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Anne Arundel County Public Schools board meeting, May 6, 2026

3 h 17 min · 1 public speaker

Budget cuts and layoffs ▶ 1:08:08

This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 3 h 17 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

School board hears county budget plan with record $72.8 million increase, adopts two policies 1:08:08

  • The chief operating officer said the county executive proposed $167.7 million in capital funding, $78.2 million below the board's request. 1:07:51
  • A district staff member presented the county executive's recommended operating budget, which included a record $72.8 million increase in the county contribution over fiscal '26. 1:09:43
  • The motion on policy JECB, which the superintendent recommended for approval on third reading, passed 8⁠-⁠0. 2:49:36
  • The board also voted 8⁠-⁠0 to adopt a new policy on personal care and toileting. 3:05:25

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Item by item (15)
  1. Opening and agenda 19:27
    • Gloria Dent opened the meeting with the invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance and called for a motion to approve the minutes. 19:27
    • A motion was made to add item 7.08, ratification of the negotiated agreement with the Secretaries and Administrative Assistants Association of Anne Arundel County, to the agenda. 20:57
  2. Monthly recognitions 21:50
    • Erica McFarland recognized a French teacher at Chesapeake High School as the Educator of the Month for May 2026. 21:50
    • Dawn Pulliam recognized a teacher assistant in the ACC program at Crofton High School as Employee of the Month. 24:42
    • Sarah J. McDermott recognized a volunteer at Pershing Hill Elementary School as the May Volunteer of the Month. 30:04
  3. Public comment 33:11
    • A speaker at public comment said 6 crosswalks were missing at a school on the South River campus, issues the speaker said were reported over a year ago. 48:28
    • The speaker said a report given to the board assessed 80 missing crosswalks across 40 schools and asked for a process to report and track such concerns. 48:28
  4. PTA and committee reports 50:58
    • The PTA report announced a Founders Day online raffle running through May 22nd. 50:58
    • Dana Schallheim said the Policy Committee recommended tabling the movement of the redistricting policy to the full board and would bring it back to the committee in June. 53:56
    • Joanna Bache Tobin, Ph.D., said the Budget Committee received a preview of information following the release of the county executive's proposed budget. 55:20
  5. President and superintendent reports 55:46
    • Gloria Dent said 4 schools earned the Purple Star School designation, bringing the district total to 17. 56:56
    • The superintendent said the district will pilot an AACPS Career Institute next fall that will let students apply to a career institute at another school within their high school network. 1:01:01
    • The superintendent presented the Carver Peanuts as the mascot of the Carver Early Education Center, which will open in August. 1:04:35
  6. County executive's recommended operating budget 1:07:12
    • The chief financial officer said the county contribution is a record $72.8 million increase over fiscal '26, the largest increase the district has received. 1:07:46
    • A district staff member said the board requested a 3% cost of living adjustment and the county came in at 2.25%, and that the county recommended $13 million against a $20 million healthcare request. 1:10:45
    • One board member said $17 is not going to get it done on TSA compensation, and another board member, asked whether students need the devices to be tested after the laptop funding cut. 1:20:26
  7. Item 1:54:33
    • A district staff member said the board requested almost $246 million and the county executive proposed $167.7 million, $78.2 million below the request. 1:55:36
    • A district staff member said the new funding will be enough to move the Chesapeake High School field house project fully forward, while the Arundel High School field house will be on hold pending future funding. 1:59:25
    • Dawn Pulliam asked how serious the situation is at Southern High School, and a staff member said the systemic renovation is a top priority for the next capital budget. 2:09:58
  8. Workforce diversity update 2:14:28
    • The chief human resources officer said the district opened this school year with 34 classroom vacancies, compared with 175 a few years ago. 2:15:18
    • A staff member said overall retention of instructional staff increased to 95.7%, up from 94% last year. 2:22:56
    • A staff member said 35% of newly hired educators at the end of the 25⁠-⁠26 hiring season were teachers of color. 2:30:56
  9. Contracts and personnel actions 2:44:34
    • Gloria Dent read the superintendent's recommendation to authorize the award of contracts on consent items 6.01 through 6.07. 2:45:05
    • The board also took up administrative personnel appointments and personnel actions on the attached sheets. 2:45:51
    • Each motion passed 8⁠-⁠0. 2:45:39
  10. Naloxone storage and use policy 2:46:52
    • A staff member said policy JECB was before the board on third reading for final adoption. 2:47:18
    • One board member said they were completely in support, and another board member said they were in support. ~2:48:08
    • The motion passed 8⁠-⁠0. 2:49:37
  11. Personal care and toileting policy 2:49:40
    • A staff member said the new policy incorporates current procedures regarding student personal care and toileting. 2:49:47
    • One board member asked how many people are in a classroom to support instruction and raised liability concerns heard from teachers. 2:50:14
    • A staff member said state law requires the district to educate all students over the age of 5 who are not receiving a comparable education elsewhere. 2:52:26
    • The motion passed 8⁠-⁠0. 3:05:27
  12. Fourth quarter budget transfer 3:05:28
    • The chief financial officer said the request totals an additional $16.2 million, including an $8 million transfer to make an additional payment into the healthcare fund. 3:05:54
    • One board member said the request highlights the need to ask for what is actually needed in base budgeting going forward. 3:07:41
    • The motion passed 8⁠-⁠0. 3:10:26
  13. 2027-2028 school year calendar 3:10:30
    • The superintendent recommended approval of the 2027⁠-⁠2028 school year calendar as presented by the Calendar Committee. 3:10:37
    • The motion passed 8⁠-⁠0. 3:11:07
  14. Food and nutrition services prices 3:11:09
    • The superintendent recommended no increase in food and nutrition services pricing for the 2026⁠-⁠2027 school year. 3:11:18
    • One board member said students had commented on the quality of the food and said the hope is that quality does not suffer. 3:11:42
    • The motion passed 8⁠-⁠0. 3:12:50
  15. Secretaries and assistants negotiated agreement 3:12:56
    • A presenter said all eligible Unit 4 employees will advance one step and all Unit 4 employees will receive a 3% cost of living adjustment, subject to funding. 3:13:18
    • The presenter said the agreement continues the 4-day work week from June 24th, 2026 through August 4th, 2026. 3:13:52
    • The motion passed 8⁠-⁠0. 3:15:14

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

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Video: posted by the district as “BOE Public Session 5-6-2026”