$116.6M Budget For Howard Co. Schools Supported By County Leaders

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — The 2027 fiscal year capital budget for the Howard County Public School System will be fully funded, county officials announced recently.

The FY27 capital budget for HCPSS totals $116.6 million with $98.6 million coming from Howard County alone. This marks the highest county contribution to school construction in more than 25 years, and exceeds last year’s school capital funding by nearly 50%.

“We have continued working collaboratively to prioritize our schools’ most pressing building and infrastructure needs because we understand that what we build today must serve this year’s students, and the next generation and the one after that,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball at a news conference. “At a time of uncertainty at the federal and state level, and during a time when others might hesitate, Howard County is stepping forward. Now, Howard County has the highest investment of county funds in school projects in more than a quarter of a century.”

Of the total $116.6 million HCPSS capital budget request, the state is anticipated to contribute $18.1 million. Howard County’s local funding contribution is $9 million higher than the board of education's initial request in fall 2025 due to lower state funding assumptions that were shifted to the county in the BOE’s final budget request approved on Feb. 26.

The HCPSS capital budget also is supported by a historic allocation of $47.2 million in one-time PAYGO funding.

Schools receiving major funding for renovations in FY27 include:

• Oakland Mills Middle School ($16.8) million to address new electrical, mechanical, plumbing, technology, roofing and life safety systems, and adds 195 seats; and

• Dunloggin Middle School Renovation/Addition ($5 million) to renovate the existing facility and expand educational program space by adding 136 seats.

The FY27 capital budget includes $58.3 million in local funding dedicated toward systemic renovation and roofing projects, which reflects the highest allocation toward deferred maintenance in more than two decades.