Prince George’s County Public Schools is warning of a budget gap of $75 million to $100 million for fiscal year 2028, which begins July 1, 2027, and says it will review every central office contract as it looks for savings.
The projection came in an Oct. 30 video from the school system’s Dollars & Decisions series on FY28 budget development. In it, the district called the coming year exceptionally difficult and said the gap comes after $150 million in earlier cuts.
What the district says it will do
The district said it will protect staff and minimize harm to the workforce in every recommendation. It said budget pressures will not move it off its stated priorities of improving reading and math, strengthening transportation and protecting support for the most vulnerable learners. It also said it will examine every central office contract and expense, working with unions, partners and the community, and will hold public forums and surveys before decisions are made.
The district did not say in the video which programs or positions could be affected, and it did not outline how the gap would be closed.
Where the earlier cuts came from
The $150 million figure matches the gap the district addressed for the current fiscal year. In January, the school system told a county council committee it faced a projected shortfall of about $150 million for fiscal 2027, driven by mandatory compensation increases, rising operating costs and declining enrollment, and asked the county for an additional $50 million. Reports at the time described cuts concentrated in central office and noninstructional areas, along with changes to some specialty programs.
How to weigh in
The Board of Education’s Operations, Budget, and Fiscal Affairs Committee has opened a fiscal 2028 budget priorities survey in which residents rank their top five priorities. The district also posted a Nov. 4 Dollars & Decisions community conversation on the facts behind the FY28 budget. Dates for additional forums were not given in the video.
