About 13 people spoke before the Harford County Board of Education on Thursday, urging it to fully fund the school system and not back down to County Executive Bob Cassilly.

Speakers, some of whom were educators, discussed a range of issues impacting the school system, including teacher and student support, the need for smaller class sizes, the need for competitive wages, and the lack of funding the district sees each year.

“I am asking you to please ask for what Harford County Public Schools actually needs, not what you think the county executive might decide to fund,” Katie York said. “I am asking you as a board to work together. You do not have to be friends, but you all should be working towards the common goal of what’s best for [HCPS].”

Within the school system’s proposed fiscal year 2027 budget, it is requesting an additional $53.88 million from the county to fund approximately 91 positions. About $28.3 million of that money will go toward employee wages to align with the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future.

In the fiscal 2026 budget, the district received $347.6 million from the county, $26.2 million more than the previous year, despite requesting $60 million more. Due to this, HCPS had to cut more than 150 positions, end summer school sessions, reduce its salary package and take other measures to bring its budget to a request that Cassilly would fund.

This year, residents are urging the board to not do that again.

“We cannot play the game where we ask for what we think Bob will fund. We played that game last year and it continues to bite us in the behind,” Colleen Bianco said. “Ask for what we need so we can have the high quality people … and the resources to not just survive by the skin of our teeth, but potentially thrive.”

Bianco, who’s an elementary school educator, added that she feels insulted when hearing from community members that educators aren’t doing enough despite them giving their all each day.

“Educators are busting their backs day in and day out to keep the boat floating and sailing despite the constant disrespect and the nonstop pile of expectations dumped on us,” she said.

Reducing class sizes, said Karen Jankowiak, principal at Hall’s Cross Roads Elementary School, would assist with providing more individualized support for students.

“Today, many other students carry far heavier burdens, academic gaps, social emotional struggles, constant digital stimulation and challenges that no child should have to manage alone,” she said.

She added that if the school system wants to see different outcomes for students, it must provide different conditions for learning.

“Fully funding our schools so we can reduce class sizes, support student behavior and strengthen early literacy and math is not optional,” she said.

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