Superintendent George Arlotto today recommended a $216 million FY2019 capital budget to the Board of Education that contains construction funding for nine major school projects as well as funding for open space classroom enclosures, classroom additions, and additions for kindergarten and prekindergarten.
Dr. Arlotto’s request is nearly $19 million less than he recommended a year ago, and $18.7 million more than the FY2018 capital budget approved by the County Council. The request adds no additional or new school renovation projects, and allocates nearly $133 million to the following existing major projects, in priority order:
- Manor View Elementary renovation (construction), $3.8 million
- High Point Elementary renovation (construction), $4.5 million
- George Cromwell Elementary renovation (construction), $15.6 million
- Jessup Elementary replacement (construction), $7.9 million
- Arnold Elementary replacement (construction), $6.7 million
- Edgewater Elementary renovation (construction), $19.7 million
- Tyler Heights Elementary renovation (construction), $18.2 million
- Richard Henry Lee Elementary renovation (construction), $16.9 million
- Crofton Area High School (new construction), $54.8 million
In addition, Dr. Arlotto’s request includes $8 million for prekindergarten and kindergarten additions at Maryland City and Riviera Beach elementary schools and $10 million for classroom additions at Marley, Solley, and Glen Burnie Park elementary schools.
Dr. Arlotto also presented the Board with a recommended six-year Capital Improvement Plan which allocates anticipated funding for projects through FY2024.
The Board will hold a public workshop on Dr. Arlotto’s recommendations at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, September 12, 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 regularly scheduled September 20 meeting. That meeting begins at 7 p.m.
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 FY2019 budget request, to be forwarded to the County Executive in February 2018 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 2018.