BCPS Supt. Rogers recommends FY 2026 operating budget of $2.98 billion -- This Week in BCPS

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

BCPS Superintendent Rogers recommends $2.98 billion operating budget for FY 2026

Budget priorities address growing needs of students and recruiting and retaining high-performing workforce

BCPS Superintendent Dr. Myriam Rogers presented a $2.98 billion operating budget proposal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 during the January 14 meeting of the Board of Education of Baltimore County. The proposed budget maintains strategic investments in critical priority areas that will move the school system forward and bolster student success.

Dr. Rogers’ budget recommendation represents a $126.4 million increase (6.5 percent) over the current FY 2025 general fund budget. Much of the requested increase will address the growing needs of the system’s 110,000 students and prioritize investments in recruitment and retention as the system builds and recognizes the efforts of its high-performing workforce, comprised of more than 20,000 staff members.

Investment highlights from the proposed FY 2026 operating budget include:

Enhancing compensation for all BCPS staff.
Increasing the number of special education teachers, paraeducators, and additional adult assistants.
Preserving current class size staffing allocations across all grade levels.
Expanding full-day PreKindergarten classes across the county.
Prioritizing infrastructure efficiencies and maximizing cybersecurity.
Funding additional athletic trainers.

The full FY 2026 proposed budget is available online. A Board public hearing will be held virtually on Tuesday, January 21, at 6:30 p.m., to be followed by a Board operating budget work session on Tuesday, January 28. The Board is scheduled to adopt its budget at its Tuesday, February 25, meeting at 6:30 p.m. The budget then must be approved by the county executive and Baltimore County Council.

To learn more, watch the budget presentation, view the presentation slides, and/or watch the FY 2026 budget impact video.

Cockeysville Middle School AVID students create interactive community map

The AVID scholars in Grades 7 and 8 at Cockeysville Middle School created an interactive map to highlight businesses in the community. (AVID or Advancement Via Individual Determination is a college readiness program offered in many BCPS schools.)

The tactile map was initially designed to support a fellow AVID scholar who is visually impaired, Riley Sanders, navigate the community. As Riley explored local businesses, she found that there were many that students did not know.

"I did not anticipate how the project would evolve and become something so special for our school and community,” said AVID Coordinator Megan Thomas.

Riley Sanders, AVID scholar

According to Thomas, the map has sparked conversation and connections and inspired teachers to find ways to creatively incorporate the map into their lessons.

Read more of the story in a new blog post and see more photos in a Flickr album.

Cockeysville Middle AVID scholars and the interactive map

Student-run coffee shop at Employee Development Center to open on Tuesday, January 21

On Tuesday, January 21, from 8:30-9:30 a.m., Reaching Higher Grounds, a new coffee shop operated by students in the Post-Secondary Functional Academic Learning Support program, will celebrate its grand opening.

The coffee shop is located in the BCPS Employee Development Center, 2034 Greenspring Dr., Timonium 21093, and its regular hours will be Monday - Thursday, from 8-10 a.m.

The shop's motto is "Offering beverages for a boost and smiles for your soul."

2025 BCPS Film Expo accepting poster and film submissions

Deadline for poster submissions is Friday, January 31

The 2025 BCPS Film Expo is accepting poster and film submissions from BCPS middle and high school students. More information and submission forms can be found in a Schoology Group (which students can join at 7cc62-c8m8k) and on the Film Expo website.

Poster entries are due by Friday, January 31, while the deadline for film entries is Friday, April 11.

Film categories for 2025 are Animation, Animated GIF (including Pixel, Stop Motion/Photo, and Computer Animation), Documentary, Experimental, Live Action Narrative, Promotional, and Short-form Video.

Past winning posters, films, and animations can be viewed online.

BCPS has now used two out of its three traditional inclement weather days for the 2024-25 school year. After day three, BCPS will transition to virtual learning, operating on a 2-hour delay schedule. More information is available on the BCPS website.

Additionally, more information about how BCPS makes decisions for school closings and delays is available online. As a reminder, decisions regarding school operations are generally made by 5:30 a.m.

Beginning next week: the annual Climate Survey

The annual BCPS Climate Survey will open on Monday, January 27, and close on Friday, February 28. The survey focuses on school climate and engagement, and all BCPS students in Grades 3–12, parents/caregivers, community members, and staff are encouraged to participate. The survey takes three minutes or less to complete and is anonymous.

Students encouraged to enter 2025 BCPS Black History Month Writing Contest

Open to students in Kindergarten through Grade 12

BCPS students in Kindergarten through Grade 12 are invited to enter a Black History Month Writing Contest sponsored by the BCPS Offices of English Language Arts and Social Studies.

The contest prompt is the following quotation from African American poet and writer Nikki Giovanni (1943-2024): “Whatever human beings are, we are storytellers. It is our stories that give a light to the future.” In response to that quote, each student is asked to describe how they have been inspired by the remarkable life of an African American activist, artist, athlete, author, musician, scientist, or other public figure. Students can submit personal essays, letters, speeches, scripts, or poems, and students in primary grades can also submit visual representations with written descriptions.

The deadline for entries is Tuesday, February 11. Winners will be notified by Friday, February 28. Prizes will be provided by The Education Foundation of BCPS, and winning entries will be posted on the BCPS blog. Contest details are available from English and social studies teachers.

BCPS staff, parents, and community members are invited to nominate outstanding principals and assistant principals for BCPS Principal and Assistant Principal of the Year for 2025-26.

Nominations will be accepted through 4:45 p.m. on Monday, January 27. Finalists at the elementary, middle, and high school levels will be announced in the coming months, and the Principal of the Year and Assistant Principal of the Year will be named at the Champions for Children event on Wednesday, April 23, at George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology.

Nominations now accepted for School Counselor of the Year

The Baltimore County Association for Counseling and Development seeks nominations from BCPS employees, parents, and students for School Counselor of the Year 2024-25 awards. The nominated school counselors should demonstrate effective leadership, advocacy, and collaboration to address students’ academic and social/emotional development, and the nominees should meaningfully contribute to the school counseling profession. Winners of the School Counselor of the Year awards will be considered for statewide honors from the Maryland School Counselor Association. Nominations will be accepted through Friday, March 14.

Nominations are sought for:

Rookie School Counselor of the Year (with less than five years experience)
School Counselor of the Year (with at least five consecutive years experience)
School Counseling Advocate of the Year (A BCPS administrator, teacher, support staff, parent, or community member who consistently advocates for and supports the critical work of school counselors)

For more information, contact MaatenRe Ramin or Jen Abbe at 443-809-0291.

for parents

from BCPS Parent University

Keeping kids safe and warm in this winter's extremely cold weather

Weather forecasts for this week include high temperatures of less than 32 degrees most days and low temperatures in the single digits. To prepare for this extreme cold, BCPS shared the following reminders in a staff and community update (available in English and Spanish):

Wear multiple layers of tightly woven clothing and cover heads, hands, and faces to minimize the amount of skin that is exposed.

Children are at greater risk for cold injuries like frostbite and frostnip because their skin cools quicker than adults. Student walkers are urged to take extra precautions.

Be sure that clothing isn’t too tight. Tight gloves and shoes can restrict blood flow and cause a person to cool more quickly.

Please review the full update for additional information on cold weather preparedness; BCPS emergency notifications, school closings and delays; virtual learning days; and the Maryland State Department of Education's Child Care Weather Watch.

Parent University Lunch & Learn Workshop: “Giving the Gift of Bilingualism”

Friday, February 14, at 12:30 p.m.

This virtual workshop, presented by the Center for Family Success, will delve into the cognitive, social, and economic advantages of being bilingual and how you can support your children in learning another language. Registration required.

For parents of high school students:

Please encourage them to consider registering for the upcoming BCPS Student Career Expo.

for your viewing pleasure

"Winter Wonderland" by Harper Deskin, Grade 4, Harford Hills Elementary School. This artwork was featured in the 2024-25 Winter Art Exhibition at THE AVENUE at White Marsh.

mission moment

from The Education Foundation of BCPS

The Education Foundation looks ahead to its Designer Bag Bingo, Exchangeree shopping days, and more

The latest Mission Moment blog post looks ahead to The Education Foundation's third quarter. Upcoming activities include:

Dates in February and March when BCPS educators can "shop" – at no cost to them – at the Exchangerees for supplies and resources for their classrooms.

The 2nd Annual Designer Bag Bingo to be held on Thursday, January 30, from 6:30-9:30 p.m., at Tall Cedars of Lebanon of North America, 2501 Putty Hill Ave., Parkville 21234.

The foundation’s Caravan of Gratitude visits to Principal of the Year Melissa Lingenfelder of Sandalwood Elementary School; Assistant Principal of the Year Dorian Barnes of Deer Park Magnet Middle School; and Teacher of the Year Stephanie Gerhold of Woodlawn Middle School.

You can view the entire meeting and list of administrative appointments online.

Governor Wes Moore thanks school board members across Maryland

A word from Dr. Rogers

January 21, 2025

Dear Reader:

January is Maryland School Board Recognition Month, and a wonderful time to thank the members of the Board of Education of Baltimore County. In attending to their three major responsibilities – school policy, school budget, and school property – our board members review documents, participate in committee and school board meetings, attend school system and school events, and keep up with school board best practices nationwide.

Serving on the board is a tremendous responsibility and requires a major investment of time, thought, expertise, and energy. My deepest appreciation to the members of our board for their enduring commitment to the students, staff, and schools of BCPS.

Budget season is one of the board's busiest times of the year as they tackle the daunting task of approving an operating budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2026.

You have a part in this process, too. This evening, Tuesday, January 21, at 6:30 p.m., the board will hold a virtual public hearing on the budget proposal I presented to them last week. This will be followed by a Board operating budget work session on Tuesday, January 28. The Board is scheduled to adopt its budget at its Tuesday, February 25, meeting at 6:30 p.m.

Regards,

Myriam Rogers, Ed.D.

Superintendent