Most Harford County Schools facilities in visible need of repair or in worse condition

Nearly Three-Quarters of Schools in Harford County in Need of Repair, According to District Officials

According to a presentation by district officials at Monday night’s school board meeting, nearly three-quarters of schools in Harford County are visibly in need of repair or functionally unreliable.

State Funding Requests for Construction and Renovations

The operations department shared its requests for state funding for construction and renovations for fiscal year 2026. In order for the state to commit capital improvement funds, County Executive Bob Cassilly will need to approve portions of the projects covered by local government, explained district facilities planner Missy Valentino.

Increasing Costs of School Construction

Valentino highlighted that the cost per square foot for building and constructing in schools across the state continues to rise. According to the presentation, school construction in Maryland cost $481 per square foot in 2024, compared to $405 per square foot in 2021 and $349 in 2017, based on state data from the Interagency Commission on School Construction.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. Goal 4: Quality Education
2. Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

School Facility Conditions

Based on the metric grading by the Interagency Commission on School Construction, three schools in the county are considered to be in excellent condition, ranking in the top 15% of the state’s facility condition index. Two schools are in good condition, while nine schools are satisfactory. However, twenty-five schools have conditions verging on uncomfortable, and thirteen schools have building functions that have become unreliable.

Funding Requests for Construction and Renovation Projects

District officials presented funding requests for six construction and renovation projects, totaling nearly $85 million for fiscal year 2026. The district is seeking over $23 million from the state, supported by nearly $62 million from the county government. This includes $45 million for Harford Academy, a proposed school for students with disabilities, which will be located on a 45-acre site in Bel Air that the district purchased in the spring.

Four of the six projects, namely Harford Technical, Aberdeen Middle School, Harford Academy, and North Harford Energy Recovery Units, have already received approximately $60 million in local funding.

“Our request is primarily focused on years two or three of these projects,” stated Valentino.

Specific Project Details

Harford Technical High School has already received $31 million from the state and $28 million from the county government. The district is hoping to complete the project with an additional $10 million from the state and $6 million from the local government next year.

The district is also requesting $3.7 million in local funding for an $8.3 million roof replacement at North Harford High School. Additionally, it is seeking approval to begin an $86 million renovation of C. Milton Wright High School, with $38 million of funding coming from the state. Valentino mentioned that the district has already received state funding for the project’s design, indicating that construction funding is still two years away.

Upcoming Votes

The school board will vote on September 9th to approve or reject the plan for state-funded construction and renovation. A separate vote for projects funded solely by local funding will take place in December.

Source: baltimoresun.com