Baltimore County Schools Propose Increased Class Sizes in 2027 Budget

Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) may see increased class sizes in the upcoming school year, according to the proposed fiscal year 2027 operating budget. Superintendent Myriam Rogers is set to formally present the budget to the school board on Tuesday. The proposal suggests a teacher-to-student ratio of one teacher for every 25 students from first grade through twelfth grade, while maintaining the current ratio of one teacher for every 22 students in prekindergarten and kindergarten.

The new budget marks a shift from BCPS’s previous stance, which protected existing class sizes and staffing allocations. The last adjustment to average class sizes for middle and high school occurred during the fiscal year 2025 budget discussions. As per current staffing formulas, first and second grades typically aim for one teacher for every 23 students, while grades three through five aim for one teacher per 24 students. Middle school classes currently average one teacher for every 22 students, and high school classes aim for one teacher per 23 students.

According to a report from the Maryland State Department of Education, during the 2022-2023 school year, average class sizes in elementary schools were just under 21 students per class. Middle school class sizes hovered around 22 students, while high school classes averaged about 19 students.

The proposed fiscal year 2027 budget also includes a net reduction of approximately 594 positions, which translates to a total savings of $59 million. This reduction is primarily due to changes in staffing allocation formulas and a decline in student enrollment. Rogers indicated that nearly 325 positions are related to these formula changes, while 111 school-based positions are tied to enrollment figures.

Enrollment in Baltimore County has not fully rebounded since the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a challenging financial landscape for the school system. Funding formulas are based on student enrollment, which complicates efforts to provide competitive compensation. According to Rogers, 82 cents of every dollar spent by the school system goes towards employee salaries and benefits.

This year, BCPS is prioritizing recruitment and retention of staff and plans to adhere to the second and third years of existing compensation agreements, which will increase costs by approximately $93 million. To address the budget shortfall, the school system is also proposing additional cuts. This includes a reduction in recurring built-in costs, an $8.6 million cut to contract spending, and a significant decrease in new spending from $24.4 million in fiscal year 2026 to $6.44 million for fiscal year 2027—a reduction of 73%.

“This is a challenging time—fiscally, socially, politically,” Rogers stated. “My commitment to you is that I’m going to respond to our students; I’m going to make sure that everything that we do puts our students first, not only in word, but in deed.”

The proposed changes will be closely monitored as the school board evaluates how to best serve the students of Baltimore County while managing fiscal constraints.