Kent County Public Schools (KCPS) Superintendent Dr. Mary Boswell-McComas has proposed a “right-sizing” approach for the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) budget, with the goal to align resources with current student enrollment and operational needs. The proposed budget totals $30.9 million, down from $33 million the previous year, reflecting significant adjustments to staffing and resources.
After cutting 36 employee positions and adjusting some non-personnel operating expenses, KCPS still faces an $800,000 deficit with the $30.9M budget proposal. An additional 8 positions are eligible for elimination, pending the final town hall meeting this Thursday and a final deliberation by county government officials.
Superintendent Boswell-McComas reiterated the importance of making sure the public has a chance to weigh in. She shared in a meeting this Monday that she could have simply cut 43 employee positions and proposed the budget but instead wanted to ensure the public had a chance to weigh in. The downsizing that has been done so far accounts for an 11 percent reduction under the FY25 budget.
While the budget adjustments will increase class sizes, the changes are not as significant as other districts like Cecil and Carroll that are seeing class sizes grow to 30 and potentially 40 students. Kent will adjust from 15 students per class to an average of 22.
The Kent County Board of Education will vote on the budget during their regular meeting on Monday, May 5th, following the town hall discussion tomorrow evening. After the school board vote on May 5th, the county will take up whatever request the schools make. The remaining $800,000 deficit will likely be a focus when the budget is presented to the commissioners. By law the county has a mandate to fulfill a minimum funding requirement. Based on preliminary calculations for FY26 provided by the Maryland State Department of Education, the minimum amount already includes an additional $800,000 from the county, therefore the remaining $800,000 gap would, if approved, be covered by additional discretionary funds from the local government.
