Benjamin D. Richardson

The 2026 Educational Facilities Master Plan for Harford County Public Schools outlines the system's long-term strategy for facility development and maintenance. Key priorities include reinvesting in aging infrastructure, modernizing learning environments, and implementing targeted capacity solutions to address enrollment pressures and evolving educational programming. The plan aims to ensure safe, supportive, and equitable learning environments for all students while prudently managing capital resources.

This Educational Facilities Master Plan for Harford County Public Schools serves as a long-range planning tool for managing and improving educational infrastructure. It analyzes building system conditions, enrollment capacity, and educational program needs, and outlines major capital projects. The plan also details funding sources and challenges, emphasizing the critical link between facility quality and student learning outcomes. It aims to guide capital improvement programs, necessitating continued advocacy for robust local funding to address renovation and new construction requirements effectively.

This document presents the 2026 Educational Facilities Master Plan (EFMP), a planning tool addressing the Local Education Agency's (LEA) projected facility needs. It outlines the coordination with stakeholders and the Harford County Government for annual review and updates. The plan incorporates state-required elements, facility assessment data, identified facility needs, capacity demands, Blueprint requirements, and funding outlook to update capital improvement priorities. The proposed Capital Improvement Projects for fiscal year 2027 will guide the development of the Capital Improvement Program priorities.

The meeting included an open session and a closed session where the Board discussed the superintendent search process, various personnel matters, and safety and security measures. The business meeting covered the adoption of the agenda, board member comments, and the interim superintendent's report. Key actions included the approval of a consent agenda, which encompassed personnel reports, school-sponsored projects, surplus deeds, and a capital budget transfer. The Board also reviewed and approved candidates for principal and assistant principal pools, as well as the pupil personnel worker pool.

The board meeting included discussions on the superintendent search process, which resulted in the selection of the Maryland Association of Boards of Education as the search consultant. The board also addressed calendar modifications for the 2025-2026 school year, specifically concerning inclement weather days. Additionally, curriculum implementations for an Advanced Placement Business with Personal Finance course, as well as a new Middle School Mathematics and Advanced Placement Pre-Calculus curriculum were approved for the upcoming school year. The board also reviewed the quarterly financial report covering revenue, expenditures, and fund balances.