Happy Fall!

First, let’s discuss the latest redistricting news. During the September 17 meeting of the Board of Education of Anne Arundel County, we moved four plans forward for public briefing and public hearings. The first two are the superintendent’s original recommendations without amendments. The second two are each of the superintendent’s recommendations but with amendments. Each of the amended plans contains the same amendments.

All four plans will redistrict some residents within the Folger McKinsey Elementary catchment area to Severna Park Elementary as well as some residents within the Belvedere Elementary catchment area to Arnold Elementary. In total, 54 students are slated to move from Folger McKinsey Elementary to Severna Park Elementary and 88 students are slated to move from Belvedere Elementary to Arnold Elementary.

Since the meeting on September 17, I have heard from several concerned parents and guardians regarding the movement of students entering the fifth grade to another school, which will inevitably cause students to change schools two years in a row since everyone attends a new school in the sixth grade.

I want you to know that I hear you and I am currently considering bringing or supporting an amendment later in the redistricting process that would establish fifth-grade students impacted by redistricting as legacy students who may be allowed to attend their current school for their fifth-grade year.

Should an amendment like this pass, it would likely be conditional on available space in their current school as well as on a family’s ability to self-transport their student. The board is also considering establishing a legacy clause for students entering 11th grade with similar conditions.

All amendments will be debated in public by the board in November in advance of a final vote on a redistricting plan that will be implemented beginning August 2026. Please refer to www.aacps.org/page/redistricting-process-phase-2 for the latest information including a broader description of the redistricting plans.

Secondly, the board recently voted on its operating budget priorities for the upcoming fiscal year, Fiscal Year 2027, which will begin July 1, 2026. Ideas are solicited from each board member every fall and are discussed and approved during a board meeting. While board members may also advocate for additional items that are important to them, board- approved budget priorities are integrated into the superintendent’s recommended budget during its development rather than amended in by board members later on in the budget process. Board-approved budget priorities include the following:

• Increase funding for special education programming and positions.
• Educator positions to lower class size.
• Improve compensation competitive with neighboring school districts for:
  • Food and nutrition service positions
  • Evening/summer school positions
• Increase funding for extracurricular programs.
• Increase funding for music instrument repair and replacement.

The recommended Fiscal Year 2027 operating budget will be presented to the board by the superintendent in mid-December. The board will hold budget hearings in January before voting on amendments and finalize a budget for the county executive’s consideration in February.

If you have an opinion on any of the above, please make your voice heard! Emails can be sent to boardoffice@aacps.org for dissemination to each board member. As always, I can be reached at dschallheim@aacps.org, 443-534-2660, or on the socials.