Dear Members of the Talbot County Council:

On behalf of the students, staff, and families of Talbot County Public Schools, we want to express our gratitude for your continued investment in high-quality public education for our county. As our community continues to grow and evolve, so do the needs of TCPS students, educators, and facilities. We appreciate your partnership in ensuring that our schools remain places of excellence.  Our FY26 budget request reflects a commitment to maintaining high academic standards, improving student outcomes, and addressing critical operational needs.

To ensure we are prepared to address these challenges, we embarked upon an intensive strategic planning process this year.  The work included data collection and review, as well as interviews and work sessions with constituents.  Thank you for enthusiastically engaging in this process; we are excited about the outcome.  We updated our district Vision, Mission, and Core Principals, which are attached.  In addition, we have both affirmed and expanded our Strategic Priorities for the next four years as follows:

1. Academic Achievement
2. Highly Qualified Staff
3. Student, Family, and Community Engagement
4. Aligned Systems for Success
5. Increased Resources and Efficiency

This year we are “transforming and performing” more than ever, which is reflected in our outcomes. Our MCAP English Language Arts Proficiency improved across all Student Groups, and we saw progress in the  Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Growth assessment in Mathematics.  We are also very encouraged by the results of our internal student and staff Climate Surveys, which reflect an overall improvement in the satisfaction of both groups in the areas of Community, Environment, Relationships, and Safety.  These successes are largely attributable to your support of the extensive Improvement Actions we have undertaken.

We are committed to meeting the needs of our ever-changing demographics, raising academic achievement outcomes, and providing increased opportunities for each student.  However, we must address the challenges that impact this mission. Today, more than 59% (2,700) of our children qualify for free and reduced meals; 15% of our children are English language learners; more than 20 languages are spoken in TCPS families’ homes; and as many as 241 students have experienced homelessness this school year.  This is our reality and our responsibility as a community.

The increase requested in our FY26 operating budget reflects the Board’s commitment to securing the minimum funding needed to provide educational services while aligning with our priorities and meeting the standards of accountability outlined in the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.  The increases are primarily reflected in staff costs, resources for Community Schools, and curriculum and technology.  Our proposed FY26 unrestricted operating budget of $86,104,156 represents an increase of $8,963,006 over our FY25 approved unrestricted operating budget.  It is important to note that our restricted operating budget funded with our grants is projected to decrease by $5,314,554 from FY25, primarily due to the end of federal COVID grants.  Thus, our total unrestricted and restricted operating budget is projected to increase by $3,648,452 or 3.95%.  

We are mindful of the fiscal responsibilities the County Council manages and have worked diligently to prepare a budget that is both responsible and essential for meeting the educational needs of our students. Our joint work sessions with the Council have fostered transparency and open dialogue and allowed us to provide additional insight regarding our work.  We welcome the opportunity to answer questions or meet with the Council or staff regarding the specifics of our request, and we look forward to formally presenting our budget.

The Talbot County Board of Education greatly appreciates the Talbot County Council’s partnership as we work collaboratively to achieve the best outcomes for our Talbot County students, staff, and ultimately, the community.

Emily L. Jackson,
President Talbot County Board of Education

Sharon Pepukayi, Ed.D.,
Superintendent of Schools