Superintendent George Arlotto is recommending a $234.5 million FY2022 capital budget to the Board of Education that contains funding for six major school projects.
Dr. Arlotto’s recommendation contains $188 million for major capital projects that include new construction, replacement projects, renovations and additions. Of that, $75.8 million is allocated for construction of Old Mill West High School, to be built on the site of the current Papa John’s Farm on New Cut Road in Severn. The recommendation also contains more than $98 million for the following major ongoing projects, in priority order:
- Quarterfield Elementary School, construction ($23.7 million)
- Hillsmere Elementary School, construction ($20.2 million)
- Rippling Woods Elementary School, construction ($29.9 million)
- West County Elementary School, design/construction ($19.6 million)
- Old Mill Middle School South, design/construction ($4.8 million)
Also included is $10.0 million for full-day kindergarten and prekindergarten additions at Van Bokkelen, Sunset, Brock Bridge, and Meade Heights elementary schools, and $4.0 million for a four-classroom addition at Southgate Elementary School.
Dr. Arlotto has also provided the Board with a recommended six-year Capital Improvement Plan which allocates requested funding for projects through FY2027.
The Board will hold a virtual public workshop on Dr. Arlotto’s recommendations at 6 p.m. on Thursday, September 10. 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 16 meeting. That meeting begins at 10 a.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 FY2022 budget request, to be forwarded to the County Executive in February 2021 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 2021.
Dr. Arlotto’s complete FY2022 capital budget recommendation can be found here.
The Board workshop will be broadcast live on AACPS-TV, which can be found on Channel 96 on Comcast and Broadstripe, and Channel 36 on Verizon. High definition broadcasts can be seen on Channel 996 on Comcast, Channel 496 on Broadstripe, and Channel 1961 on Verizon. It can also be viewed live on AACPS’ YouTube channel here.