Superintendent of Schools Mark Bedell today presented a $204.7 million FY2026 capital budget recommendation to the Board of Education that contains construction funding for three major school projects and a new school bus facility and lot.
Nearly 60 percent of Dr. Bedell’s recommendation – $119.8 million – is allocated to construction funding for a new Center of Applied Technology – North, a new Old Mill High School, and a new Old Mill Middle School North. They represent the final pieces of the Old Mill feeder system project and follow completed replacement buildings at Quarterfield and Rippling Woods elementary schools and Old Mill Middle School South as well as the opening of the new Severn Run High School. When complete, the new CAT-North building will be on the same site as the new Old Mill High School facility in Millersville, while the new Old Mill Middle School North building will be situated on the current CAT-North site.
Dr. Bedell’s recommendation also contains $9.2 million to construct a new school bus facility and lot in Millersville, $8.0 million to continue to reduce the maintenance backlog, $6.0 million for roof replacement projects, $5.0 million for kindergarten and prekindergarten additions, and $4.0 million for other classroom additions. It also contains $4.0 for athletic stadium improvements.
Dr. Bedell has also provided the Board with a recommended six-year Capital Improvement Plan which allocates requested funding for projects through FY2031.
The Board will hold a public workshop on Dr. Bedell’s recommendations at 6 p.m. on Monday, September 16 in the Board Room at the Parham Building, located at 2644 Riva Road in Annapolis. No public testimony will be taken at the workshop, but testimony will be taken at a public hearing scheduled to be held before the Board takes up initial adoption at its next regularly scheduled public meeting on September 18, 2024.
After approval by the Board, the plan will be submitted to the State of Maryland for funding consideration. The plan will also be part of the school system’s overall FY2026 budget request, to be forwarded to the County Executive in February 2025 after the Board holds additional public hearings. The County Council will review that plan and adopt a final capital budget for the school system by June 2025.
Dr. Bedell’s complete FY2026 capital budget recommendation can be found here.