ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Calvin Ball today announced he will fully fund Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) and its Board of Education’s (BOE) Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) Capital Budget request in his proposed capital budget. The FY27 Capital Budget for HCPSS will be $116.6 million, with $98.6 million coming from Howard County alone. This marks the highest County contribution to school construction in more than 25 years, and exceeds last year’s school capital funding by nearly 50%. Photos from the announcement can be seen on Howard County Government’s Flickr webpage.
We have continued working collaboratively to prioritize our schools’ most pressing building and infrastructure needs because we understand that what we build today must serve this year’s students, and the next generation, and the one after that. At a time of uncertainty at the federal and state level, and during a time when others might hesitate, Howard County is stepping forward. Now, Howard County has the highest investment of county funds in school projects in more than a quarter of a century. I want to thank Superintendent Barnes, our Board of Education, our State partners, and our County Council for their partnership throughout this process. This budget proposal reflects the legacy we are building that will last for generations to come.
Of the total $116.6 million HCPSS Capital Budget request, the State is anticipated to contribute $18.1 million. Howard County’s local funding contribution is $9 million higher than the BOE’s initial request in Fall 2025 due to lower state funding assumptions that were shifted to the County in the BOE’s final budget request approved on February 26, 2026.
Furthermore, the HCPSS Capital Budget is supported by a historic allocation of $47.2 million in one-time PAYGO funding. This significant investment of PAYGO funds in school construction reflects approximately 60% of all PAYGO funding anticipated in the FY27 Capital Budget.
Since Ball became County Executive in 2018, he has directed more than $507 million in county funds to support HCPSS capital needs, with nearly $300 million coming in the last four years alone. This investment of more than a half of a billion dollars has directly supported the creation of approximately 2,000 seats that have been added at HCPSS schools, including the Talbott Springs Elementary School replacement, the renovated and expanded Hammond High School, and the new Guilford Park High School. Ball’s proposed FY27 Capital Budget supports an additional 800 new seats through projects identified by the BOE.
Schools receiving major funding for renovations in FY27 include:
- Oakland Mills Middle School ($16.8) million to address new electrical, mechanical, plumbing, technology, roofing and life safety systems, and adds 195 seats; and
- Dunloggin Middle School Renovation/Addition ($5 million) to renovate the existing facility and expand educational program space by adding 136 seats.
Furthermore, Ball’s capital budget for HCPSS makes historic investments in systemic renovations, roofing projects, and deferred maintenance. The FY27 capital budget includes $58.3 million in local funding dedicated toward systemic renovation and roofing projects, which reflects the highest allocation toward deferred maintenance in more than two decades. During the last four years (FY24-27), Ball has allocated nearly $167 million toward deferred maintenance needs in HCPSS, which reflects a 140% increase over the prior four-year period (FY20-FY23) and a 236% increase over the FY16-FY19 period.
Ball also announced that the State of Maryland has recently approved the County’s request to convert approximately 29 acres of parkland at Troy Park for the future High School 14 in Elkridge. Combined with other County-owned land at Troy Park, Howard County is now able to dedicate approximately 49 acres of land at Troy Park for High School 14.
During his Elkridge Forward address in October 2025, Ball announced Troy Park is the best and most viable location for a future school site in Elkridge. By purchasing the property on Old Washington Road for the community center, more undeveloped Program Open Space parcels at Troy Park are now able to be utilized for the school. The land conversion obligation was met through the recent acquisitions of Camp Ilchester, land for the Elkridge Community and 50+ center, and the Lawyers Hill parcel. This major benchmark now triggers the land transfer from Howard County to HCPSS for High School 14.
The FY27 budget also includes plans for New Elementary School #43, which will be located in the southeast and have capacity for 490 new seats. More than 57,000 students are enrolled in Howard County Public schools.