Meeting of the Baltimore County Board of Education - October 21, 2026

The Baltimore County Board of Education meeting on October 21, 2026, included approval of the board’s FY2028 budget priorities by roll-call vote; the transcript does not provide specific allocations. The board also heard an update on bringing substitute recruitment, hiring, and onboarding back in-house after ending its Kelly Education contract, a change made in part because of financial constraints. Staff reported approximately 1,000 substitutes hired, 700 in onboarding, and 800 additional applications; 52 of 174 schools had September fill rates below 70% and were assigned a permanent substitute. Board members discussed staffing capacity, onboarding delays, and evaluating savings and effectiveness. A Kelly contract cost of about $13 million was cited during discussion, with the amount and period described not fully clear in the transcript.

The board unanimously approved immediate revocation of the Puzzle Pieces Learning Academy charter after the school did not submit a proposed lease by the amended deadline. Public commenters raised concerns about school programs and staffing, safety, and AI use; no procurement action or AI policy decision followed. A speaker also described planned uses of a Maryland CSP grant, including a building security deposit, but the board took no action on that funding in the meeting.