FUNDING,
AND AS A RESULT, FAMILIES DID NOT COMPLETE THE FARM APPLICATIONS IN THEIR DAY TO DAY. 
          AND THAT RESULTS IN THOSE DECLINE IN THOSE NUMBERS. 
          AS WE MOVED INTO 2023, A COUPLE OF THINGS HAPPENED HERE. 
          STUDENTS BECAME ELIGIBLE THROUGH DIRECT CERTIFICATION BASED ON THEIR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE
STATUS. 
          SO THAT ALIGNED AND WE WERE ABLE TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE STATE TO GET STUDENTS DIRECTLY
CERTIFIED FOR THEIR FREE AND REDUCED MEALS. 
          SO YOU'LL SEE A SLIGHT DROP HERE BETWEEN 2023 AND CURRENTLY. 
          AND THAT'S REASON A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THAT. 
          FAMILIES ARE NOT COMPLETING THE USDA FORMS. THEY MAY NOT NO LONGER QUALIFY FOR THE
ASSISTANCE. 
          AND ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IT COULD BECOME A CHALLENGE PRESENT A CHALLENGE IS THAT
ASSISTANT NO LONGER AUTOMATICALLY RENEWS. 
          SO SOME OF OUR FAMILIES, WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE INTENTIONAL ABOUT COMPLETING THOSE
FORMS SO THAT THEIR STATUS IS ACCURATELY COLLECTED BY OUR SYSTEM. 
          OKAY. WE DO HAVE A SIDE NOTE OVER HERE FOR YOU. 
          FARMS DOES NOT EQUAL COMPENSATORY EDUCATION. THAT SOMETIMES GETS THROWN AROUND TOGETHER. 
          IT DOES NOT. AND MR. HAMPTON HEARS A LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENCE HERE. 
          FARMS INCLUDES PRESCHOOL AND PRE-K STUDENTS. WITH THEIR FORMS AND THEIR DIRECT
CERTIFICATION STATUS. 
          COMP ED EXCLUDES THE PRE-K, PRESCHOOL, AND PRE-K STUDENTS. 
          OKAY. SO MOVING ON TO OUR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY AND THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH
DISABILITY COMPARED TO THE NUMBER OF SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS, RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS WHO WORK
DIRECTLY WITH THOSE STUDENTS WITH NEEDS. 
          THERE HAVE BEEN AN INCREASE OF 437 STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ATTENDING OUR SCHOOLS OVER
THE LAST TEN YEARS, WHICH IS A 15% INCREASE. OUR OFFICIAL COUNT IS 2,925. 
          HOWEVER, IT IS NOTEWORTHY THAT THAT NUMBER HAS INCREASED TO 2,952 AS OF LAST WEEK. 
          MANY OF THESE STUDENTS, AS YOU KNOW, HAVE VERY SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES REQUIRING
ADDITIONAL SERVICES TO SUPPORT THEM. 
          AND IT MAY NOT LOOK LIKE WE'VE REALLY DONE AN INCREASE HERE TO MATCH THE TREND IN
ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES. 
          HOWEVER, WE HAVE INCREASED OUR CONTRACTED SERVICES BUDGET OVER THE YEARS TO SUPPORT HIRING
THE RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS THAT ARE REALLY DIFFICULT TO FILL. 
          SO WE GO TO CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR THOSE HARD TO FIND POSITIONS,
WHICH DOES COST US A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY. 
          OKAY. DOCTOR HAMMER, CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? IS THAT 15% COMPARABLE TO THE REST OF THE STATE,
OR HOW DO WE LINE UP NOW AS FAR AS STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES? I DO KNOW, AND, BECKY, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO HELP US WITH THIS,
BUT I DO KNOW THAT WE ARE AT THE HIGHEST, IF NOT SECOND HIGHEST RATE IN THE IN THE STATE. 
          [00:20:01]
WE ARE INCREASING AT A HIGHER RATE THAN OTHER DISTRICTS. 
          AND WHAT DO WE ATTRIBUTE THAT TO? IT'S REALLY HARD TO IDENTIFY. 
          WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS MOVING IN FROM OUT OF DISTRICT THAT ARE COMING TO US FROM OUT OF
STATE JURISDICTIONS, AND THEN WE ALSO DO HAVE A LARGE NUMBER OF STUDENTS ROLLING IN FROM THE INFANT AND TODDLER
POPULATION THAT ARE REQUIRING CONTINUED SERVICES JUST BECAUSE OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THEIR DISABILITIES. THANK YOU. ONE QUESTION ABOUT THAT,
AND I THINK LOOKING AT SO I'VE SEEN THIS CHART OR ONE VERY SIMILAR TO IT ONE OTHER TIME IN A BOARD WHEN WE WERE TALKING ABOUT MCAT SCORES. SO I WAS LOOKING AT IT
FROM A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE, LOOKING AT IT FROM A BUDGET PERSPECTIVE. 
          AND I THINK HITTING ON WHAT YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR OPENING,
DOCTOR LAWSON IS HAD OUR STUDENT WITH DISABILITY POPULATION REMAIN CONSTANT GOING BACK TO THE 2016 TIME FRAME. THEN IT WOULD BE REASONABLE TO ASSUME WE'D STILL HAVE ROUGHLY
425 SPECIAL EDUCATION STAFF MEMBERS. IS THAT A REASONABLE ASSUMPTION? I'LL TAKE A STAB. NOT ALL STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES QUACK THE SAME. 
          OH, NO. OKAY. YEAH. SO FAIR ENOUGH. YEAH. SO THAT REALLY BECOMES HARD TO CONJECTURE. 
          RIGHT? RIGHT. IT'S SOMETHING THAT NOT ALL STUDENTS. 
          I SEE YOUR LOGIC. YEAH. WHAT I'M NOTICING, THOUGH,
IS THERE'S A 44 EMPLOYEE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 2016 AND 2026. AND THAT'S A LOT OF DOLLARS. NOW THAT'S TEACHERS,
THAT'S PARAPROFESSIONALS. 
          SO PARAPROFESSIONALS, STUDENTS WHO, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES,
WHO ARE MORE SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF NEED, ARE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO HAVE PARAPROFESSIONAL SUPPORT. 
          AND SO YOU'LL DEFINITELY SEE A CORRELATION THERE AS WELL. SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BEST
AVERAGE WOULD BE FOR TOTAL COMPENSATION OF THOSE EMPLOYEES. 
          BUT ALL I'M POINTING OUT IS THAT I NOTICED THAT I CAN SEE HOW WE CAN HAVE DECLINING
ENROLLMENT, BUT IF OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION POPULATION INCREASES,
YOU CAN STILL HAVE MORE DEMAND FOR. 
          YOU ALMOST CERTAINLY WILL HAVE MORE STAFF NEED. 
          YES. AS A PUBLIC SCHOOL, WE WE DON'T TURN AWAY STUDENTS. 
          WE TRY TO SERVE THE OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE. 
          SO. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND, MR. HAMPTON, THESE ARE JUST CLEAR NUMBERS. 
          THIS DOESN'T SPEAK TO THE RESOURCES THAT GO WITH THEM AND THE PLACEMENTS THAT MAY
POTENTIALLY GO WITH THEM AND THE COST INVOLVED IN THAT. 
          YOU'LL BE HEARING ABOUT THAT ON TUESDAY. I CAN PROMISE YOU THAT. 
          MOVING ON TO SOME MORE SPECIAL POPULATIONS THIS CHART ILLUSTRATES THE SIGNIFICANT INCREASE
IN OUR ENGLISH LEARNERS RELATED TO THE NUMBER OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT TEACHERS OVER THE LAST DECADE. THIS NUMBER OF STUDENTS HAS INCREASED BY 224 STUDENTS IN THE LAST
TEN YEARS, WHICH IS A 51% INCREASE. TO MEET PILLAR FOUR BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENTS,
WE ADDED FIVE ELD POSITIONS IN FY 26 TO MEET THE DIVERSE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. ULTIMATELY, WHILE OUR STUDENT ENROLLMENT HAS DECLINED,
THE NEEDS OF OUR SPECIAL POPULATIONS ACROSS THE DISTRICT HAS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. 
          OKAY, SO I PROMISED YOU A PRE-K SLIDE. THIS CHART ILLUSTRATES THE CHANGE IN ENROLLMENT IN
OUR PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM. 
          WE CURRENTLY HAVE 649 STUDENTS ENROLLED IN OUR PRESCHOOL AND PRE-K PROGRAMS. BUT YOU'LL NOTICE A REDUCTION HERE OF MAYBE. HERE WE GO. 
          YOU'LL NOTICE A REDUCTION, OBVIOUSLY, FROM 25 TO 26 OF 176 STUDENTS. 
          THIS WAS PURPOSEFUL. AS WE STATED THIS YEAR,
WE ENROLLED ONLY TIER ONE AND TIER TWO STUDENTS, WHO WERE UP TO 360% OF THE POVERTY OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. 
          AND THAT THOSE STUDENTS WERE REIMBURSABLE. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO ADD TEACHERS AND
PARAPROFESSIONALS FOR PRE-K AND PRESCHOOL CLASSES WITHOUT THE FUNDING TO DO SO. 
          DOCTOR HAMMER, IF I MAY. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 25 AND 26,
THAT'S WHAT, 176. THAT IS KEEPING IN MIND THAT IT SAYS 612 BUT RIGHT NOW WE'RE SERVING 649 STUDENTS SO
THAT WE HAD THOSE STUDENTS COME IN AFTER AFTER THE 30TH COUNT. THE REASON I'M BRINGING THIS UP IS THAT THERE HAS BEEN
LEGISLATION JUST SUBMITTED, AND I'VE ALSO SEEN ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS IDEA THAT THE STATE OF MARYLAND IS FUNDING SCHOOL
SYSTEMS FOR MISSING CHILDREN, AS THEY'RE CALLED, UNACCOUNTED FOR. AND I THINK WHAT IT IS IS THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A STUDENT
THAT GETS WITHDRAWN BECAUSE WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN, THAT TYPICALLY IS AN OLDER STUDENT WHO JUST KIND OF GOES OFF THE GRID AND WE CAN'T FIND
THEM DESPITE, WELL, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST TO PEOPLE MAKING THAT ARGUMENT IS THAT IF YOU'RE GOING TO SAY
WE NEED TO AND REALLY WHAT THEY'RE GETTING AT HERE IS THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE FUNDING SCHOOL 
          [00:25:01]
SYSTEMS IF THEY HAVE STUDENTS WHO ARE BEING CODED AS WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN. 
          MY RETORT TO THAT WOULD BE, THEN WHAT ABOUT THE STUDENTS WHO COME IN AFTER THE 30TH COUNT, WHERE WE DO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE AND THEY'RE WITH US,
AND THEY ARE BEING SERVED ON A BUDGET THAT NEVER COUNTED THEM IN THE FIRST PLACE. 
          DOES THAT MAKE SENSE? AND A CASE IN POINT IS THE 649 MINUS 612. 
          AND THAT IS WHAT, 37? SO THERE'S 37 PRE-K KIDS WHO ARE THE MOST EXPENSIVE TO SERVE CAME IN
AFTER THE 30TH. 
          WE ARE NOW SERVING THEM JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AN EDITORIAL THERE. 
          JUST A QUICK QUESTION. HOW MANY STUDENTS DO WE TYPICALLY HAVE IN A YEAR THAT WE DON'T KNOW
THEIR WHEREABOUTS? I CAN GET YOU AN EXACT NUMBER ON THAT. IT'S A VERY EASY THING TO FIND OUT. 
          IT'S A CODE. STUDENTS GET WITHDRAWN, AND WHEN THEY GET WITHDRAWN,
THEY'RE ASSIGNED A CODE. 
          AND HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THEM TO BE WITHDRAWN? ANY IDEA? WELL, THEY END UP BEING NO SHOWS. AND WE GO THROUGH ALL THE RUDIMENTARY THAT THE OLDER THE
STUDENT, THE LESS IT TAKES. BECAUSE STUDENTS, YOU KNOW,
WHEN WE'RE NOT TALKING, TYPICALLY EIGHT YEAR OLDS HERE, THESE ARE MORE YOUR OLDER KIDS WHO SIMPLY STOP COMING. 
          AND SO I'M NOT SURE REALLY WHAT YOUR QUESTION IS. 
          ARE YOU ASKING, HOW MANY STUDENTS DO WE CODE AS WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN THAT WE CAN FIND OUT
FOR YOU? SURE. SO ANY TEACHER WILL TELL YOU THAT THE SMALLER THE CLASS SIZE,
THE BETTER INSTRUCTION STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE. TEACHERS ARE BETTER ABLE TO MEET THE BEHAVIORAL AND
ACADEMIC NEEDS OF STUDENTS WITH LESS STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM. 
          SO CLASS SIZES ACROSS THE DISTRICT CONTINUE TO EXCEED OUR RECOMMENDED CLASS SIZES. 
          YOU CAN SEE THEM INDICATED HERE WITH PRE-KINDERGARTEN AT A 10 TO 1 RATIO,
ADULT TO STUDENT K THROUGH TWO AT A 20 TO 1. 
          AND THAT'S EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF A STRETCH. THREE THROUGH 12,
REALLY, NO MORE THAN 25 STUDENTS IN A CLASSROOM IS WHAT WE AIM TO SERVE. 
          THIS CHART SHOWS OVER TIME THAT WE HAVE OVER AND THIS YEAR IN PARTICULAR,
WE HAVE OVER 627 CLASS. 
          I'M SORRY. WE HAVE A TOTAL OF 520 CLASSROOMS OUT OF 2,026 CLASSES THAT ARE WORKING OVER
THE RECOMMENDED CLASS SIZES. THIS IS HAPPENING AS THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN OUR SPECIAL POPULATIONS ARE
INCREASING. 
          AND WHILE WE HAVE AN INCREASING IN STAFFING FROM LAST YEAR,
MANY OF THE POSITIONS ARE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS WITH IEPS, WHICH DOESN'T NECESSARILY AFFECT CLASS SIZES. 
          WE ARE PLEASED THAT WE'VE SEEN SOME MOVEMENT AND IN SOME IMPROVEMENT IN OUR SECONDARY
SCHOOLS, BUT WHEN YOU COMBINE THESE TWO TOGETHER, WE HAVE OVER 627 CLASSROOMS THAT ARE STILL OVER
THE RECOMMENDED SIZE. 
          OKAY. I'M SORRY, DID YOU SAY THAT THIS DOES INCLUDE THE TEACHERS? I KNOW THAT THE PARAPROFESSIONALS AND THE RSPS DON'T COUNT TOWARDS THE CLASS SIZE,
BUT THIS DOES COUNT THE ADDITIONAL TEACHERS THAT WERE HIRED. 
          THIS DOESN'T INCLUDE THE ADDITIONAL TEACHERS. 
          IT DOES. OKAY. THANK YOU. IT DOES. SO THIS JUST BASICALLY GOES TO SHOW YOU THAT EVEN
THOUGH ENROLLMENTS DECLINING, WE STILL NEED INCREASING STAFF BECAUSE WE WERE NEVER STAFFED SUFFICIENTLY TO BEGIN WITH. 
          CORRECT. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT CLARIFICATION. 
          THANK YOU. AND THE PRIORITY, GIVEN OUR RESOURCE CONSTRAINTS,
IS THAT THE FOCUS ON THE EARLY ELEMENTARY OR IS IT ARE YOU LOOKING ACROSS THE BOARD? IF WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE WHAT'S THE MOST NEED TO REDUCE SCHOOL,
THE CLASS SIZES? IS IT EARLY ELEMENTARY. CAN EASILY SAY ALL OF THEM? RIGHT. BUT TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION OUR
PRIORITY IS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD. 
          I WOULD SAY AND WE IF YOU CAN SEE THE YOU CAN SEE WE'VE MADE AN EFFORT TO PUT MORE PUSH
MORE OF THOSE POSITIONS TOWARDS THE ELEMENTARY GRADES SO THAT THOSE CLASS SIZES COULD BE LOWER. AS A FORMER BUILDING PRINCIPAL, THAT WAS MY PRIORITY AS WELL. 
          I WOULD OFTEN PUSH THOSE RESOURCES TOWARDS EARLY CHILDHOOD. 
          SO WE HAD THAT STRONG START AND FOUNDATION FOR STUDENTS TO LAUNCH FROM. 
          THANK YOU, MS. SOPA. THIS SLIDE SHOWS OUR BUDGET DEVELOPMENT CALENDAR,
AND DOCTOR LAWSON TOUCHED ON THIS A LITTLE BIT AT THE BEGINNING WITH HIS REMARKS. BUT YOU CAN SEE WE BEGAN THIS PROCESS BACK IN OCTOBER. 
          AND ALTHOUGH WE KNOW WE STILL HAVE MORE WORK TO DO,
THERE WAS A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT PUT INTO MEMBERS OF THE LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETING DIRECTLY WITH DEPARTMENT HEADS AND COORDINATORS TO DISCUSS NEEDS AND IDENTIFY BUDGET
PRIORITIES. 
          YOU CAN SEE THAT WE'RE HERE TONIGHT. NEXT WEEK WE'RE GOING TO BRING YOU A LINE BY LINE
BUDGET. 
          WE'LL DO AN UPDATE AT OUR FEBRUARY 11TH MEETING,
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE OUR PUBLIC BUDGET HEARING ON THE 25TH. 
          OUR BUDGET IS DUE TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE BY FEBRUARY 28TH,
AND THEN IT MOVES INTO THE COUNTY ACTION. 
          THERE ARE SOME DATES THAT THEY'RE STILL WORKING ON,
BUT WE WILL BE PRESENTING OUR BUDGET TO COUNTY COUNCIL ON MAY 6TH. 
          [00:30:07]
JUST A REVIEW OF SOME OF THE BUDGET TERMS YOU'LL HEAR US USING TONIGHT. 
          WHEN WE SAY REQUEST, IT REALLY MEANS WHAT OUR PROJECTION IS,
OUR ESTIMATION, WHAT WE BELIEVE WE WILL BE RECEIVING OR WHAT WE BELIEVE OUR EXPENSES WILL BE REVENUE. OBVIOUSLY, MONEY RECEIVED UNRESTRICTED AND RESTRICTED OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS
IN TWO PIECES. 
          UNRESTRICTED IS THE MONEY THAT, JUST AS IT SOUNDS,
HAS NO STIPULATIONS FOR HOW IT'S SPENT. 
          THAT'S WHAT OUR STATE FUNDING USED TO BE AND OUR LOCAL FUNDING. 
          BUT BLUEPRINT HAS PUT MORE RESTRICTIONS ON THE QUOTE UNQUOTE,
UNRESTRICTED BUDGET. 
          BUT THE DIFFERENCE IS WITH THE RESTRICTED BUDGET,
THOSE ARE GRANTS, STATE, LOCAL, FEDERAL, VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSE, AND THOSE ARE REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES. 
          SO WE MAKE EXPENSES AND THEN WE GET REIMBURSED AS LONG AS OUR EXPENSES MEET THE
QUALIFICATIONS OF THE GRANT. 
          SO A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT EXPENDITURES, OBVIOUSLY MONEY SPENT. 
          AND THE FUND BALANCE IS OUR OPERATING BUDGET SURPLUS FROM THE PRIOR YEAR. 
          SO AT THE END OF THE YEAR, ANY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REVENUE AND EXPENSE WOULD BECOME AN
ADDITION OR A REDUCTION WITH THE FUND BALANCE. 
          THESE ARE OUR STATE CATEGORIES, 15 OF THEM. AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN OUR
OPERATING BUDGET, FOOD AND NUTRITION IS NOT PART OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET. 
          THERE ARE SPECIAL REVENUE FUND AND OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY WITH THEIR OWN BUDGET AND THEIR
OWN REVENUE. 
          SO WHILE IT IS A STATE CATEGORY, YOU WON'T SEE THAT IN OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION TONIGHT. 
          JUST A LITTLE REMINDER ON SOME OF THE CATEGORY DEFINITIONS. 
          ADMINISTRATION WHEN A LOT OF PEOPLE SEE THAT,
THEY IMMEDIATELY GO TO YOUR TOP BRASS, YOUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, YOUR PRINCIPALS, ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF PEOPLE. 
          SOME OF THEM ARE INCLUDED IN ADMINISTRATION,
BUT ADMINISTRATION REALLY IS THOSE DEPARTMENTS THAT KIND OF ARE LIKE THAT KEEP THE SCHOOL SYSTEM RUNNING THE BUSINESS SORT OF END OF THINGS. 
          SO BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT EXPENSES, ANYTHING RELATED TO THE ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT,
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, BUSINESS SERVICES, HUMAN RESOURCES, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS. 
          INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND YOUR PRINCIPALS,
DOCTOR HAMMER AND DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SERVICES, YOUR PROGRAM COORDINATORS, INSTRUCTIONAL COORDINATORS,
THE PEOPLE AND THEIR SECRETARIES, WHICH IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, RIGHT. SO INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP AND SUPPORT THE PEOPLE THAT SUPPORT INSTRUCTIONAL
LEADERSHIP. 
          THE SAME THING FOR ADMINISTRATION. THE SECRETARIES THAT ARE SUPPORTING THESE PEOPLE ARE IN
ADMINISTRATION. 
          SO NOT THE TYPICAL INCLUSIONS THAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT WHEN THEY THINK ABOUT SOME OF THESE
TERMS. INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES AND WAGES SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES. SO THOSE ARE TEACHERS AND PARAS
WORKING WITH KIDS, INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, THOSE THINGS THAT ARE BEING USED DIRECTLY IN
INSTRUCTION. 
          AND THEN THERE ARE SOME INSTRUCTION, OTHER COSTS THAT AREN'T AN INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL OR
A SUPPLY. 
          SO MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT RELATED TO INSTRUCTION,
SOME CONTRACTED SERVICES OR MEETING ATTENDANCE, SOME OF OUR INTERNET LICENSES AND SOME EQUIPMENT. 
          SO JUST THINK OF ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS THAT DON'T FIT INTO THIS INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
AND SUPPLIES CATEGORY, BUT STILL SUPPORT INSTRUCTION OF STUDENTS. SPECIAL EDUCATION IS A SEPARATE CATEGORY,
SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS THAT SUPPORT SPECIAL EDUCATION WILL USE THE STATE CATEGORY. AND AGAIN, I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THAT THIS STATE CATEGORIES IN
ALL OF OUR ACCOUNT NUMBERS. 
          AND IT'S ALWAYS THE SECOND TWO DIGITS THAT YOU SEE. 
          AND THAT'S KIND OF OUR CROSSWALK WITH THE STATE. ALL OF OUR ACCOUNTS ALIGN WITH THEIRS,
ALTHOUGH THEY'RE NOT IDENTICAL. WE HAVE A CROSSWALK, BUT THEY ALL INCLUDE STATE CATEGORIES. THAT'S HOW WE DO OUR REPORTING. 
          SO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION INCLUDES THE STAFF MEMBERS AND THE MATERIALS AND AND THINGS THAT
ARE REQUIRED FOR STUDENTS WHO HAVE IEPS, STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES. AGAIN, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR PPWS PEOPLE WHO HELP TO SUPPORT AND
PROMOTE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE AND MAKING SURE THAT STUDENTS ARE IN SCHOOLS. 
          HEALTH SERVICES IS NOT RELATED TO HEALTH EDUCATION. 
          IT'S RELATED TO OUR NURSES AND THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF OUR STUDENTS. 
          TRANSPORTATION SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. OPERATION OF PLANTS. 
          THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT KEEP OUR BUILDINGS OPEN AND CLEAN AND USABLE. 
          AND THEN MAINTENANCE OF PLANTS. THOSE ARE THE REPAIRS AND THE FIXES TO OUR BUILDINGS. 
          FIXED CHARGES ARE ALL THE THINGS ASSOCIATED WITH HIRING AN EMPLOYEE. 
          SO ALL THOSE BEHIND THE SCENES HEALTH CARE, PENSIONS,
SOCIAL SECURITY. 
          COMMUNITY SERVICES IS PROBABLY THE LEAST USED IN OUR BUDGET AND THOSE ARE FOR ACTIVITIES
THAT ARE NOT RELATED TO PUBLIC SCHOOL ACTIVITIES OR ADULT PROGRAMS, WHICH WE DON'T HAVE. SO, FOR EXAMPLE,
WE DO BUDGET FOR SOME OVERTIME FOR CUSTODIANS WHO WILL WORK IN SCHOOLS FOR AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES WHERE COMMUNITIES WILL USE THE BUILDING. 
          SO IT'S A COMMUNITY USE OF BUILDING WOULD BE AN EXAMPLE OF A COMMUNITY SERVICE,
AND CAPITAL OUTLAY WOULD BE ANY ACTIVITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE COST OF DIRECTING AND MANAGING, MANAGING A PROJECT. SO SOME TYPE OF ENGINEERING AND DESIGN FOR A
CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. 
          SO NOT THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION ITSELF, BUT SOME OF THE PLANNING AND ENGINEERING FOR IT. 
          [00:35:08]
THIS SLIDE SHOWS OUR EDUCATION DOLLARS FROM FY 25. 
          SO OUR ACTUAL SPENDING FOR FY 25. AND AGAIN ON THE SIDE,
JUST FOR YOUR REFERENCE, WE BREAK DOWN WHAT DOES WHAT CATEGORIES ARE INCLUDED IN DIRECT INSTRUCTION. AND WE KIND OF BREAK THESE CATEGORIES APART. 
          BUT IF YOU TAKE DIRECT INSTRUCTION AND INSTRUCTION SUPPORT,
$0.82 OF EVERY DOLLAR IS SPENT ON INSTRUCTION. 
          YOU CAN SEE THAT BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS IS ALSO A BIG NUMBER. 
          AND TRANSPORTATION AND ADMINISTRATION IS $0.03 ON THE DOLLAR. 
          THIS IS INFORMATION THAT WAS JUST RELEASED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES. 
          AND WHAT THEY DO IS THEY TAKE EVERY YEAR, THEY TAKE THE BUDGETS FOR ALL THE SCHOOL
SYSTEMS, AND THEY LOOK AT THE STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING PER STUDENT FOR SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND THEN RANK
ORDER SCHOOL SYSTEMS BASED ON TOTAL FUNDING. 
          AND SO CECIL COUNTY IS RANKED 17TH OUT OF 24 IN PER PUPIL WEALTH. 
          SO OUT OF THE COUNTIES AND IN FUNDING WERE RANKED 19TH OUT OF 24,
WHICH FROM 25 I BELIEVE WERE UP FROM 22ND. 
          SO WE'RE MOVING BACK CLOSER TO WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE IS THAT YOU ARE FUNDED RELATIVE
TO YOUR WEALTH. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, WE USED TO BE FUNDED ABOUT 16TH OR 17TH,
SOMETHING THAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE HERE. 
          WHEN YOU SEE THIS LOCAL FUNDING NUMBER OF $7,588 PER STUDENT,
THAT INCLUDES NOT JUST THE APPROPRIATION THAT THE COUNTY GIVES US FOR OUR OPERATING BUDGET, BUT IT INCLUDES A PENSION THAT THEY PAY TO THE STATE ON OUR BEHALF. 
          IT INCLUDES WHAT THEY PAY FOR PRIVATE PRE-K ON OUR BEHALF,
AND IT INCLUDES WHAT THEY PAY FOR SMALL CAP PROJECTS OUT OF THEIR GENERAL FUND BUDGET. 
          THE OTHER THING TO NOTE HERE IS THAT WE'RE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AND
AND ACHIEVE THE SAME OUTCOMES AT $19,000, A STUDENT AS A COUNTY WHO IS EARNING 23,
$24,000 A STUDENT. 
          AND IF YOU DO THE MATH, IF WE RECEIVE $24,705 PER STUDENT,
THAT'D BE A $76 MILLION INCREASE OVER WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY RECEIVING. 
          SO THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. AND YOU CAN ALSO TELL. 
          SO THESE COUNTIES AT THE TOP THEY'RE, EITHER YOUR LESS WEALTHY COUNTIES THAT ARE RECEIVING
MORE FUNDING FROM THE STATE BECAUSE THE COUNTY IS LESS WEALTHY, OR THEY'RE THE WEALTHIER COUNTIES, AND THE BULK OF THEIR FUNDING IS COMING FROM THE COUNTY
AND LESS FROM THE STATE. 
          AND SO WHEN YOU HAVE A COUNTY LIKE US, IT KIND OF FALLS WE'RE NOT GETTING THE,
YOU KNOW, A LARGE CHUNK FROM THE STATE AND WE'RE NOT GETTING NOT THAT WE'RE NOT GETTING APPROPRIATE FUNDING, BUT NOBODY'S REALLY OFFSETTING ANYBODY ELSE TO REALLY BUMP US UP IN
THE RANKING. 
          QUESTION. KIND OF A COMMENT, MAYBE. SO REALLY,
WE'RE IN A NO WIN SITUATION AND WE'RE KIND OF STUCK IN THE ABYSS AS FAR AS STAYING IN THE MIDDLE. CAN'T GET ANYTHING. CAN'T LOSE ANYTHING. JUST STATUS QUO. 
          KINDA. YEAH. [INAUDIBLE] OKAY. OKAY. NO QUESTIONS. 
          YEAH. HOLD ON. I THINK WE HAVE QUESTIONS ON THAT. 
          GO AHEAD, MR. FERDINANDO. SO JUST REAL QUICK MATH. 
          IF WE JUST MOVE FROM 17TH, FROM 19TH TO 17TH,
I'M LOOKING REAL QUICK MATH. 
          IT'S A $1,000 PER STUDENT. THAT'S ABOUT $14 MILLION MORE IN REVENUE IF WE WERE JUST TWO
SPOTS BETTER, LIKE IF WE WERE FUNDED AT THE LEVEL OF OUR PROSPERITY PER SE. 
          IS THAT A IS THAT AM I LOOKING AT THAT CORRECT? YES. YEAH. MR. FERDINANDO'S QUESTION WAS BASICALLY POINTING OUT ON THE LAST SLIDE THAT IF
WE WENT BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE, IF WE WERE FUNDED AT THE 17TH AS THE 17TH WEALTHIEST SCHOOL SYSTEM,
YOU WOULD SEE AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $1,000 PER PUPIL, WHICH COMES OUT TO ABOUT $14 MILLION. THAT'S CORRECT,
MR. FERDINANDO. OKAY. I'M SAYING THAT JUST TO POINT OUT THE FACT THAT IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE A
LOT WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT ON THAT PAGE, BUT THEN WHEN YOU DO THE MATH, IT'S $14 MILLION,
WHICH WOULD BE A LOT OF TEACHERS. 
          SO IT IS SIGNIFICANT IN MY MIND THAT'S WHY I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT. 
          ABSOLUTELY. SO THIS IS OUR STATE BLUEPRINT FUNDING SHOWS YOU SOME TRENDS OVER TIME. THESE ARE OUR ACTUAL NUMBERS. RIGHT NOW WE'RE WORKING IN FY 26,
OUR APPROVED BUDGET AND FY 27 REQUESTS. 
          WHAT WE BELIEVE, ACCORDING TO THE STATE WORKBOOK THAT WE WILL BE RECEIVING FOR FY 27. 
          AND YOU CAN SEE FOR THE FOUNDATION PROGRAM, UP ABOUT $1.5 MILLION. 
          MS. SOPA, I THINK, AND MY HUNCH IS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THIS ONE. 
          EACH OF THESE ROWS ARE CALLED OUT SEPARATELY IN STATUTE,
SO THESE NUMBERS ARE DETERMINED. 
          [00:40:05]
IN FACT, MS. SOPA IS GOING TO SHOW YOU A SLIDE LATER THAT SHOWS YOU THE DIFFERENCE BASED
ON STATUTE. 
          SO THEY DON'T KIND OF PULL THESE OUT OF THE AIR. 
          THIS INFORMATION IS KNOWN. IN FACT, WE PROBABLY KNOW IT'S IN STATUTE WHAT'S GOING TO BE
THERE FOR FY 29. 
          YEAH. OKAY. SO EACH ONE OF THESE POTS OF MONEY,
AS DOCTOR LAWSON STATED, THERE IS AN AMOUNT PER STUDENT THAT'S IN STATUTE AND THEN IT'S BASED ON OUR ENROLLMENT. SO FOUNDATION IS BASED ON OUR K TO 12 STUDENTS. 
          SO OUR K TO 12 THREE YEAR AVERAGE THAT ENROLLMENT NUMBER TIMES THE FOUNDATION NUMBER IS
HOW YOU GET THIS REQUEST. 
          AND THAT'S THE SAME FOR ALL COUNTIES ACROSS THE STATE. 
          SO WHEN WE SEE SOME OF THOSE COUNTIES THAT RECEIVE MORE STATE FUNDING,
IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE RECEIVING MORE MONEY PER PUPIL FOR FOUNDATION. 
          IT'S BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER SOME OF THESE, LIKE GUARANTEED TAX BASE OR SOME OTHER AREAS
WHERE THE STATE IS OFFSETTING, WHICH ARE SOME POTS OF MONEY THAT WE DON'T RECEIVE. BUT THE AMOUNT FOUNDATION PER STUDENT
IS CONSISTENT ACROSS COUNTIES. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE ABOUT A $1.5 MILLION INCREASE IN FOUNDATION,
A SMALL REDUCTION IN TRANSPORTATION COMP ED, YOU CAN SEE A LARGE $3.6 MILLION INCREASE. AND THAT GOES BACK TO THE SLIDE THAT DOCTOR
HAMMER SHARED WITH OUR CHANGE AND STUDENTS WHO QUALIFY FOR FREE AND REDUCED PRICE MEALS. SO IT'S KIND OF A TWO FOLD ISSUE. 
          ONE IS EITHER, YOU KNOW, NOT COMPLETING THE FORMS OR NO MORE DIRECT CERTIFICATION OR
FAMILIES NOT QUALIFYING FOR SOME THAT SOME OF THAT ASSISTANCE. 
          BUT ALSO THE AMOUNT PER STUDENT FOR COMP ED WAS REDUCED IN FY 27 WAS REDUCED BY,
I BELIEVE, $56 PER STUDENT. SO NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE LESS STUDENTS STATUTE IS PROVIDING LESS PER
STUDENT FOR COMPENSATORY ED. 
          MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS IS DOWN SLIGHTLY FOR FY 27. 
          YOU CAN SEE SPECIAL EDUCATION IS UP 2.3 MILLION. 
          BUT WE DO SPEND SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS THAN WE ACTUALLY EARN IN
REVENUE, WHICH MEANS WE DIP INTO FOUNDATION OR ABOVE LOCAL SHARE FUNDING OR FUND BALANCE FUNDING
THAT WE BUDGET TO HELP COVER SPECIAL EDUCATION COSTS. 
          YOU CAN SEE A LARGE INCREASE IN THE PRE-KINDERGARTEN PER PUPIL AMOUNT HERE. 
          AND THAT WAS OUR LARGEST INCREASE. AND YOU'LL SEE THAT ON ONE OF THE UPCOMING SLIDES,
IT'S ACTUALLY INCREASED $5,000 PLUS PER STUDENT GOING INTO FY 27 AS A WAY TO ENTICE AND SUPPORT PRIVATE PROVIDERS. AND TO PROVIDE SOME MORE PRE-KINDERGARTEN ARE EXPENSIVE TO
EDUCATE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE CLASS RATIO, THE ADULT STUDENT RATIO,
1 TO 10. 
          AND SO IT PROVIDES SOME RELIEF THERE. SO YOU CAN SEE A LARGE INCREASE THERE. 
          AND THAT LARGE INCREASE FOR PRE-K STUDENTS DOES NOT APPLY TO TIER THREE PRE-K KIDS. 
          IT'S SIMPLY APPLIES TO TIER ONE AND TIER TWO. 
          SO WHEN WE REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PRE-K WE REDUCED TIER THREE. 
          SO WE DID NOT GET POOR CHOICE OF WORDS PENALIZED FOR BRINGING IN FEWER PRE-K KIDS. 
          MAKE SENSE? OKAY. YOU CAN SEE AN INCREASE IN CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY. 
          SO WE DID NOT ADD CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY SCHOOLS. 
          WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT ON THE NEXT SLIDE. BUT THIS CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY MONEY IS
SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE SCHOOLS, FOR WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES. 
          YOU CAN SEE WE'VE MENTIONED BEFORE THAT TRANSITIONAL SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION WAS PHASING
OUT IN THE BLUEPRINT. 
          SO THERE IS NO FUNDING FOR THAT STARTING IN FY 27. 
          AND THOSE FUNDS PROVIDED SOME DURING THE DAY TUTORING FOR OUR EARLY ELEMENTARY STUDENTS. 
          YOU CAN SEE AN INCREASE IN CAREER LADDER FOR STUDENT TEACHERS WITH NATIONAL BOARD
CERTIFICATION, A SMALL INCREASE IN COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS. 
          AND THEN WHEN YOU SEE THIS DECREASE IN EDUCATION EFFORT ADJUSTMENT,
WHAT THIS REALLY IS, IS A CALCULATION THAT THE STATE DOES WHERE THESE TWO YEARS, THEY ACTUALLY OFFSET SOME OF WHAT THE COUNTY WAS SUPPOSED TO FUND TO US AND SAID,
YOU HAVE TO PAY $456,000 LESS. 
          WE'RE GOING TO PICK THAT UP FOR YOU. AND THIS YEAR THEY JUST DIDN'T PICK IT UP FOR THE
COUNTY. SO IT'S NOT REALLY THAT WE'RE LOSING IT. IT'S JUST NOT COMING FROM THE STATE. IT'S ALL PART OF THE COUNTY. LOCAL SHARE. IT'S EDUCATION EFFORT THAT'S NOT GOING TO THE COUNTY
GOVERNMENT. 
          SO OVERALL, YOU CAN SEE FROM FY 26 A MODEST 1.1% INCREASE. 
          CAN I ASK A QUICK QUESTION? HOW BIG OF A FACTOR,
IF ANY, WILL THE SOUTHFIELD PROJECT INTO OUR PROJECTION NUMBERS? HOW DOES THAT FACTOR IN AT ALL? I WOULD SAY IF WE START TO SEE AN INCREASE IN OUR
ENROLLMENT, IT WOULD BE HELPFUL. BUT DO WE LOOK FOR DO WE LEAN FORWARD AND LOOK ANTICIPATE THAT OR
SINCE THOSE FOLKS ARE COMING, I MEAN, REAL SOON. THERE IS ACTUALLY A FORMULA THAT IS USED TO DETERMINE HOW MANY CHILDREN
ARE GENERATED BY NEW CONSTRUCTION. AND DOCTOR HELM, I DON'T KNOW IF I WANT TO SAY IT'S A DECIMAL. 
          [00:45:01]
IT'S SOMETHING LIKE POINT THREE. YOU CAN WEIGH IN HERE,
DOCTOR HELM POINT THREE. 
          SO THE PER HOUSEHOLD, IT'S 0.47 STUDENTS PER NEW HOUSEHOLD IS HOW WE DEVELOP OUR
ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS. 
          SO THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF A LEAP THERE, YOU KNOW. SO YOU'RE JUST THAT'S AN ASSUMPTION IF
YOU WILL, HOW IT PLAYS OUT. YOU DON'T KNOW UNTIL THEY SHOW UP. 
          FRANKLY WE VERY MUCH SAW THAT IT WAS A CHARLESTOWN CROSSING. 
          AND I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT OUR ENROLLMENT NUMBERS,
IS WHY I WAS REALLY BRINGING IT UP, THINKING ABOUT PROJECTIONS INTO THAT, INTO FY 27 AND BEYOND. BUT YEAH, AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE THE SAME DYNAMIC HAPPENING IN PERRYVILLE. 
          THERE'S SOME SOME DEVELOPMENT OUT THERE NORTHEAST FOR SURE. 
          SO I DO THINK THERE ARE SOME BRIGHT SPOTS AS IT RELATES TO ENROLLMENT IN CECIL COUNTY,
GENERALLY SPEAKING. 
          THIS SLIDE SPEAKS TO THE COMPARISON BETWEEN MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT AND LOCAL SHARE. 
          AND I KNOW WE HAVE SHARED THIS INFORMATION SEVERAL TIMES,
BUT MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT MEANS THAT THE GOVERNMENT MUST ALLOCATE AT LEAST THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT PER STUDENT FOR THE COMING FISCAL YEAR AS THEY ARE FOR THIS CURRENT FISCAL YEAR. 
          AND THEN LOCAL SHARES A STATE CALCULATION THAT UTILIZES COUNTY WEALTH DATA AND OUR STUDENT
ENROLLMENT DATA TO DETERMINE THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FUNDING RESPONSIBILITY. 
          AND THEN THE LAW SAYS THAT THEY HAVE TO PROVIDE THE HIGHER OF THE TWO. 
          AND SO FOR FY 27 MOE IS A LITTLE OVER 104 MILLION,
LOCAL SHARE IS A LITTLE OVER 102. 
          SO 104 MILLION WOULD BE THE MINIMUM ALLOWED FOR COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE AS AN
APPROPRIATION FOR FY 27, KNOWING THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH US AND WE ANTICIPATE THEM TO PROVIDE MORE THAN
THE MINIMUM. 
          BUT THIS IS THE MINIMUM REQUIRED FOR FY 27. THIS IS OUR ANTICIPATED REVENUE SLIDE. 
          AND SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS COMPARING OUR FY 26 APPROVED BUDGET WITH WHAT WE ANTICIPATE FOR
FY 27. 
          SO AGAIN, WHAT I JUST SHARED WITH MOE FOR FY 27,
THIS $104 MILLION NUMBER. 
          AND SO THE QUESTION BEGS, WELL WHY CAN THEY GIVE US LESS THAN THEY DID IN FY 26? AND THAT'S BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO GIVE US THE SAME AMOUNT PER STUDENT. 
          BUT WE HAVE LESS STUDENTS GOING INTO FY 27. SO THE REQUIRED AMOUNT IS ACTUALLY LESS. 
          SO IF THEY WERE TO GIVE US MOE, IT WOULD BE A $1.2 MILLION REDUCTION. 
          AGAIN, WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT THEY'RE GOING TO WORK WITH US IN THIS CAPACITY. 
          NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH THOUGH. BUT THIS IS JUST TO SHOW YOU THE WORST CASE SCENARIO HERE. 
          SO IS IT PER STUDENT BASED ON SEPTEMBER 30TH? YES. BASED ON THE SEPTEMBER 30TH COUNT. THE STATE NUMBER INCLUDES UNRESTRICTED AND
RESTRICTED REVENUE. SO IT INCLUDES EVERYTHING COMING FROM THE STATE,
INCLUDING STATE GRANTS. 
          SO WHEN WE LOOKED AT THAT LAST STATE BLUEPRINT FUNDING SLIDE,
THE INCREASE WAS ABOUT 1.5 MILLION. 
          SO THERE'S A COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND HERE FROM RESTRICTED FUNDS AND STATE GRANTS,
FEDERAL REVENUE. 
          THE WAY THE FEDERAL REVENUE CALENDAR, THE FEDERAL GRANT CALENDAR,
RUNS FROM OCTOBER THROUGH SEPTEMBER. 
          SO BASICALLY WHEN WE'RE PROJECTING INTO FY 27,
WE'RE TAKING OUR CURRENT RESTRICTED BUDGET AND ROLLING IT INTO FY 27, UNLESS THERE'S SOME NEW INFORMATION THAT WE HAVE. 
          AND THE QUESTION WOULD BE ASKED, WELL, IF IT'S OUR CURRENT BUDGET,
WHY IS IT INCREASED? AND THAT'S BECAUSE OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET HAS CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE IT WAS APPROVED
IN FY 26, BECAUSE IT WAS APPROVED BACK IN JUNE. AND REMEMBER THAT THE FEDERAL TIMELINE STARTED NEW
IN OCTOBER, SO WE HAD GRANTS THAT WERE REDUCED, AND THEN THEY CAME BACK AND INCREASED GRANTS. 
          AND THEN WE EARNED SOME NEW GRANTS LIKE THE READ AND LEAD GRANT. 
          SO IT'S CONSTANTLY CHANGING BASED ON GRANTS THAT ARE REDUCED OR GRANTS THAT GO AWAY OR NEW
GRANTS THAT WE RECEIVE. 
          BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING GOING INTO FY 27 UNTIL SOME OF THE NEW GRANT CYCLES
START. 
          OTHER REVENUE INCLUDES THINGS LIKE OUR INTEREST REVENUE ON INVESTMENTS. 
          IT INCLUDES MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE. SO THINGS LIKE IF THERE ARE STUDENTS FROM OUTSIDE OF
THE COUNTY THAT PAY TUITION OR THINGS LIKE RECYCLING, WHERE WE EARN MONEY ON RECYCLING,
SO VARIOUS TYPES OF REVENUE, SOMETIMES WE'LL RECEIVE STOP LOSS PAYMENTS FROM INSURANCE OR OTHER FOR WHEN INSURANCE COMPANIES, WHEN THEY DON'T MEET THEIR CRITERIA OF THEIR CONTRACT, THEY OWE US A PERFORMANCE GUARANTEE. SO JUST RANDOM AMOUNTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO
MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE. 
          WE'RE ANTICIPATING A SMALL INCREASE THERE, AND WE DID USE $10 MILLION OF FUND BALANCE TO
BALANCE THE FY 26 BUDGET. 
          AND WE FEEL CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN COMMIT $5 MILLION GOING INTO FY 27. 
          BUT IF YOU TAKE ALL THESE REVENUE STREAMS AND YOU COMPARE FY 26 TO FY 27,
BASICALLY WE'RE MOVING INTO FY 27, $2.8 MILLION LESS THAN WE RECEIVED IN FY 26. THAT'S ASSUMING NOTHING ABOVE MOE FROM THE
COUNTY 
          [00:50:08]
GOVERNMENT. 
          AT THIS TIME, I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THE CONCENTRATION OF
POVERTY FUNDING THAT IS COMING IN. 
          AS WE SHARED EARLIER, IT IS AN INCREASE FROM THE STATE,
AND THIS IS A BLUEPRINT INITIATIVE ALIGNED TO PILLAR FOUR, WHICH IS SERVICES FOR STUDENTS. SO IT IS AN INCREASE OF $580,000 OVER FY 26. 
          AND MAINLY THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE PHASING OF THIS PROGRAMING FROM FY 26 TO FY 27 THE MAIN
DIFFERENCE YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS THAT THERE'S TWO SCHOOLS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE PER PUPIL FUNDING. 
          SO THE PERSONNEL FUNDING COVERS A CSA, WHICH IS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL ADVISOR AS WELL AS A
SCHOOL NURSE IN EACH OF THOSE SCHOOLS. 
          SO THAT IS FAIRLY CONSISTENT BETWEEN THOSE SCHOOLS THAT'S GOING TO STAY THE SAME. 
          THE PER PUPIL FUNDING COMES IN WHERE THERE'S WRAPAROUND SERVICES THAT ARE NOW ELIGIBLE TO
BE PROVIDED TO OUR MOST NEEDY SCHOOLS WITH THE HIGHEST FARM RATES IN THE DISTRICT. 
          SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IS THIS ADDITION OF PERRYVILLE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WILL NOW BE A PER
PUPIL FUNDING SCHOOL FUNDED SCHOOL, AS WELL AS ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL WILL RECEIVE THOSE PER PUPIL FUNDING. 
          SO THAT'S THE MAIN DIFFERENCE IN OUR CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY FUNDING. 
          THE PERSONNEL THAT WOULD BE PROBABLY THE DIFFERENCE THERE IS YOU'VE GOT 22 EMPLOYEES
THAT'S YOUR COLAS, PRIMARILY. I DIDN'T HEAR YOUR QUESTION. I'M SORRY. 
          THE PERSONNEL SCHOOLS, THE DIFFERENCE THERE FROM 26 TO 27 IS PROBABLY THE 22 EMPLOYEES. 
          AND THEN IT'S THE COLA INCREASE. SO THOSE AMOUNTS THERE,
THE INCREASED AMOUNT DOESN'T MEAN EMPLOYEES. 
          IT MEANS THE INCREASED FUNDING THAT THEY'RE RECEIVING THAT $580,000. 
          YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. TOP LINE OR TOP ROW. THE TOP LINE. 
          SO THE TOP LINE INCLUDES EMPLOYEES AND IT INCLUDES SOME WRAPAROUND SERVICES IF THERE IS
OTHER FUNDING. BUT IT DEPENDS ON THE COST OF THE EMPLOYEE. 
          SO IF YOU HAVE A REALLY EXPENSIVE COMMUNITY SCHOOL ADVISOR AND AN EXPENSIVE NURSE,
YOU'LL HAVE LESS LEFT OVER THAN IN A SCHOOL WHERE YOU HAVE SOME THAT HAVE LESS EXPERIENCE. 
          SO IT JUST VARIES. AND TO BE CLEAR, THESE ARE REVENUES,
RIGHT? THESE ARE REVENUES COMING FROM THE STATE. YES. 
          OKAY. BUT ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE REVENUES FROM THE STATE CAN ONLY BE SPENT ON THESE
THINGS. 
          RESTRICTED. RIGHT. SO DOCTOR LAWSON ALLUDED TO THIS SLIDE AT THE BEGINNING WITH HIS
REMARKS TONIGHT ABOUT SOME NOTABLE BUDGET INCREASES. SO SOME THINGS THAT HE'S,
AS HE QUOTE SAID, ARE HAPPENING TO US. 
          SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT UTILITIES NOW, THIS IS OUR FY 24 ACTUAL SPENDING VERSUS OUR FY 25
ACTUAL SPENDING. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE UTILITIES UP ALMOST $600,000. AGAIN THAT'S YOUR WATER SEWER GAS ELECTRIC
TELEPHONES PROPERTY AUTO AND LIABILITY INSURANCE FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. UP, $263,000. NONPUBLIC PLACEMENTS. 
          AND THAT WAS ALSO MENTIONED WHEN WE TALK ABOUT SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT
NEEDS UP $473,000. 
          OUR CONTRACTED SERVICES. SO FOR SOME OF THOSE POSITIONS WHERE YOU CANNOT FIND FULL TIME
EMPLOYEES, IT IS MORE EXPENSIVE TO CONTRACT THEM OUT THAN IT IS TO HIRE THEM,
SO WE ALWAYS TRY TO HIRE THEM WHEN WE CAN. 
          SO AN INCREASE IN THOSE COSTS. ACTIVE HEALTH CARE FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT UP $4.8
MILLION. 
          AND PENSION UP 283,000. AND KEEP IN MIND THAT THE PENSION COSTS ARE TIED TO HOW MUCH
EMPLOYEES MAKE AND WHAT THE PERCENTAGE IS THAT IS BECOMES THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          SO ALL IN ALL, THAT'S A $6.5 MILLION INCREASE FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT. 
          THAT WHILE WE HAVE A LOT OF PROCESSES IN PLACE TO MONITOR OUR HEALTH CARE AND YOU KNOW,
BID FOR COMPETITIVE HEALTH CARE PRICES, THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL THAT COSTS ARE
ESCALATING. 
          AND YOU CAN SEE THIS OVERALL INCREASE VERSUS THAT INCREASE THAT'S COMING IN BLUEPRINT
FUNDING FROM THE STATE. 
          AND THIS TIES INTO THE IDEA, I BELIEVE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT BECAUSE WE'RE DOWN STUDENTS,
WE SHOULD BE DOWN COSTS. 
          AND I THINK TO A POINT YOU CAN MAKE THAT ARGUMENT,
BUT IF YOU WERE TO TAKE EACH ONE OF THESE ROWS AND SAY, OKAY, WHAT WOULD THE COST BE IF WE HAD 1400 FEWER STUDENTS? YOU MAY BE TALKING ABOUT A PERCENT HERE. YOU'RE CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO NEGATE THE NEED FOR
A $6.5 MILLION INCREASE. 
          IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE'RE HAVING 1400 FEWER STUDENTS,
THERE MAY BE A HANDFUL OF STUDENTS THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO PRIVATELY PLACE, OR A HANDFUL OF STUDENTS WHO DON'T NEED A CONTRACTED SERVICE FOR SPEECH OR PHYSICAL
THERAPY. 
          BUT YOU'RE CERTAINLY NOT GETTING NEAR A $6.5 MILLION NUMBER. 
          [00:55:04]
SO SOME OF THESE COSTS SIMPLY HAPPEN TO US, AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS TO RESPOND
ACCORDINGLY. 
          I HAVE A QUICK QUESTION, MISS SOPA. SOMETHING I READ EARLIER. 
          IT WAS SAYING THAT THE CRITERIA FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY CHANGE IS GOING TO CHANGE
FROM 80% TO 55%. 
          IS THAT CORRECT? THAT THAT HOW THE HOW THEY DETERMINE WHO GETS IT. 
          I THINK IT'S 50. I HAVE IT IN THE NOTES. YEAH,
BUT I JUST WONDERED. 
          I'M SAYING THAT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF WE GET AS WELL. RIGHT. IF YOU GO FROM 80
TO 55%. 
          YEAH, I THINK I. OH. SO WE HAD AN ISSUE AND WE LOST OUR NOTES IN OUR POWERPOINT,
AND I DID HAVE THAT IN THE NOTES, BUT I DON'T HAVE IT'S 50 OR 55%, BUT IT STAYS THAT WAY. 
          AND IT DOES NOT. AND IT CAME DOWN FROM A NUMBER. IT CAME DOWN FROM A HIGHER NUMBER. 
          AND BY STATUTE IT STAYS. I BELIEVE IT'S 55. YES. 
          AND THAT DOES NOT CHANGE. THANK YOU. AND YOU CAN BECOME PER PUPIL AFTER YOUR FIRST YEAR AS
A COP SCHOOL. 
          SO THE TWO SCHOOLS THAT DOCTOR HAMMER MENTIONED,
THIS IS THEIR SECOND GOING INTO THEIR SECOND YEAR, AND THAT'S WHEN THEY BECOME A PER PUPIL SCHOOL AND RECEIVE THAT FUNDING AS WELL. THANK
YOU. 
          SO THE NEXT SLIDE SHOWS, IN COMPARISON TO THOSE NOTABLE INCREASES THAT WE JUST SAW,
THE BLUEPRINT STATUTORY AMOUNTS AND HOW THEY INCREASE. 
          AND AGAIN THIS IS IN LEGISLATION. SO YOU CAN SEE IN THE FOUNDATION PROGRAM THESE ARE THE
AMOUNTS PER STUDENT. 
          SO WHEN WE MENTIONED THAT YOU TAKE THIS NUMBER MULTIPLIED BY YOUR K THROUGH 12 ENROLLMENT, AND THAT'S HOW YOU GET YOUR AMOUNT FOR YOUR FOUNDATION FUNDING. 
          SO UP $335 PER STUDENT. COMPENSATORY ED DOWN $56 A STUDENT. 
          MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS UP 107. SPECIAL ED THIS IS WHERE THAT INCREASE,
YOU KNOW AS WELL AS OUR SPECIAL ED POPULATION INCREASE SLIGHTLY AND THE AMOUNT PER STUDENT INCREASED. HERE YOU CAN SEE THIS BIG INCREASE IN PRE-K. 
          SO ONE THING THAT'S REALLY INTERESTING TO NOTE. SO DOCTOR LAWSON POINTED OUT THOSE 37
PRE-K STUDENTS THAT WE HAVE NOW WHO WE DID NOT HAVE AS OF THE 30TH OF SEPTEMBER, AT ABOUT $20,000 PER STUDENT, IF THEY'RE ALL TIER ONE STUDENTS,
WE LOST OUT ON $740,000 IN FUNDING FOR FY 27 BECAUSE THEY QUALIFY, BUT THEY WEREN'T HERE AS OF THE 30TH OF SEPTEMBER. 
          SO THAT'S SIGNIFICANT WHEN YOU START TO LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS. 
          TSI WE KNEW WAS FADING, PHASING OUT AND THEN A VERY SMALL INCREASE IN CCR FUNDING. 
          SO AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE PERCENTAGES HERE VERSUS THE PERCENTAGES THAT WE'RE
SEEING IN SOME OF THE COSTS THAT ARE REALLY OUT OF OUR CONTROL. 
          THIS IS A REMINDER ABOUT OUR FUND BALANCE AND WHERE WE STOOD AT THE END OF FY 25. 
          KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE USE 10 MILLION TO BALANCE THE FY 26 BUDGET. 
          THIS 5.2 MILLION IS OUR BUDGET CONTINGENCY. SO THAT'S THE BOARD'S POLICY FOR 2% OF OUR
EXPENSES. 
          WE HAVE SOME OF THESE OTHER ITEMS THAT WE ASSIGNED. 
          SO REMEMBERING THAT STUDENT ACTIVITIES THOSE ARE FUNDS RAISED BY STUDENTS FOR STUDENTS
HELD IN SCHOOL, CHECKING ACCOUNTS THAT CANNOT BE USED TO BALANCE THE OPERATING BUDGET. 
          BUT IT DOES HAVE TO BE REPORTED AS PART OF OUR FINANCES. 
          AND THIS HEALTH CARE NUMBER HERE WORKING WITH OUR CONSULTANTS,
OUR HEALTHCARE CONSULTANTS WTW. 
          THIS IS OUR HEALTHCARE RESERVE BECAUSE WE ARE SELF-FUNDED AND JUST WHAT WE SAW WITH HEALTH
CARE COSTS. 
          IN CASE WE ARE WELL ABOVE BUDGET, WE HAVE THIS CONTINGENCY. 
          AND SO OUR UNASSIGNED BALANCE GOING INTO FY 26 WAS 3.1 MILLION. 
          AND THE UNASSIGNED PORTION IS WHAT FUNDED THOSE ADDITIONAL 38 EMPLOYEES. 
          RIGHT. YES. AND I KNOW THIS IS JUST A SNAPSHOT AND THIS IS A SNAPSHOT FROM JUNE 30TH. 
          AND THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSACTIONS THAT HAPPEN THERE. BUT YOU'RE CONFIDENT THAT THE BASED
ON WHAT YOU SAID AT A PRIOR SLIDE IS THAT THERE'LL BE ENOUGH MONEY TO HAVE $5 MILLION FOR A SUBSEQUENT YEARS, EXPENDITURES. 
          WE THINK WITH COST SAVINGS THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR,
THAT WE'RE CONFIDENT THAT WE CAN HAVE THAT TO GO INTO FY 27. 
          THANK YOU. AND I'LL SAY IT. NOT THAT IT'S IDEAL,
BUT LET'S FACE IT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE GET INTO A PINCH, ALL OPTIONS ARE ON THE BOARD. THE BUDGET CONTINGENCY OF $5.2 MILLION IS A BOARD DETERMINED
NUMBER THAT WE WANT TO HOLD IN RESERVE. PRETTY ALMOST AMOUNTS TO A PAY CYCLE. 
          PROBABLY A LITTLE LESS THAN THAT. BUT YEAH. SO THAT'S SOMETHING IN THE EVENT THAT THE
BOARD FELT AS THOUGH YOU NEEDED TO TOUCH, YOU COULD, BUT YOU HAVE A POLICY SAYING TO HOLD 2%. 
          AND THAT'S WHAT THE 5.2 MILLION IS. OKAY. TAKE A DEEP BREATH. 
          WE'RE GOING TO SHIFT A LITTLE BIT TO SHOW YOU SOME OF THE PROPOSALS THAT ARE COMING FROM
BOTH EDUCATION SERVICES AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES. 
          I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR DOES TEAM, AND I KNOW DOCTOR BUCKLEY WILL THANK HIS TEAM AS WELL. 
          [01:00:01]
BUT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DID TO PUT TOGETHER TO MAKE THESE PROPOSALS. 
          DOES, AS YOU KNOW, ENCOMPASSES ALL THINGS TEACHING AND LEARNING IN OUR DISTRICT. 
          AND THIS FALL, DEPARTMENT HEADS AND SCHOOLS ASSESS THE NEEDS IN THEIR BUILDINGS OR THEIR
DEPARTMENTS FOR THEIR PROGRAMS TO CREATE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET PROPOSAL. 
          IT IS UP FROM LAST YEAR DUE TO BLUEPRINT MANDATES,
SOME OF WHICH WE'VE ALREADY SHARED WITH YOU, SOME CHANGING MARYLAND STATE STANDARDS ON PROFESSIONAL LEARNING INITIATIVES. 
          AND REALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A FULL CONTINUUM OF SERVICES FOR OUR MOST NEEDY,
OUR STUDENTS. 
          SO THE TEAM CAME TO US WITH THEIR REQUESTS. I'M GOING TO PRESENT THOSE REQUESTS TO YOU
TODAY. 
          HOWEVER, WE ARE VERY AWARE THAT IT IS OUR INTENTION THAT WILL WORK TOGETHER TO SEE WHERE
CUTS CAN BE MADE IN THESE REQUESTS THAT WERE MADE. 
          WE'RE GOING TO GIVE SOME MORE DETAILS TO YOU ON THE THIRD FOR THAT. SO SOME OF OUR
PRIORITIES I MENTIONED CURRICULUM UPDATES, MUCH, MANY PIECES OF OUR CURRICULUM. THERE'S SOME SHIFTING AND STANDARDS IN MANY CONTENT
AREAS. 
          SO OUR CONTENT COORDINATORS HAVE BEEN WORKING TO TRY TO ADJUST TO THOSE STANDARDS AND
PROVIDE MATERIALS AND SUPPORT FOR OUR TEACHERS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE IN LINE SO OUR STUDENTS CAN BE SUCCESSFUL. ALSO, THE BLUEPRINT MANDATES,
ONE OF WHICH I'LL SPEAK TO IS NATIONAL BOARD TEACHER, NATIONAL BOARD TEACHERS WHEN I BECAME A NATIONAL BOARD TEACHER IN THE 90S. 
          I'M AGING MYSELF I KNOW. I KNOW THAT THE COUNTY BUDGET FOR NATIONAL BOARD TEACHERS WAS
ONLY $4,000. 
          IT'S UPWARD OF $1 MILLION AT THIS POINT. SO THERE ARE SOME OF THOSE MANDATES HAVE HAD AN
IMPACT. 
          SPECIAL EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY AND STEM ARE ALL PIECES THAT ARE A PART OF THE PRIORITY WORK
THAT WE HAVE. 
          SO HERE WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS WE HAVE THE CATEGORIES IN OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET LINES,
WE HAVE ACTUALS FROM THE PAST AND THE APPROVED BUDGET FROM LAST YEAR THAT WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH AT THIS TIME. 
          THIS YEAR, YOU'LL SEE THE REQUESTED BUDGET FOR FY 27. 
          AND IN THE FINAL COLUMN, YOU'LL SEE WHETHER IT'S AN INCREASE OR A DECREASE. 
          AND I'M GOING TO HIGHLIGHT DOCTOR BUCKLEY WILL ALSO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE HIGH INCREASES
OR DECREASES AND GIVE YOU SOME EXPLANATION FOR THEM. 
          BUT WE'LL GO A LITTLE DEEPER INTO THIS ON THE THIRD AS WE STATED. 
          SO THE FIRST AREA THAT YOU SEE HERE IS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IS IN INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY, AND THAT'S BASICALLY DUE TO A DEVICE REFRESH,
SOME SOFTWARE LICENSE INCREASES. 
          IF YOU RECALL, WE ADDED PROOF POINT THIS PAST YEAR TO SUPPORT SOME OF OUR CYBERSECURITY
THAT WAS PAID THROUGH A GRANT, BUT THAT IS ENTERING INTO THE BUDGET THIS COMING YEAR. 
          WE ALSO HAVE A TELEPHONE INCREASE. WE MOVED OVER TO ZOOM PHONES FROM FY 26 TO 27 WHICH IS
AN UPGRADE IN THAT AREA. 
          DIVISION OF EDUCATION SERVICES THAT INCREASE IS SPECIFICALLY FOR NATIONAL BOARD TEACHERS
FOR THE MOST PART. 
          WE'LL GO INTO SOME MORE DETAILS IN THAT LATER THIS YEAR. 
          WE HAVE 28 NEW NATIONAL BOARD TEACHERS. NON PUBLIC PROGRAMS YOU SEE A REALLY A REALLY
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THAT AREA. AND BASICALLY THERE IS AN INCREASE IN A COST PER STUDENT IN THE PLACEMENTS. 
          THERE IS AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN THOSE PLACEMENTS,
AND THERE'S AN INCREASE IN OUR SHARE OF THE DIFFERENCE. 
          SO. SO THERE'S THREE SPECIFIC THINGS. IN THE PAST,
THE COST DIFFERENTIAL WAS THE STATE WOULD COVER 70% OF THE COST FOR NONPUBLIC PLACEMENT, AND THE DISTRICTS WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR 30% THIS YEAR. 
          IN FY 27 IT IS A 50 / 50 SPLIT. SO THOSE THREE FACTORS ARE GOING INTO THAT REALLY
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN NONPUBLIC PROGRAMING. 
          OKAY. RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS, WE'VE SPOKEN TO A COUPLE OF TIMES TODAY THAT THOSE
CONTRACTED SERVICES, ALL OF THE COMPANIES WE CONTRACT WITH, WITH ARE PUMPING UP THE PRICES. 
          AND FINALLY THIS STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES,
WE DID MOVE AN IN DISTRICT CLASSROOM TO PROVIDE CONTINUUM OF SERVICES IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS OUT OF THE SPECIAL EDUCATION LINE AND INTO THE STUDENT SERVICES LINE WHERE THE
OTHER DISTRICT CLASSROOMS WERE LIVING. 
          SO WE KIND OF DID SOME SHIFTING THERE. AND THAT'S WHAT THAT INCREASE IS FOR THERE. 
          OKAY. WE'LL GO INTO MORE DETAILS WITH YOU ABOUT THIS. THESE ARE JUST VERY BROAD SWIPES. 
          MOVING INTO A COUPLE MORE OF THE ED SERVICES LINES,
SECONDARY MATH. 
          THIS IS AN AREA WHERE THERE IS GOING TO BE SOME SIGNIFICANT STANDARD CHANGES THAT ARE
HAPPENING. 
          MSD IS MOVING TO AN INTEGRATED MATH PROGRAM IN OUR HIGH SCHOOLS. 
          IN THE PAST WE HAVE AND DOCTOR LAWSON HAS BIG FEELINGS ABOUT THIS AS A FORMER HIGH SCHOOL
MATH TEACHER. 
          BUT IN THE PAST, CURRENTLY WE HAVE TAUGHT ALGEBRA,
GEOMETRY, ALGEBRA TWO, AND TRIG IN STANDALONE COURSES THEY WILL NOW BE INTEGRATED. 
          SO IMAGINE THE AMOUNT OF WORK THAT DOCTOR BRINKLEY,
OUR MATH SECONDARY MATH COORDINATOR, HAS TO DO TO GET ALL OF THAT CONTENT ALIGNED WITH MSD EXPECTATIONS. ELEMENTARY, HERE YOU SEE A SIGNIFICANT DECREASE. 
          THAT IS WHERE THE TSI FUNDING WAS LIVING, AND THAT'S WHERE THAT'S WHY IT'S A SIGNIFICANT
AMOUNT THERE THAT WAS LOST BECAUSE THAT TSI FUNDING IS NO LONGER. 
          [01:05:03]
WE HAVE PROPOSED TO ADD IN THE STEM BUDGET A HIGH SCHOOL ROBOTICS PROGRAM. 
          SO THERE'S A CONTINUUM FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL ROBOTICS PROGRAM THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE
WILL BE DISCUSSING ON THE SECOND. 
          SOCIAL STUDIES HAS BEEN NEGLECTED FOR MANY YEARS. 
          LAST YEAR THEIR BUDGET WAS ONLY $3,600. HE IS ALSO VICTIM TO NOT BEING IN COMPLIANCE WITH
MSD EXPECTATIONS FOR STANDARDS. 
          SO HE HAS SOME SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT HE IS REQUESTING FOR CONTENT DEVELOPMENT. 
          AND FINALLY, YOU SEE A BIG DIFFERENCE HERE. AND THAT'S OUR CCR NUMBER FOR OUR HIGH
SCHOOLS. 
          AND THERE'S BEEN SOME ADJUSTMENTS IN THAT AMOUNT AND THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO ARE
RECEIVING CCR DESIGNATION. 
          AGAIN, WE WILL GO DEEPER INTO THIS WITH YOU ON TUESDAY. 
          AND GIVE YOU SOME MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THESE SPECIFIC LINES. 
          OKAY. I DIDN'T CLICK. THERE YOU GO. GOOD EVENING. 
          SO TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO WE'LL BE TOUCHING BASE ON THESE SIX AREAS OF THE ORGANIZATION. 
          AGAIN THESE ARE NOT AFFILIATED WITH DIRECT INSTRUCTION AND CURRICULUM. 
          HOWEVER, THEY OPERATE BEHIND THE SCENES AND SUPPORT ALL THE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE IN OUR
CLASSROOMS AND IN OUR BUILDINGS. 
          AND I WOULD LIKE TO, AT THIS TIME ECHO WHAT DOCTOR LAWSON SHARED AT THE BEGINNING. 
          OUR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS STAFF, THEY'RE REFLECTED IN THIS PORTION OF THE BUDGET.
THEY HAVE JUST DONE A TREMENDOUS JOB THIS WEEK IN PREPARING OUR SCHOOLS AND GETTING OUR BUILDINGS READY. I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR DIRECTORS FOR THE WORK THAT THEY HAVE PUT
IN TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS BUDGET. 
          WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT TIES DIRECTLY WITH OUR STRATEGIC THEMES OF SAFE
SCHOOLS RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AS WELL AS OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCIES. 
          SO THESE FIRST THREE ITEMS GO TOGETHER IN MY MIND RECRUITMENT RETENTION,
STAFFING SHORTAGE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CAREER LADDER. 
          WE'VE BEEN WORKING THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO MEET THE LEGISLATIVE MANDATE OF HAVING
TEACHER SALARIES, STARTING TEACHER SALARIES AT $60,000 BY JULY 1ST OF 2026,
AND WE WILL MEET THAT MANDATE. 
          THAT TIES RIGHT IN WITH WITH THE STAFFING SHORTAGE AS WELL AS OUR RECRUITMENT AND
RETENTION. WE'VE BEEN ONE OF THE TOP RANKED SYSTEMS IN THE STATE THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS WITH OUR RETENTION RATES. WE'RE VERY PROUD OF THAT. WE WORK VERY HARD WITH TO ACHIEVE
THAT. 
          OUR ADMINISTRATORS, OUR COORDINATORS, OUR TRIPLE C TA MS. RINCO IS HERE. THE PRESIDENT IS HERE WITH US. 
          WE WORK COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER TO WORK TO RETAIN OUR STAFF. 
          ONCE WE GET THEM HERE, WE WANT TO KEEP THEM HERE THAT'S DOLLARS THAT WE SAVE. 
          AND SO IT'S A PRIORITY. WE CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THAT. 
          OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS AND DEFERRED MAINTENANCE CONTINUE TO GROW. 
          WE'VE HAD GREAT SUPPORT WITH FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT IN RECENT YEARS TO BE ABLE TO
SUPPORT THIS. 
          AND WE'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO SEE A SLIDE THAT'S GOING TO ADDRESS THAT. BUT DEFERRED
MAINTENANCE COSTS CONTINUE TO INCREASE. I WANT TO SAY RISING SUN HIGH SCHOOL OPENED IN 94-95. IT'S NOW 30 YEARS OLD. AND SO WE STILL SOME OF US MYSELF LOOK AT THAT AS A NEW
BUILDING. 
          BUT YET IT'S A 30 YEAR OLD BUILDING. IT HAS 30 YEAR OLD EQUIPMENT IN IT. 
          IT'S STARTING TO FAIL. CAN I JUST ASK A QUICK QUESTION? WHAT DOES THE STATE SAY IS THE NORMAL LIFE OF ONE OF OUR BUILDINGS? DO THEY HAVE AN AGE THAT THEY I'M GOING TO. WE HAVE BUILDINGS RIGHT NOW. FOR EXAMPLE,
PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL WERE CONSTRUCTED IN THE 20S AND EARLY 30S. 
          MIDDLE SCHOOL, I KNOW, WAS BUILT AS A HIGH SCHOOL BACK IN,
I THINK IT WAS IN 1932. 
          SO THE ESSENCE OF THAT STRUCTURE IS STILL THERE. 
          THE TIMBERS ARE STILL IN THAT BUILDING. WE HAVE RENOVATED AND ADDED ON TO IT AND
OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, REDONE THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS IN IT,
BUT I CAN GET YOU A NUMBER ON WHAT THE IAC WOULD RECOMMEND IS THE TYPICAL LIFESPAN OF A SCHOOL BUILDING. [INAUDIBLE] DO YOU REMEMBER YESTERDAY WE LISTENED TO SOMETHING FROM THE
IAC AND THEY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT AFTER 30 YEARS, BUILDINGS START COSTING MORE MONEY LONG TERM. 
          THAT'S WHY I WAS BRINGING THIS UP, BECAUSE I COULDN'T REMEMBER. I THINK IT WAS 30.
AND WHEN DO WE, YOU KNOW, WHEN IS IT APPROPRIATE FOR US TO GO TO THE STATE AND SAY,
OKAY, WE HAVE A 35 YEAR OLD SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. 
          ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS. AND I'M SURE THAT'S ACROSS MARYLAND AS WELL. 
          BUT I JUST WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS A DATE THAT YOU HAD. 
          YOU KNOW, I WILL WORK TO PULL THAT OUT. AND WE WORK TO PRIORITIZE BASED UPON THE NEEDS OF
THOSE BUILDINGS. 
          BUT LIKE A TYPICAL HOME, YOUR APPLIANCES START TO WEAR OUT AFTER LIKE 15 YEARS OR SO. 
          NOW IT'S GETTING LESS AND LESS. RIGHT. 10 YEARS. A SCHOOL BUILDING THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS, THE ROOFS AND ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF THINGS THEY DO,
THEY TAKE A BEATING AND YOU GET WEATHER LIKE THIS TO, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING THIS WEEK. THEY'RE REALLY PUSHED TO THE MAX. 
          AND SO THERE IS A TIME, A TIME FRAME FOR THAT. 
          AND I CAN WORK TO GET YOU THAT NUMBER. THANK YOU. EXACTLY. SO ALSO,
AS MISS SOPA HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, MAINTAINING OUR HEALTH CARE COSTS FOR OUR EMPLOYEES,
WE WORK WITH WILLIS TOWER WATSON TO GET COMPETITIVE RATES. 
          WE WORK VERY, VERY HARD WITH THAT, WITH OUR BENEFITS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND THEN THE
REPLACEMENT OF BUSSES THIS YEAR, 
          [01:10:05]
WE'RE LOOKING TO REPLACE WITH OUR CONTRACTORS UP TO 12 BUSSES THIS SCHOOL YEAR. 
          AND THE AVERAGE COST OF A BUS IS AROUND $160,000 PER BUS. 
          WE'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW AREAS FOR YOU HERE AND IN THESE CATEGORIES. 
          YOU'LL SEE HIGHLIGHTED HERE THE BOARD SOME INCREASES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ALONG THE
SIDE HERE IN THE AREA OF THE BOARD, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE THERE OF ABOUT $64,000. 
          OUR AUDITING COSTS AND LEGAL FEES CONTINUE TO RISE THROUGH EXPERIENCE. 
          AND SO THAT'S REFLECTED IN THAT LINE ITEM. IN THE AREA OF PURCHASING,
THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND OUR LEASES FOR OUR COPIERS, AS WELL AS FOR THE VEHICLES THAT WE LEASE TO SUPPORT OUR FLEET OF VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE
AND TRANSPORTATION WORKS WITH BUSINESS SERVICES EVERY YEAR TO MAXIMIZE THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR OUR LEASED VEHICLES TO TRADE IN THOSE THAT ARE AGING
OUT, IF YOU WILL, AND OR MILEAGE OUT AND THEN REPLACING THEM WITH NEWER VEHICLES. 
          SO THEY WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO DO THAT TO MINIMIZE THOSE COSTS. 
          THE NEXT AREA I WANT TO TALK ABOUT AGAIN IS UTILITIES. 
          WITH THE LOSS OF THE ESMEC PRICING FOR ELECTRIC DELIVERY,
ELECTRICITY DELIVERY, WE'RE GOING TO SEE INCREASED COSTS THERE, AS WELL AS JUST THE GENERAL OVERALL INCREASE FOR ELECTRIC,
FOR WATER, FOR SEWER, ALL UTILITIES. 
          THE PRICE IS GOING UP. SO THAT'S REFLECTED IN THIS AREA HERE,
$500,000. 
          TRANSPORTATION YOU SEE $1 MILLION INCREASE THERE THAT'S REFLECTIVE OF THE 12 NEW BUSSES
THAT WE HAVE, AS WELL AS SALARY AND WAGES AND OTHER NEGOTIATED THINGS THAT WE HAVE WITH OUR CONTRACTORS. 
          AND AGAIN, WE CAN GO INTO MORE DETAIL WITH YOU ON THAT NEXT WEEK WHEN WE MEET. 
          FOLLOWING UP WITH THAT WOULD BE OUR OPERATIONS. 
          YOU CAN SEE AN INCREASE HERE OF $170,000. WHY? WE'RE PURCHASING THREE NEW MOWERS AND TWO NEW SCRUBBERS THIS YEAR. 
          AND THEY'RE NOT CHEAP. SCRUBBERS ARE THE DEVICES THAT WE USE TO CLEAN AND REFINISH OUR
FLOORS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL YEAR. 
          AND THEY AGAIN THEY BREAK DOWN OVER TIME. AND THEN THE FINAL AREA HERE THAT YOU'LL SEE IS
OUR HVAC SERVICES. 
          AGAIN, SPEAKING TO YOUR QUESTION EARLIER ABOUT THE AGING BUILDINGS AND THE MECHANICAL
SYSTEMS THEY AGE, THEY WEAR OUT, PARTS GOT TO BE REPLACED. WHAT WE'RE FINDING NOW IS SOME OF OUR EQUIPMENT. 
          WE DON'T WE CAN'T FIND REPLACEMENT PIECES OR PARTS FOR AND OR THE PRICE FOR THOSE IS VERY
HIGH BECAUSE DEMAND IS VERY HIGH. 
          SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING THERE. I WILL DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TO INDIRECT FEES. 
          THIS THIS GAIN OF $936,000 THAT'S A CHARGE OFF TO ALL THE GRANTS THAT ARE MANAGED BY OUR
SCHOOL SYSTEM. 
          WE'RE ABLE TO CHARGE AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE FOR THOSE GRANTS TO ADMINISTER THOSE AND SUCH. 
          AND SO THAT'S REFLECTED THERE IN INDIRECT FEES. 
          SO ALL OF THE ITEMS THAT DOCTOR HAMMER AND DOCTOR BUCKLEY SHARED ON THE LAST FEW SLIDES
DON'T INCLUDE FTE SALARIES FOR THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET. 
          SO ALL OF THOSE THINGS WERE SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS AND CONTRACTED SERVICES. 
          THERE COULD BE SOME WORKSHOP TIME AND HOURLY TIME,
BUT NOT OUR FTE SALARIES. 
          SO THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES. 
          SO SALARIES ARE SPREAD AMONG THE STATE CATEGORIES AND FIXED CHARGES IS ITS OWN SEPARATE
STATE CATEGORY. 
          SO EVERYTHING'S REFLECTED THERE IN CATEGORY 12. 
          COULD YOU EXPLAIN THE ROLL UP THING? IT ADDS UP. 
          DO YOU WANT ME TO. SO IF YOU LOOK JUST FOR CLARIFICATION,
MR. HAMPTON, FOR YOU AND MAYBE OTHERS APPRECIATE IT,
GO BACK ONE, GO BACK ONE. 
          THIS ONE. GO BACK ONE WHERE YOU WERE JUST THE SLIDES YOU WERE ON. 
          JUST NOTICE THAT THE 8.9 IS A SUM OF THE NUMBERS UNDER IT. 
          OKAY. THEY GO UP. OH I SEE. MOST TIMES, I MEAN,
WE ARE ALL USED TO NUMBERS ADDING WITH THE ANSWER AT THE BOTTOM. 
          OKAY, THAT WAS HELPFUL, WASN'T IT? SEE. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOU WERE GETTING AT. 
          OKAY. NOW I UNDERSTAND. THESE NUMBERS HERE ARE OUR ROLL UP CODES. 
          THIS IS HOW WE GROUP ACCOUNTS TOGETHER. AND THEN THESE ARE THE STATE CATEGORIES,
AND WE GROUP SALARY ACCOUNTS TOGETHER. 
          THEY'RE NOT PART OF DEPARTMENT BUDGETS. THAT WAY,
NO ONE TOUCHES THE FTE SALARIES, AND THEY STAY INTACT. 
          AND THEY'RE ENCUMBERED. SO THEY'RE MANAGED SEPARATELY. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE FROM FY 26 TO FY 27 OF $13.3 MILLION. 
          KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS INCLUDES ALL THE POSITIONS THAT WERE BUDGETED FOR IN THE APPROVED
BUDGET FOR FY 26, PLUS THE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS THAT WERE ADDED DURING FY 26 USING FUND BALANCE. 
          AND THERE IS ALSO THE ONLY THING THAT WE HAVE ADDED FOR FY 27 IS ONE JROTC TEACHER FOR
ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL. 
          TO CONTINUE THAT PROGRAM, WE NEED ANOTHER INSTRUCTOR,
AND THAT INSTRUCTOR IS PAID HALF OUT OF THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET AND HALF FROM THE RESTRICTED BUDGET FROM THE US ARMY. AND SO THEY THEY COVER HALF OF THE COST. 
          [01:15:03]
WE COVER HALF. SO YOU SEE HALF OF THAT POSITION WILL BE IN HERE. 
          AND THIS ACTUALLY SHOWS YOU THE POSITION. SO AGAIN ACROSS THE TOP THESE ARE OUR STATE
CATEGORIES ON THE SIDE. 
          THESE ARE OUR OBJECTS. AND ON TUESDAY WHEN WE MEET WITH THE LINE BY LINE BUDGET,
WE'LL DO A LITTLE REVIEW OF THE ACCOUNT NUMBERS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND WHAT THEY LOOK LIKE. BUT THIS IS HOW WE REPORT STAFFING TO THE STATE. 
          AND THIS TELLS US TELLS THE STATE WHAT TYPES OF POSITIONS THEY ARE. 
          AND THIS KIND OF TELLS THEM WHAT THEY DO, WHAT STATE CATEGORY. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE THE UNRESTRICTED POSITIONS FOR FY 27 IS A GRAND TOTAL OF $1,993.1. 
          AND THIS WILL MAKE A LITTLE MORE SENSE WHEN WE MOVE INTO SOME FURTHER SLIDES WHERE WE
COMPARE FY 26 TO FY 27. 
          SO OUR TOTAL UNRESTRICTED BUDGET SUMMARY TAKES ALL OF THOSE SLIDES THAT DOCTOR HAMMER AND
DOCTOR BUCKLEY SHARED. 
          PLUS THE LAST SLIDE THAT I SHARED AND PUTS IT ALL TOGETHER. 
          RIGHT. SO ALL OF THE MATERIALS, SUPPLIES, PEOPLE FIXED CHARGES. 
          AND AGAIN BY STATE CATEGORY. AND SO AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN OUR UNRESTRICTED
BUDGET FROM 26 TO 27 IS $21.6 MILLION, WHICH IS AN 8.3% INCREASE OVER FY 26. 
          KEEPING IN MIND THAT WE KNOW THAT WE STILL HAVE WORK TO DO,
BUT THESE WERE THE PRIORITIES ESTABLISHED BY DEPARTMENT HEADS AND INSTRUCTIONAL COORDINATORS. NEXT, WE MOVE ON TO OUR RESTRICTED REVENUE. 
          SO AGAIN WHAT I'M GOING TO SHARE IS WHAT WE'RE CURRENTLY,
WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE RIGHT NOW. 
          AND WHEREVER YOU SEE THESE POSITIONS APPROVED AND REQUESTED,
ANY CHANGE THAT HAPPENED HAS HAPPENED DURING FY 26. 
          AND THAT WAS A RESULT OF INCREASE IN FUNDING OR REDUCTION IN FUNDING. 
          AND RIGHT HERE, THAT JROTC TEACHER THAT I RECOMMENDED OR THAT I MENTIONED,
THAT'S 2.5 GOING INTO FY 27, THAT'S THE ADDITIONAL 0.5. WE ALREADY HAVE ONE,
AND THERE'LL BE AN ADDITIONAL 1 IN 27. 
          SO YOU CAN SEE HERE OUR FEDERAL GRANTS OUR TITLE GRANTS OUR JROTC GRANTS. 
          YOU CAN SEE YOU'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THE READ AND LEAD INITIATIVE AND THOSE GRANTS THAT WE
RECEIVED THIS YEAR, MCKINNEY VENTO HOMELESS EDUCATION WE TYPICALLY RECEIVE EVERY YEAR,
BUT IT'S NOT A GIVEN, AND WE'RE NEVER SURE WHAT THE EXACT AMOUNT IS GOING TO BE TO SUPPORT TRANSPORTATION AND SOME OTHER THINGS FOR HOMELESS STUDENTS. 
          HERE YOU CAN SEE A WHOLE PAGE OF SPECIAL ED GRANTS. 
          A LOT OF THEM ARE PASSED THROUGH FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 
          I DO BELIEVE, NOT EXACTLY KNOWING WHICH ONES THAT THERE ARE. 
          AND DOCTOR MILLER IS NOT THERE, BUT THERE ARE A HANDFUL THAT WE ANTICIPATE WILL NOT BE
COMING ESPECIALLY IN THE INFANT AND TODDLER WORLD FOR FY 27. SO GRANTS THAT WE WERE RECEIVING THAT WE WILL NOT BE RECEIVING,
WHICH IS WHY YOU SEE AN INCREASE IN THE INFANT AND TODDLER EXPENSES IN THE UNRESTRICTED ACCOUNT, BECAUSE WHAT WE WERE DOING IS USING SOME OF THESE GRANTS TO PAY FOR RELATED
SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR INFANTS AND TODDLERS. 
          AND NOW THOSE GRANTS AFTER THE BEGINNING OF FY 27,
RIGHT IN SEPTEMBER, WHEN THESE GRANTS END, THE ANTICIPATION IS THAT SOME OF THEM WILL NOT BE RENEWED. 
          AND THESE ARE OUR JUDY CENTER GRANTS, AGAIN,
OUR STATE GRANTS FOR JUDY CENTER. 
          THIS IS ALL THE SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES ASSOCIATED WITH ALL OF OUR GRANT FUNDING. 
          SO AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THIS CHANGE FROM THE FY 26 APPROVED TO FY 27. 
          AND IT'S A $1.5 MILLION INCREASE. THIS SHOWS ALL OF THE POSITIONS IN THE RESTRICTED
BUDGET. 
          SO ALL OF THE GRANT FUNDED POSITIONS. AND THEN THIS IS A TOTAL RESTRICTED BUDGET. 
          SUMMARY. SO AGAIN TAKING ALL THE INFORMATION FROM EACH GRANT,
SALARIES, FIXED CHARGES AND ANY SUPPLIES OR OTHER THINGS THAT GO ALONG WITH THE GRANT. 
          AND KEEP IN MIND WITH GRANTS, GRANTS ARE REIMBURSABLE SO WE INCUR THE EXPENSE AND THEN WE
SUBMIT FOR REIMBURSEMENT AS LONG AS THE EXPENSE MATCHES THE INTENT OF THE GRANT. 
          FOR MOST OF THEM, THOUGH, SOME SMALLER LOCAL GRANTS WHERE YOU RECEIVE MONEY UPFRONT,
BUT ESPECIALLY YOUR STATE AND FEDERAL GRANTS ARE ON A REIMBURSABLE BASIS. 
          THIS IS OUR TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET. POSITIONS BY SUMMARY. 
          SO YOU'VE SEEN THIS FOR THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET AND THE RESTRICTED BUDGET. 
          AND YOU PUT THOSE TOGETHER AND THEN YOU GET OUR OPERATING BUDGET. 
          SO THIS IS ALL POSITIONS FOR ALL STATE CATEGORIES. 
          SO IT'S A TOTAL OF $2,094.9 GOING INTO FY 27. 
          AND AGAIN IT INCLUDES ALL CURRENT POSITIONS RIGHT NOW. 
          IN ADDITION, THAT ONE JROTC TEACHER THAT WE'VE ADDED FOR FY 27. 
          AND THIS IS THE COMPARISON PAGE WHERE WE SHOW YOU FY 26 NEXT TO FY 27. 
          AND KEEPING IN MIND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS 38.7 NUMBER,
WE DIDN'T ADD 38.7 POSITIONS, BUT WE HAD SOME POSITIONS REDUCED SOME POSITIONS 
          [01:20:03]
ADDED. SO IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO. 
          AND ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF THESE DECIMAL NUMBERS,
A LOT OF TIMES WITH CONTRACTED SERVICES, WE MENTIONED EARLIER THAT RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE REALLY HARD TO FIND. 
          AND SO WHEN WE DO FIND THEM, WE LIKE TO HIRE THEM,
BUT SOMETIMES THEY REDUCE, THEY WORK MAYBE A .2. 
          4 OR 0.6. THEY WORK SEVERAL DAYS A WEEK, OR WE HAVE TO CONTRACT 0.4 BECAUSE WE HAVE A 0.6. 
          AND SO THAT'S WHERE WE END UP WITH THESE POINT,
THESE DECIMAL PARTS OF POSITIONS. 
          USUALLY IT'S RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS. THERE ARE NOT MANY PART TIME EMPLOYEES,
BUT IT'S MOSTLY RELATED TO THOSE. 
          SO WE DID HAVE SEVERAL THIS YEAR THAT REDUCED THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT THEY WORK AS FTES,
AND THAT'S WHERE YOU END UP WITH A 0.7. 
          THIS JUST SHOWS YOU OUR HISTORICAL STAFFING SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE STAND OVER TIME AND
JUST A TREND. 
          GOT A QUESTION ON THIS CHART. THAT ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL THAT IS ADDED PROPOSED TO BE ADDED
OR IT'S ALREADY BEEN I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT'S NOT REALLY A NEW ADMIN THAT WAS BROUGHT INTO DISTRICT. 
          THAT POSITION EXISTED, BUT IT WAS A DEAN OF STUDENTS. 
          IS THAT RIGHT? IT WAS A SITUATION THAT OCCURRED AFTER THE BUDGET WAS APPROVED IN JUNE,
AND THIS IS AT BOWMAN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL, AND IT WAS A DEAN OF STUDENTS POSITION, AND IT BECAME AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL POSITION
BECAUSE OF THE PERSON THAT WE MOVED TO THAT BUILDING AS AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. 
          SO NOT AN ADDITIONAL POSITION. BUT THAT'S ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES I GAVE YOU OF THE PLUS AND
MINUSES. 
          WHEN WE ADDED AN ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, WE TOOK AWAY A DEAN OF STUDENTS,
WHICH IS A TEACHER. 
          SO THERE'S AN OFFSETTING THERE, WHICH DOESN'T MEAN THAT EXACTLY THAT MANY OF TEACHERS. 
          RIGHT. BECAUSE WE HAD SOME PLUS AND MINUSES AS THE YEAR WENT ON. 
          THIS IS THE SUM TOTAL AT THE END. AND I JUST THINK AN IMPORTANT NOTE TOO IN THAT EXAMPLE
IS THAT IT'S NOT THE SALARY THAT'S GOING TO BE INCREASED OF A NEW ADMIN. 
          IT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WHATEVER THAT TEACHER WAS AND THEIR NEW 12 MONTH EMPLOYEE
STATUS. 
          CORRECT. AND SOMETIMES WITH YOUR TEACHERS WITH MORE EXPERIENCE,
THERE'S LESS OF A DIFFERENCE THAN YOU WOULD IMAGINE. 
          ONE OTHER QUESTION ON THIS CHART, AND I GOT A FEW ON THE CHARTS,
BUT THIS IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BUDGETED FY OR APPROVED FY 26 BUDGETED POSITIONS AND THE REQUESTED FY 27. 
          BUT IF YOU LOOKED IF YOU WENT INTO THE SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW,
IT WOULD LOOK VERY CLOSE TO WHAT'S BEING ASKED FOR IN FY 27. 
          CORRECT. SO RIGHT NOW, WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR IN FY 27,
THIS 2094, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE 2,093.9 BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T HAVE THAT JROTC POSITION. SO THIS IS EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. 
          PLUS ONE NEW POSITION FOR FY 27. [INAUDIBLE] CORRECT. 
          MAIN POINT OF THAT IS THAT THOSE MOST OF THOSE NEWER POSITIONS RIGHT NOW ARE FUNDED OUT OF
THE FUND BALANCE. 
          AND THAT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE. SO TO MAINTAIN THAT THOSE SERVICES WITH THOSE ADDITIONAL
EMPLOYEES, WE WOULD SOMETIME SOON NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT. 
          SO THIS IS OUR TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET SUMMARY. 
          THIS TAKES THE UNRESTRICTED AND RESTRICTED BUDGET AND BRINGS EVERYTHING TOGETHER WITH ALL
THE SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES. 
          SO AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE FROM FY 26 TO FY 27,
$23.1 MILLION INCREASE, WHICH IS AN 8.4% INCREASE OVER FY 26. WOULD IT BE TOO MUCH OF AN ASK TO HAVE THE NUMBERS ON THIS CHART BROKEN OUT LIKE THEY ARE TOO ON THE POSITION SUMMARY? BECAUSE RIGHT NOW IT'S ROLLED UP LIKE INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES AND WAGES. 
          BUT THAT INCLUDES PARAS, TEACHERS, RSPS. WHEREAS THE POSITIONS ON THE POSITION SUMMARY, IT'S JUST BROKEN DOWN DIFFERENTLY AND BY COLUMNS AND. 
          IT'S BROKEN DOWN BECAUSE THOSE ARE JUST POSITIONS. AND WHEN WE GET TO THE LINE BY LINE
BUDGET, I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT REALLY CLEARLY. 
          THIS IS THE WAY. SO THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE REPORT. 
          AND SO THE SLIDES THAT DOCTOR HAMMER AND DOCTOR BUCKLEY SHARED WERE OUR ROLL UP CODES AND
THE WAY THAT WE GROUP ACCOUNTS TOGETHER, WHICH IS HOW WE MANAGE THE ACCOUNTS. SO THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR
BUDGETING, SPENDING, APPROVING. AND THERE ARE ALSO THINGS THAT ARE A LOT MORE UNDERSTANDABLE TO
PEOPLE, RIGHT? SO WHEN YOU SEE SECONDARY MATH, ATHLETICS,
TRANSPORTATION, RIGHT, THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU. 
          WHEN YOU SEE ADMINISTRATION, INSTRUCTIONAL LEAD AND SUPPORT,
THAT'S A LITTLE MORE VAGUE. SO THAT'S WHY WE TRY TO SHOW THE DATA IN BOTH WAYS, SO THAT YOU CAN SEE HOW WE ORGANIZE THE ACCOUNTS VERSUS HOW WE HAVE TO REPORT THEM TO THE
STATE. 
          AND OUR BUDGET HAS TO BE APPROVED BY STATE CATEGORY,
BECAUSE THIS IS HOW WE HAVE TO SUBMIT IT TO THE STATE. 
          NO. THAT'S UNDERSTOOD. I DON'T WANT TO MAKE MORE WORK FOR YOU. I THINK WHAT ALL I'M SAYING
IS THAT FOR EXAMPLE, 
          [01:25:04]
ON THE POSITION SUMMARY, THERE'S 1167 TEACHERS SHOWN UP. 
          BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE FUNDING, THOSE TEACHER POSITIONS ARE SHOWN UP IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. 
          OH, YEAH. AND YEAH, YOU'LL SEE THEM IN INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES AND WAGES. 
          SPECIAL EDUCATION. THERE ARE SOME IN STUDENT PERSONNEL THERE. 
          YEAH. THEY'RE SPREAD OUT JUST BASED ON THEIR STATE CATEGORY THAT THEY BELONG TO. 
          FIGURE IT OUT MORE NEXT WEEK THEN. THANKS. WELL AND NOT TO JUMP THE GUN A LITTLE BIT,
BUT WHEN YOU GET THE LINE BY LINE BUDGET THERE, IT WILL BE MARKED UP WITH SOME WHAT WE BELIEVE REDUCTIONS THAT NEED TO BE MADE. 
          AND I WANT TO IS IT A 16 DIGIT OR 18 DIGIT CODE? OKAY. SO YOU WILL GET AN EXPLANATION OF HOW TO READ THE CODING THAT IF A LAPTOP IS
PURCHASED AT BAINBRIDGE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, DESIGNATED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION FROM A FEDERAL PASS THROUGH GRANT IT YOU'LL BE ABLE TO
TRACK EXACTLY WHAT THAT EXPENDITURE IS. 
          OTHER QUESTIONS SO FAR. MOVE ON. OKAY, GOOD. THIS TIME,
WE'D LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH YOU OUR CAPITAL BUDGET REQUEST. 
          THE FIRST ITEM I'D LIKE TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO IN THIS SLIDE IS THIS NUMBER HERE 185
MILLION. 
          IF YOU'LL REMEMBER PREVIOUSLY, THE COST OF NORTHEAST MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL REPLACEMENT
PROJECT WAS $181 MILLION. 
          THAT $4 MILLION DIFFERENCE IS CAPTURED IN THIS BOX DOWN HERE WITH THE FINISHING OUT OF THE
12 CLASSROOMS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED TO BE SHELLED OUT, AS WELL AS THE REQUIRED WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE ALONG IRISHTOWN ROAD TO WIDEN THAT ROAD
THAT TOTALS $4 MILLION. 
          SO THIS NEW NUMBER FOR THE ESTIMATED COST OF THAT BUILDING AND THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO BE
$185 MILLION. 
          WE'VE PREVIOUSLY WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED $128 MILLION THE STATE THIS YEAR REQUEST OF $6
MILLION FROM THE COUNTY, IF YOU REMEMBER, THE COUNTY ENTERED INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH US TO FRONT FUND THE STATE
PORTION OF THIS PROJECT. 
          SO THAT'S $11.9 MILLION THIS YEAR. AND OUR ASK OF THEM FOR THIS YEAR IS ON TOP OF THE 11
THAT'S IN THE AGREEMENT IS 20, MILLION AND A HALF, $20.5 MILLION FOR THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT. 
          FURTHER, WE ARE ASKING FOR $1 MILLION SO THAT WE MAY BEGIN THE PLANNING FOR THE
REPLACEMENT OF THOMPSON ESTATES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. 
          THAT IS THE NEXT CAPITAL PROJECT ON OUR LIST. 
          SO WE'RE GOING TO BE REQUESTING THE PLANNING MONEY FOR THAT THIS YEAR. 
          THE TOTAL THAT WE'RE ASKING FROM THE COUNTY THIS YEAR IS $33,468,365. 
          THIS SLIDE WILL REFLECT TO YOU OUR SIX PRIORITIES FOR SMALL CAP PROJECTS. 
          THE FIRST ONE THAT I WANT TO DISCUSS IS ARE THE REPLACEMENT OF TWO RESINORS AT THE SCHOOL
OF TECHNOLOGY. 
          WE HAVE RECEIVED A $540,000 GRANT FROM THE MARYLAND ENERGY ASSOCIATION. 
          AND OUR BALANCE OF THAT TO COMPLETE THAT PROJECT WOULD BE $180,000. 
          AND THAT'S REFLECTED AS PRIORITY ONE IN THIS REQUEST LIST. 
          THE RISING SUN PARKING LOT REDESIGN AND REPLACEMENT IS OUR PRIORITY NUMBER TWO,
AND THE ESTIMATE OF THAT IS $980,000. 
          PHASE TWO OF THE BOILER REPLACEMENT AT THE ASC THIS YEAR,
WE HAVE PHASE ONE OF THAT BOILER REPLACEMENT. 
          THERE ARE TWO BOILERS THERE. AND SO WE WILL BE REPLACING ONE BOILER THIS YEAR AND NEXT
YEAR WE'RE REQUESTING TO COMPLETE THAT FULL BOILER REPLACEMENT AT $375,000. WE NEED TO UPGRADE THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM AT PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. 
          HE'S I THINK, MISS HEATH, I THINK THIS GOES BACK TO YOUR POINT EARLIER. WHEN DO BUILDINGS
AGE OUT? SO THE FIRE ALARM SYSTEM NEEDS A COMPLETE UPGRADE BECAUSE WE ARE NO LONGER ABLE TO FIND
PARTS FOR IT. 
          IT IS OPERATIONAL, IT WORKS, BUT WE CAN NO LONGER FIND PARTS TO REPLACE IT. 
          SO WE ARE REQUESTING THE REPLACEMENT OF THAT FOR $400,000. 
          AGAIN, THE FIRE PUMP AT THE SCHOOL, AT THE PROVIDENCE SCHOOL,
WHILE IT FUNCTIONS, IT LEAKS. 
          IT'S RUSTING OUT. IT'S OLD, IT'S TIRED. AND SO WE'RE REQUESTING TO REPLACE THAT AT
$20,000. 
          AND THEN AGAIN, MULTIPLE PAVING PROJECTS THAT WE'VE SLATED THIS YEAR,
THIS PAST SUMMER, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE A DENT INTO THE PAVING THAT WE NEED THROUGHOUT OUR SYSTEM. AND THIS YEAR, WE ARE REQUESTING $300,000 IN ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO CONTINUE THAT
PROCESS OF ADDING PAVEMENT TO OUR BUILDINGS. 
          JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE CAPITAL BUDGET. YOU KNOW,
THE COUNTY AGREED TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT OF THE NEW SCHOOL, AND MS. SOPA AND I WERE JUST SIDEBAR ABOUT WHEN DOES THE STATE WHEN AT THE
CURRENT PACE, WHEN WILL THEY HAVE PAID IN FULL THEIR DEBT ON THE. 
          AND WE BELIEVE IT'S 2031. BUT IF THEY CONTINUE TO PAY THE $6 MILLION A YEAR TO THE COUNTY, 
          [01:30:03]
THEY WILL HAVE PAID THE COUNTY BACK IN FULL BY 2031. 
          AT THE TIME, IT SEEMED LIKE THIS WAS A GREAT IDEA BECAUSE,
YOU KNOW, WE KNEW WE WERE GOING TO GET OUR SCHOOL ON TIME. 
          BUT IF YOU GO BACK ORIGINALLY THE SCHOOL, WE AGREED THAT THE SCHOOL WOULD BE CONSTRUCTED
AND WE HAD SECURED THE FUNDING, IT WAS 2021, 2022. SO THE PROJECT FINANCIALLY FROM THE STATE SIDE IS GOING TO BE A TEN
YEAR PROJECT. 
          SO YEAH, WE'RE GETTING $185 MILLION NEW SCHOOL,
WHICH IS TECHNICALLY TWO SCHOOLS, TO BE FAIR. 
          SO IF YOU SAY, OKAY, WE'RE GOING TO GET A NEW SCHOOL EVERY FIVE YEARS,
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE 29 TIMES FIVE, WHICH I THINK IS 145. SO NOW WE'RE COUNTING ON OUR SCHOOLS TO GO TO YOUR QUESTION,
MISS HEATH 145 YEARS. 
          AND OBVIOUSLY THAT'S SILLY. BUT AS RECENTLY AS THIS MORNING,
WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO AT LEAST SET ASIDE $1 MILLION FOR THE DESIGN SPECS FOR THOMPSON ESTATES. AND WE'LL SEE. YOU KNOW, I'M NOT 100% OPTIMISTIC ON THIS,
BUT BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE FRONT FUNDING NOTION DOES NOTHING MORE THAN KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD. 
          RIGHT? AND IT'S BASICALLY AN INTEREST FREE LOAN FROM THE COUNTY TO THE STATE TO THE TUNE
OF $40 MILLION. 
          AND WHERE DOES THAT HAPPEN? AN INTEREST FREE LOAN FOR $40 MILLION. 
          SO, YOU KNOW, IN FAIRNESS TO THE COUNTIES WHO WE HAVE OVER THE YEARS BEEN QUICK TO,
YOU KNOW, BANG OVER THE HEAD ON FINANCIAL ISSUES. THEY'RE GETTING DUMPED ON PRETTY GOOD THESE DAYS. 
          AND I DO THINK THERE'S A TIPPING POINT. I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH THEY'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO
DO, YOU KNOW, AS A COUNTY INSTITUTION. BUT BY DOING THAT,
IT DID ALLOW US TO SAVE MONEY BECAUSE WE ARE, YOU KNOW, BUYING OUR, MATERIAL NOW RATHER THAN FIVE YEARS FROM NOW WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO
DO THAT. NO QUESTION. WE'RE TRYING TO DO THAT. BUT WHEN IN THE BACK OF MY MIND, I THOUGHT THE MINUTE WE OPEN UP THE NEW DOOR TO THE NEW BUILDING IN NORTHEAST,
WE TURN AROUND AND WE BREAK GROUND AT THOMPSON. 
          ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW, WE COULD BE LOOKING AT A 3-4 YEAR DELAY BETWEEN OPENING UP A NEW
SCHOOL AND STARTING CONSTRUCTION ON THOMPSON. 
          SO YEAH, THAT'S FRUSTRATING. AND WITH THAT, DEBT SERVICE. 
          SO DEBT SERVICE. WHEN IT COMES TIME TO APPROVE BUDGETS,
YOU APPROVE AN OPERATING BUDGET, A CAPITAL BUDGET AND A DEBT SERVICE BUDGET. 
          SO THE SCHOOL SYSTEM CANNOT INCUR DEBT OR LEVY TAXES,
AND THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAJOR CAPITAL ADDITION AND RENOVATION PROJECTS. SO WHAT THIS BUDGET SHOWS IS THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST THAT THEY OWE ON OUR
CAPITAL PROJECTS THAT THEY FUND FOR US. 
          SO ALL OF OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM PROJECTS, THIS DATA COMES FROM COUNTY GOVERNMENT. 
          AND WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS INCLUDED AS PART OF OUR BUDGET AND PART OF OUR
FINANCIALS. 
          AND SO BASICALLY THEY PROVIDE THE DATA TO US. 
          THEY MAKE THESE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST PAYMENTS ON OUR BEHALF,
AND WE RECORD THIS AS PART OF OUR BUDGET AND AS PART OF OUR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. 
          SO AGAIN, THIS IS ANOTHER EXPENSE THAT COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS. 
          SO WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE SHARED TONIGHT FOR THE OPERATING BUDGET ONLY,
IT'S ABOUT A $298.6 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET. 
          OF THAT, ALMOST 80% IS SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES. 
          SO IT'S PEOPLE. SO JUST TO SEE THAT IT'S A VERY PEOPLE HEAVY ORGANIZATION,
A PEOPLE HEAVY BUDGET. 
          AND THESE ARE OUR UPCOMING BUDGET MEETINGS AGAIN ON FEBRUARY 3RD,
WE'LL BE MEETING MOST OF THE DAY TO GO THROUGH THE LINE BY LINE BUDGET. 
          WE'LL PROVIDE AN UPDATE AT OUR BOARD MEETING ON FEBRUARY 11TH. 
          FEBRUARY 17TH THERE IS ALSO A BUDGET PRESENTATION AT THE CAC MEETING. 
          WE'LL HAVE OUR BUDGET HEARING ON FEBRUARY 25TH AND SUBMIT OUR REQUEST TO THE COUNTY,
KNOWING THAT BEFORE WE CAN SUBMIT IT TO THE COUNTY, WE DO HAVE SOME WORK TO DO, AND WE HOPE TO BRING YOU SOME SUGGESTIONS ON TUESDAY TO
CONSIDER, AND YOU MAY HAVE SUGGESTIONS OF YOUR OWN TO SHARE WITH US THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE OF
CHANGES MADE. 
          AND THEN AGAIN, COUNTY GOVERNMENT ACTION. WE WILL PRESENT OUR BUDGET TO THEM TO COUNTY
COUNCIL ON MAY 6TH, AND SOME OF THEIR DATES ARE TO BE DETERMINED. 
          AND AS WE HAVE THOSE, WE'LL ADD THOSE TO THE PRESENTATION. 
          SO THAT CONCLUDES THE INFORMATION WE'VE PREPARED. 
          AGAIN I WANT TO THANK THE LEADERSHIP TEAM AND THE STAFF BEHIND ME. 
          THERE'S, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF MAN HOURS AND WOMAN HOURS BEHIND THIS EFFORT. 
          AND AGAIN, I COULDN'T BE MORE APPRECIATIVE OF THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND COMPETENCE. 
          SO THANK YOU GUYS VERY MUCH. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. 
          OKAY. NO OTHER QUESTIONS. THEN WE'LL MOVE INTO OUR PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF TONIGHT. 
          [1.04 Public Comments on the Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Request  ]
AND I THINK WE HAVE ONE MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY HERE TO SPEAK,
MR. BRIM. I THINK YOU KNOW THE DRILL. SO WE'LL GO AHEAD AND LET YOU ADDRESS. 
          THANK YOU. GOOD EVENING. MEMBERS OF THE BOARD,
THE MEMBERS OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND MY FELLOW CITIZENS OF CECIL COUNTY AND DOCTOR 
          [01:35:04]
BUCKLEY. GUESS WHAT I'M GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW,
SPEAKING OF NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL I'M SEAN BRIM OF NORTHEAST, THE BIGGEST PROJECT FOR ANY PART OF CECIL COUNTY'S GOVERNMENT IS THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE HIGH
SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. 
          IT OUTCLASSES ANYTHING THAT I AM AWARE OF THAT HAS BEEN BUILT IN THE LAST HALF CENTURY,
MAYBE EVER IN THE COUNTY. 
          TO THOSE WHO THINK THAT SOMEHOW THIS IS A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY,
I WOULD LIKE TO. 
          I WOULD LIKE A WORD. THE CURRENT NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 1932,
IN THE DEPTHS OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION. 
          MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WERE UNEMPLOYED. THEIR FORTUNES LOST IN THE ECONOMIC CRASH THAT WAS
THEN IN ITS THIRD FULL YEAR. 
          YET, AS THE BUILDING ITSELF ATTESTS, CECIL COUNTY WAS LOOKING TO THE FUTURE WITH A NEW
HIGH SCHOOL THAT WOULD BE FURTHER EXPANDED IN THE YEARS AND DECADES TO COME. 
          IT IS A REMARKABLE STATEMENT OF OPTIMISM IN A BRIGHT FUTURE THERE IN BRICK AND MORTAR. 
          MY GRANDFATHER GRADUATED FROM THAT FROM IN THAT VERY BUILDING. 
          BUT THE DECADES TO COME WOULD NOT BE EASY. TEN YEARS AFTER THE CURRENT MIDDLE SCHOOLS
OPENING, AMERICA WOULD BE BUSY SMASHING THE FASCIST MENACE. 
          AND AFTER THAT, WE WOULD BE IN THE THROES OF THE COLD WAR,
THE KOREAN AND VIETNAM CONFLICTS, THE STRUGGLE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS AND MUCH ELSE. THE 70S AND 80S WOULD SEE ECONOMIC
INSTABILITY AND RECESSION AND ON DOWN TO THE PRESENT. 
          THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILDING IS APPARENTLY THE OLDEST BUILDING IN THE SCHOOL
SYSTEM STILL IN USE. 
          I BELIEVE IT'S ALSO THE OLDEST BUILDING IN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT STILL IN USE. 
          THE NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT IS THUS FAR IS THUS FAR,
FAR OVERDUE. 
          THE LESSON HERE IS CLEAR. CECIL COUNTY MUST NOT LET SUCH NECESSARY INVESTMENT IN OUR
CHILDREN'S FUTURE GO FOR SO LONG. 
          THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL IS NEARLY A CENTURY IN THE MAKING. 
          WE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE DAWN OF THE 22ND CENTURY BEFORE AGAIN THINKING ABOUT
TOMORROW'S PROMISE. 
          I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO MARK TODAY'S DATE ON THIS OCCASION,
BY REMEMBERING THIS DAY IN HISTORY AS A LIFELONG FAN OF AMERICA'S SPACE PROGRAM, WHICH IS ONLY POSSIBLE VIA PUBLIC, AND PUBLICLY FUNDED EDUCATION. 
          LIKE DECEMBER 7TH, NOVEMBER 22ND, AND SEPTEMBER 11TH. 
          TUESDAY, JANUARY 28TH, 1986 WAS A DATE THAT ALL WHO WERE THERE WILL REMEMBER WHAT THEY
WERE DOING AND WHERE THEY WERE WHEN THEY FIRST HEARD THE NEWS. 40 YEARS AGO, AT T PLUS 73 SECONDS,
THE SPACE SHUTTLE CHALLENGER WAS LOST IN A HORRIFIC MISHAP. 
          ALONG WITH ALL ON BOARD, INCLUDED IN THE CREW WAS CHRISTA MCAULIFFE,
WHO FOR THOSE 73 SECONDS WAS AMERICA'S FIRST TEACHER IN SPACE. 
          IS. ON THAT DAY, I SPOKE TO MR. KEN WARNER, A SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER AT NORTHEAST MIDDLE
SCHOOL. 
          HE WAS DISTRAUGHT AND HEARTBROKEN, AS WERE WE ALL. 
          HE HAD APPLIED FOR THE TEACHER IN SPACE PROGRAM HIMSELF AND FOR THE REST OF HIS TEACHING
CAREER ALWAYS HAD A FRAMED DEDICATION TO MCAULIFFE AND THE BRAVE ASTRONAUTS OF CHALLENGER ON HIS CLASSROOM WALL. HIS DEDICATION WAS AND IS A CLASSROOM LESSON IN ITSELF
THAT I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN, AND I INCLUDE THAT AS ONE OF THOSE UNQUANTIFIABLE THINGS THAT GO INTO OUR SCHOOL BUDGET
THAT I SPOKE ABOUT AT THE LAST MEETING. 
          PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN COMFORTED A GRIEVING AND HORRIFIED NATION WITH THESE WORDS THAT
VERY EVENING. 
          THEY SLIPPED THE SURLY BONDS OF EARTH TO TOUCH THE FACE OF GOD. 
          THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MR. BRIM. FIRST, I WOULD LIKE TO APOLOGIZE TO MR. FERDINANDO BECAUSE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS I DID NOT MAKE EVERYONE AWARE
THAT HE WAS ON THE PHONE JOINING US BY PHONE. 
          SO, MR. FERDINANDO, I WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US BY PHONE
TONIGHT. 
          AND THEN WE HAVE A GENERAL BUDGET DISCUSSION AS WELL ON OUR AGENDA. 
          SO IF WE HAVE OTHER DISCUSSION THAT ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO BRING UP OR. 
          NO. OKAY. SO THAT IS THE LAST THING ON OUR AGENDA. 
          I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT TO THANK OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR PRESENTING THIS
TO US. 
          AND LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT TUESDAY MORE INFORMATION. 
          SO THANK YOU AGAIN. I KNOW IT'S ALL THE HARD WORK THAT YOU GUYS PUT INTO THIS,
AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND YOUR DEDICATION FOR MAKING HELPING US BECOME AWARE OF OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. 
          [01:40:02]
AND THAT'S IT. SO MEETING ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.