The Anne Arundel County Board of Education is set to host two public hearings next week, allowing community members to share their views on the proposed Fiscal Year 2025 Operating and Capital budgets. These hearings are a part of the Board’s ongoing evaluation of the budget recommendations by Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Mark Bedell.
Scheduled for January 9 and 11, 2024, the hearings will offer a platform for public engagement in the budgetary process. The first hearing is on Tuesday, January 9, at Old Mill High School, followed by a second session on Thursday, January 11, in the Board Room at the Parham Building in Annapolis. Both sessions are due to start at 6 p.m.
To manage time effectively and allow for broad participation, each speaker at the hearings will be allocated a two-minute slot. Individuals are permitted to testify at only one of the two hearings.
For those interested in participating, the process for the January 9 hearing mandates in-person testimony. Speakers can sign up on the day of the hearing, starting at 5 p.m. at the venue. The January 11 hearing offers more flexibility, allowing in-person and virtual contributions. Registrations for in-person testimony open at 5 p.m. at the hearing location, while those opting for virtual participation can sign up through a dedicated link available on the Anne Arundel County Public Schools website before noon on January 8.
It’s important to note that no budget-related public testimonies will be accepted during the Board’s meeting on February 21, 2024. This meeting is primarily scheduled for the Board to adopt its formal FY2025 budget request. However, if any amendments are proposed during this meeting, the Board will accept testimonies specifically on those amendments. A follow-up meeting is scheduled for February 22, if needed, to finalize the budget request.
The Board’s commitment to transparency and public engagement is evident in its decision to broadcast the January 11 hearing live. This broadcast will be available on AACPS-TV and the AACPS YouTube channel, ensuring wider accessibility.
For those interested in understanding the full scope of Dr. Bedell’s recommended budgets, detailed documents including the complete operating and capital budget proposals, Dr. Bedell’s budget address, and a summarizing ‘Budget in Brief’ document are available for public review at www.aacps.org/fy2025budget.
These hearings mark a significant step in the Board’s efforts to involve the community in key decision-making processes. They reflect the Board’s commitment to ensuring that the financial direction of Anne Arundel County schools is shaped by its leaders and the voices of its community members.
