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TCPS requested the additional funds last month to help with teacher salary mandates from the state, new positions and health insurance hikes, among other factors.

The county鈥檚 budget will already include around $55 million in required education funding as mandated by The Blueprint for Maryland鈥檚 Future, the state鈥檚 overarching education improvement framework.

Council member Keasha Haythe argued Tuesday to keep the $5.7 million out of the budget for the time being. Any additional funding for education included would potentially lead to a property tax increase for residents by way of an education supplement.

鈥淧utting an additional property tax supplement on them this year specifically is a challenge,鈥� Haythe said. 鈥� ... I just believe we have to be very conservative and think about the vulnerable population.鈥�

Vice President Pete Lesher was the council鈥檚 lone member in favor of including additional educational funding in the county鈥檚 initial budget proposal. Lesher said it鈥檚 鈥渘ot prudent鈥� to push off the education funding to next year.

鈥淚t would make next year a lot more painful,鈥� Lesher said. 鈥� 鈥� I鈥檇 rather do steady, incremental increases than take a year off and be hit with a much larger percentage increase a year down the road.鈥�

Lesher warned that holding off on fulfilling some of the district鈥檚 requests could endanger recent county investments for new positions such as math coaches and social workers, since the district is under state pressure to meet $60,000 teacher salary minimums.

TCPS Superintendent Sharon Pepukayi said Tuesday the district won鈥檛 be able to continue funding all its priorities if the county only provides the minimum required funding.

鈥淲e will have to prioritize and we will have to make some tough decisions,鈥� Pepukayi said.

Council members and county officials said Tuesday the option to fulfill some or all of the $5.7 million ask remains available in the coming weeks as the budget is amended. A budget proposal will officially be introduced April 15.

LONG-TERM UNCERTAINTY

While the county held off on promising additional education funding Tuesday, council members and school leaders found common ground during a joint meeting Monday, fielding concerns over the long-term sustainability of the state鈥檚 Blueprint initiative.

Talbot County Public Schools Chief Financial Officer Sarah Jones touched on projections from the Department of Legislative Services released in February, which forecast significant increases for how much money counties are expected to provide school districts.

The report shows Talbot County is expected to contribute $90 million to schools in fiscal year 2034, up $35 million from what the council is planning to obligate for FY2026.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 a really sobering increase, but it鈥檚 baked into the law,鈥� Jones said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know what the council鈥檚 view is on how you鈥檙e going to be able to meet this contribution.鈥�

Jones said the DLS calculations, in part, are derived from The Blueprint鈥檚 goals to improve teacher compensation and provide needed student support.

Haythe said it鈥檚 going to take time for the county to assess whether meeting those requirements is possible.

鈥淲e would have to come together as a council and really think through, get the details, work with (Finance Director Martha Sparks) to determine how we can get there, and if we can get there,鈥� she said.

Board President Emily Jackson said the state doesn鈥檛 always offer financial solutions when it asks counties to fork over funding for The Blueprint. She said the state advising districts to ask counties to fill funding gaps isn鈥檛 effective.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 not good government, that鈥檚 not good planning, that鈥檚 not good oversight,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淏ut I think that the people in this room can do all those things, good planning, good government, good foresight, good working together.鈥�

As for the looming $90 million mark, officials agreed it鈥檚 going to take joint strategic planning and a lot of time to flesh out the path forward.

鈥溾�機an we get there?鈥� is important to determine first before we figure out how,鈥� Jackson said.