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Anne Arundel County Public Schools board meeting, Sep 16, 2026

3 h 28 min · 22 public speakers

Budget cuts and layoffs ▶ 24:57Vouchers and school choice ▶ 3:07:02

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 28 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

School board approves 2027 legislative program as amended 2:41:32

  • Robert Silkworth moved to remove a statement from page 6 of the board's legislative priority focus areas saying schools with mainly foundation funding have experienced elevated class sizes due to the required reallocation of resources to higher poverty schools, and the motion passed 7⁠-⁠1. 2:12:00
  • The board then approved the 2027 legislative program as amended 8⁠-⁠0. 2:41:56
  • The board adopted the FY 2028 capital budget, 6-year plan and state capital improvement plan 7⁠-⁠1, and Robert Silkworth said the budget included $22 million to begin a systemic renovation of Southern High School. 3:06:23
  • On the superintendent's recommendation, the board voted 8⁠-⁠0 to deny the charter school application submitted by the Legacy Rise Academy governing board. 3:25:31

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Item by item (15)
  1. Opening and agenda 14:00
    • Gloria Dent opened the meeting with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance. 14:00
    • Gloria Dent announced consensus to approve the minutes and to establish the agenda order with no change. 15:12
  2. Public hearing on capital budget 16:25
    • Gloria Dent said the public hearing was on the superintendent's recommendations for the FY 2028 capital budget and 6-year capital improvement plan. 17:21
    • Several speakers at public comment described conditions at Southern High School, including its gym, locker rooms and bathrooms, and asked the board to keep improvements there a priority. 18:29
    • A speaker said Southern High School funding was listed as priority number 16 and that it is the only high school in the county without a second gym. 20:40
  3. Public comment 24:16
    • Several speakers at public comment asked the board to reject proposed blueprint amendments to its legislative program and to prioritize funding for more teaching positions to lower class sizes. 24:57
    • Other speakers at public comment raised drinking water at Glen Burnie High School, a middle school pilot schedule and Southern High School facilities. 33:42
    • Speakers at public comment raised building temperatures and asked that thermostats be lowered and air conditioning be left on overnight for custodial staff. 47:26
  4. Student organization reports 1:09:53
    • A student representative of CRASC reported that the group received 54 applications for its executive team and that its theme for the 26⁠-⁠27 school year is Super Leaders. 1:11:42
    • A student representative of SEAT described summer activities and plans for the 2026⁠-⁠2027 school year. 1:14:44
  5. Board committee reports 1:19:41
    • Dana Schallheim said the policy committee met on September 1st, decided to table Policy AA until next month and reviewed Policy and Regulation JQ and JQRA. 1:19:54
    • A speaker reported that the Budget Committee received an update on federal funding and discussed a list of board budget priorities. 1:20:44
  6. President's report and board comments 1:21:16
    • Gloria Dent said a back-to-school event would be held September 17th at the Southern District Police Station in Edgewater. 1:24:50
    • Dawn Pulliam said the event was for the Annapolis High School, South River and Southern feeders and would include information on e-bikes and drone demonstrations. 1:26:32
  7. Superintendent's report 1:28:07
    • The superintendent recognized a dance educator and three elementary school principals and announced a $500,000 gift commitment to create a scholarship at McDaniel College for Glen Burnie High School graduates. 1:28:16
    • The superintendent said teacher vacancies were at 15 but that the district is 331 FTEs short of having every position at 30 or less. 1:32:49
  8. Consent items 1:34:16
    • The superintendent recommended that the board authorize the award of contracts under consent items 6.01 through 6.06. 1:34:34
    • The motion passed 8⁠-⁠0. 1:35:06
  9. Administrative personnel appointments 1:35:12
    • A staff member said the superintendent recommended that the personnel listed on the attached sheet be promoted or appointed as discussed in executive session. 1:35:17
    • The motion passed 8⁠-⁠0. 1:35:49
  10. 2027 legislative program 1:35:52
    • The director of legislation and policy recommended that the board continue to focus legislative advocacy on alternative school schedule options and alterations to the Blueprint for Maryland's Future. 1:36:21
    • One board member said there are 74 classes in middle and high school between Severna Park and Broadneck with 35 or more students, as high as 42, and another board member, said there were difficulties supporting adding the statement to the legislative program. 1:38:30
    • The superintendent said both the blueprint and not having the appropriate numbers of FTEs were part of the problem. 2:03:00
  11. Item 2:42:14
    • A motion was made to amend priority number 2 to read increase positions in an effort to lower core class sizes, and one board member said they would not support it because it would tie the hands of some admin. 2:44:00
    • Robert Silkworth moved to change priority number 6 to address funding to implement recommendations from the extracurricular activities audit. 2:45:14
    • Robert Silkworth moved to change item number 6 to advocate funding to implement recommendations from the extracurricular activities audit, and that motion passed 6⁠-⁠2. 2:48:42
  12. Item 2:49:26
    • One board member said the budget includes $22 million to begin a systemic renovation of Southern High School and said they would vote in favor. 2:51:26
    • Gloria Dent said the total for the capital improvement plan this year was $228 million. 3:04:54
    • One board member asked what the total amount for the systemic renovation would be, then said they were advocating for a full renovation. 3:05:39
    • The motion to adopt the FY 2028 capital budget, 6-year plan and state capital improvement plan passed 7⁠-⁠1. 3:06:23
  13. Elementary school educational specifications 3:06:29
    • The superintendent recommended approval of the Van Bocklin Elementary School educational specifications. 3:06:35
    • The motion passed 8⁠-⁠0. 3:06:58
  14. Public charter school application 3:07:01
    • A district staff member said a team of 27 central office staff reviewed the application for a proposed charter high school that would open with 110 9th graders, growing to 400 at full capacity. 3:07:50
    • Staff presenters described concerns including community partnerships, curriculum gaps and financial and operational readiness. 3:10:42
    • In response to Gloria Dent, a district staff member said a denied charter applicant may resubmit during the county's June 1st to June 15th window. 3:18:32
    • The motion to deny the charter school application passed 8⁠-⁠0. 3:25:31
  15. Item 3:25:38
    • The superintendent recommended approval of the ground lease under item 7.07. 3:25:38
    • Joanna Bache Tobin, Ph.D., said, as a matter of record, that Joanna Bache Tobin, Ph.D., is the sitting vice president of the organization's board and would recuse from the vote. 3:25:58
    • The motion passed 7⁠-⁠0. 3:26:27

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 9-16-2026”