Baltimore students could start next school year without some of the adults they lean on most. Under the district's proposed spending plan, money would be shifted into state-mandated pre-K and poverty-targeted grants while school-level budgets shrink at several campuses. Families and students who were already anxious about staffing say the changes land hardest on smaller schools that have been steady and stable.
On Tuesday evening, the Baltimore City school board is set to vote on a proposed $1.95 billion operating budget, roughly a 4.3% increase over this year, that would still eliminate about 154 full-time positions and cut allocations at 21 of the district's 157 schools, as reported by The Baltimore Banner. Students at affected campuses say the losses will feel personal. Dasha Matthews, a senior at Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy, told student leaders that staff there "helped me find myself when I was losing myself." The vote will be the last under CEO Sonja Santelises' leadership, a transition that adds pressure to an already tight budget year.
Budget Math And Restricted Dollars
The FY27 proposal directs most of its modest growth into pre-K expansion and concentration-of-poverty grants, funding streams that come with strict usage rules and limited flexibility for principals. According to Baltimore City Public Schools, the new money is largely restricted, which leaves middle and high schools without preschool classrooms at a disadvantage. The district also outlines a new methodology the State Board adopted for calculating charter allocations, a shift that moves dollars between traditional and charter campuses.
What Cuts Look Like At One School
The school-by-school tables show Vivien T. Thomas Medical Arts Academy is projected to lose 31 students next year and about $800,000 in total funds, a drop from roughly $5.76 million to about $4.98 million, a shift the district says will squeeze school-level staffing. "We have created a budget that aims to minimize the impact on schools and students," the budget text reads, according to Baltimore City Public Schools. Baltimore City Public Schools spokesperson André Riley told The Baltimore Banner that "teacher surplusing," reassigning or laying off staff when budgets change, is common, though students and families warned that these reassignments sever relationships that help keep kids engaged in school.
What Comes Next
If the board approves the plan, principals and HR staff will start a round of surplusing, transfers, and other staffing moves to close the gap. School leaders will have to juggle contractual obligations alongside the state's Blueprint rules, and any changes are set to roll out over the summer so families and staff receive notice. Advocates say city and state officials will need to revisit the funding formula if cuts start to undercut the supports that keep students in class.
For now, the city's budget arithmetic shows how rules meant to steer resources to students in need can create uneven results at individual schools. Watch for final board action Tuesday evening and for implementation details from City Schools in the weeks after the vote.
