County Executive Ball proposed an $800 million allocation for the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) operating budget in FY26. This represents $39 million in new recurring funding for HCPSS, which exceeds the State’s estimated cost of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future in Howard by $ 352 million.
In a Monday press release, government officials in Howard detailed the proposed fiscal 2026 budget with an impressive focus on education spending despite budgetary challenges at the state and federal levels.
Howard County Executive Ball’s proposed budget invests a total of $45.7 million in new revenue for HCPSS expenses, representing nearly 64% of all new General Fund revenue growth. This results in a $39 million increase from the previous year. Due to the State shifting new mandated costs to county government, the County will direct an additional $6.7 million to cover educator pensions.
In addition to the significant portion of General Funds, the budget includes $1.5 million in one-time PAYGO funding for school safety and security needs, pending approval from the Maryland State Department of Education.
Howard County is also providing significant support for school-related needs in the non-departmental budget, including:
- $52.7 million for debt service on school infrastructure projects;
- $7.5 million for retiree health benefits (Other Post Employment Benefits, or OPEB); and
- $1.7 million in one-time PAYGO for long-term OPEB liabilities.
These contributions will be accompanied by increased funding for other educational institutions, including $1.3 million for Howard Community College (HCC) and $794,000 for the Howard County Library System (HCLS), each representing a 3% increase. In addition, the County will also cover the newly mandated $200,000 in HCC pension costs.
