$28.7M Sought For Repairs, Security Upgrades, Athletic Facilities At Harford Co. Schools

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — School leaders have identified more than $55.5 million in building repairs, school security improvements, athletic facility upgrades and other needs, but is proposing a smaller $28.7 million capital improvement budget for fiscal year 2028.

The proposed Capital Improvement Program, presented to the Harford County Board of Education Monday, includes $16 million for heating, ventilation and air conditioning improvements, $3.1 million for safety and security projects and $1.7 million for athletic and recreational facilities.

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The school system plans to request $28,679,800 in local funding, leaving approximately $26.8 million in identified needs outside the proposed fiscal year 2028 funding plan.

Among the largest projects proposed are $7.1 million for the central heating and cooling plant at Aberdeen High School, $5.5 million for HVAC improvements at Fountain Green Elementary School and $3.4 million to replace rooftop HVAC units at Edgewood Elementary School.

These three projects account for the entire $16 million proposed for major HVAC improvements in fiscal year 2028.

Additional heating and cooling projects identified in the district's five-year capital plan include $40 million in planned HVAC improvements at Southampton Middle School over two fiscal years, $50 million for Fallston Middle School in fiscal year 2032 and $10 million for Emmorton Elementary School in fiscal year 2031.

Those projects are not included in the proposed fiscal year 2028 funding request.

School officials also have identified several athletic facility improvements, including $600,000 to replace the track at Joppatowne High School, which district documents indicate is currently closed for competition.

Other proposed athletic and recreational projects include $50,000 for Americans with Disabilities Act improvements at Bel Air Elementary School's playground, $300,000 each for playground replacements and related accessibility and stormwater improvements at Meadowvale and Norrisville elementary schools, and $250,000 to replace aging playground equipment at other elementary schools.

An additional $110,000 is proposed for track maintenance, while $50,000 would replace outdated and unsafe fitness equipment. School athletic and recreational facilities are used by community members outside school hours through a partnership with Harford County Parks and Recreation.

Without regular maintenance and replacement, officials warn that deteriorating facilities could face closure, limiting recreational opportunities for students and residents, leaders stated at the meeting.

School security is another major component of the proposed spending plan. The district identified $2.28 million in total needs to expand Evolv weapons detection systems to all high schools. However, only $720,000 is included in the proposed fiscal year 2028 request, with the remaining $1.56 million deferred to future years.

The district proposes installing the systems at three high schools annually, although the documents do not identify which schools would receive them first.

Other proposed security improvements include $900,000 to replace aging cameras at seven locations, $300,000 for 13 security camera archive servers, $230,000 for the first phase of security alarm upgrades and $100,000 for sensors in middle school bathrooms with multiple stalls.

An additional $200,000 would complete the installation of weapons detection software on existing systems, while $370,000 would fund radio upgrades at nine schools as part of a five-year replacement program.

The district also proposes $35,000 for intercom systems at seven schools with portable classrooms.

Special education programs and transportation needs are included in the proposed budget.

Harford County Public Schools is requesting $800,000 to expand the STRIVE special education program at Deerfield Elementary School and purchase two additional buses.

Another $501,000 would purchase three buses to serve increasing numbers of students attending nonpublic special education placements.

Forest Hill Elementary School would receive $235,000 to create separate de-escalation and sensory spaces.

The proposal also includes $650,000 for relocatable classrooms, with $325,000 each designated for Havre de Grace Elementary School and Hall's Cross Roads Elementary School.

At North Harford High School, $80,000 is proposed to replace fencing used by the school's agricultural program. An additional $200,000 has been identified to replace a deteriorating barn floor, although that project has been deferred to fiscal year 2029.

Other proposed spending includes $1.7 million toward replacing aging non-bus vehicles, $2 million for special education buses and $400,000 to purchase seven additional vehicles.

District officials said several maintenance vehicles, including work trucks, snowplows and food service delivery vehicles, have exceeded their expected service lives. Limited replacement funding has required the school system to rent vehicles for some operations, including snow removal.

The district's proposed funding plan assumes $60 million in county bond funding, consistent with fiscal year 2027. Of that amount, approximately $51.3 million would be committed to the local share of projects eligible for state funding, leaving roughly $8.7 million for projects funded entirely by the county.

School officials also are using a proposed $20 million in county pay-as-you-go funding, which pays for capital improvements without issuing debt.

Separately, the Board of Education approved its fiscal year 2028 state-eligible capital improvement request Sept. 28. That request includes funding associated with a new elementary school and Harford Academy project, along with a roof replacement at Meadowvale Elementary School.

The state-eligible projects carry a combined estimated cost of $91.2 million, including approximately $39.9 million in requested state funding and $51.3 million in local matching funds.

The local-only capital improvement proposal remains preliminary, and the amounts have not been approved for spending.

The Board of Education is scheduled to consider final approval of the $28.7 million local capital improvement request at its Nov. 23 meeting.

Residents can review the full fiscal year 2028 prioritized project list, the five-year capital improvement plan and the preliminary budget sheets on the school system's website.