Frederick County, MD
01/21/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/21/2025 18:08
Governor Moore Highlights FY 2026 Budget Proposal Investment in Schools
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Governor Wes Moore today visited Oakdale High School in Frederick to highlight the Moore-Miller Administration's school construction investments as proposed in the governor's FY 2026 budget. Maryland State Department of Education Board President Dr. Joshua Michael, Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater, Frederick County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Cheryl Dyson, and Interagency Commission on School Construction Executive Director Alex Donahue accompanied Gov. Moore during the visit.
"Today, the amazing students and staff at Oakdale High School reminded me why families continue to choose Frederick County," said Gov. Moore. "A world-class education system is the foundation on which we build everything else. That's why our administration is committed to investing in our young people and ensuring that our schools have the capacity needed to deliver on our promise."
Oakdale High School is the fastest-growing school in Frederick County-the fastest-growing county in Maryland. The school's enrollment has grown by approximately 50 percent over the past four years, reflecting increases in the county's population and housing development since the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Frederick County schools are above capacity, including Oakdale Elementary School, which is expected to present capacity challenges for Oakdale High School in the future.
Over the next five years, the proposed State investment for school construction totals more than $3 billion.
The Moore-Miller Administration's FY 2026 capital budget invests heavily in school construction, totaling $825 million-$57 million more for public school construction programs than planned in the previous Capital Improvement Program for FY 2026. The additional funding will support critical infrastructure needs and new construction or renovation projects for fast-growing counties that are experiencing overcrowding.
FY 2026 also continues the $1.7 billion Built to Learn Fund initiative to fund school construction projects, investing $302.2 million in revenue bonds for the renovation and construction of public schools across the State to be repaid using casino revenues in the Education Trust Fund.
The Governor met with student leaders and learned more about how enrollment growth amid building constraints affects their experience in the classroom. Afterwards, he joined Frederick County leaders to discuss the school construction investments that support the Moore-Miller Administration's commitment to high-quality public education.
"Frederick County is the fastest growing school system in Maryland, and Governor Moore understands our dual challenge of maintaining aging facilities and building new schools to meet increasing enrollment," said Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater. "We are grateful to Governor Moore for proposing new money to help school systems like ours. This infusion of funds will help us move quickly on school construction projects already in the pipeline, which will improve the experience of students, educators, and families."
"I am so appreciative of Governor Moore's visit to Oakdale High School," said Frederick County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Cheryl L. Dyson. "Families continue to choose Frederick County as a place to raise their children, and as we continue to rapidly grow as a system, we must ensure our school buildings are ready for all students."
"Every student deserves modernized classrooms," said State Board of Education President Dr. Joshua Michael. "We are excited by the growing enrollment in Frederick County Public Schools, which reflects increased trust in public education. We support efforts underway to address school overcrowding through building renovations, expansions and new construction. These investments will benefit the current students and those who will follow."