The Board of Education tonight approved a $234.5 million Fiscal Year 2025 capital budget that contains construction funding for three major secondary schools that begin the final phase of the Old Mill feeder system project.
Nearly $167 million – 71.2 percent – of the Board’s request is contained in construction funding for a new Center of Applied Technology – North, a new Old Mill High School, and a new Old Mill Middle School North. The projects follow completed replacement buildings at Quarterfield and Rippling Woods elementary schools and in-progress construction of a new Old Mill Middle School South and Old Mill West High School. When complete, the new CAT-North building will be on the same site as the new Old Mill High School facility in Millersville, while the new Old Mill Middle School North building will be situated on the current CAT-North site.
The Board made no changes to the recommended budget Superintendent of Schools Dr. Mark Bedell put forward earlier this month.
The request also contains $32.3 million for building systems renovations, $7.0 million to continue to reduce the maintenance backlog, and $1.3 million to design a new school bus facility and lot. Also included is $4 million for roof replacement projects, $4 million additions to existing buildings, $3.5 million for athletic stadium improvements and $2.0 million for security related upgrades.
The Board also approved a recommended six-year Capital Improvement Plan which allocates requested funding for projects through FY2030.
The plan will now be submitted to the State of Maryland for funding consideration. The plan will also be part of the school system’s overall FY2025 budget request, to be forwarded to the County Executive in February 2024 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 2024.
For more information on the capital budget, click here.