HCPSSHCPSS Superintendent Presents Proposed FY 2027 Operating Budget
January 8th, 2026
On January 8, 2026, Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) Superintendent William J. Barnes presented his proposed operating budget for fiscal year 2026-2027 (FY 2027) to the Board of Education.
In total, the Superintendent’s Proposed FY 2027 Operating Budget is $1.278 billion, which reflects an increase of $61.9 million, or 5.1% over fiscal year 2026. The proposed budget emphasizes maximizing and tactically reallocating certain existing positions and resources, prioritizing critical funding investments in high priority needs aligned to the HCPSS Strategic Plan.
“Today marks a deliberate shift away from past practice, and away from managing the budget to accommodate fiscal realities, towards leveraging the budget as a strategic tool to advance our vision for all students,” said Superintendent Barnes. “Rather than layering program and service enhancements on top of the current year’s budget, we are starting this work with a different question: How do we best serve all students?”
Major areas of investment include:
- Employee Compensation and Benefits: An increase of $52.1 million
- Special Education: A net funding increase of $11.4 million and a net staffing increase of 23.10 FTE
- Bus Contracts: An increase of $5.5 million
- Blueprint Full-Day Prekindergarten: An increase of $2.4 million and 25.0 FTE
In addition, targeted new investments are proposed to advance Strategic Plan priorities and address emerging system needs, including:
- Strengthening Learning and Instruction: $1.6 million and 2.5 FTE
- Cultivating Student Belonging and Well-Being: $1.5 million and 15.0 FTE
- School Safety and Security: $743,522 and 6.0 FTE
- Enhancing Systemic Planning and Procedures: $655,576 and 2.0 FTE
- Foster Staff Growth and Engagement: $144,514 and 1.0 FTE
“I often say to anyone who will listen that in Howard County, we are in pursuit of greatness,” said Barnes. “But I also believe deeply that we can only claim to be a great school system once we are great for every student we serve. To clear that high bar requires us to acknowledge an uncomfortable truth—today, our school system is not great for every student. For some students, we are not even consistently good. If we are serious about achieving greatness for every student, then we must be equally serious about transforming education in Howard County, which requires change—real change—not incremental adjustments to existing practice.”
The Board of Education will hold its first public work session on Jan. 15 at 1:00 p.m. More information about the FY 2027 Operating Budget development process may be found online.
“Throughout this budget development process, I implore everyone to remain grounded in the shared priorities we have established and the shared goals we have stated as part of the HCPSS Strategic Plan,” added Barnes. “I look forward to receiving feedback from students, staff, and community members throughout the budget development process, and working with the Board and our County partners over the next few months as we work collaboratively on behalf of students. I appreciate everyone’s partnership as we strive to be a great school system for every student.”
Additional budget documents are forthcoming, including a guide to understanding the budget and a budget toolkit. Those items will be made available online and will help HCPSS stakeholders more easily understand the Superintendent’s FY 2027 Proposed Operating Budget without having to navigate the more than 700-page budget book.