Council committee approves small FY26 budget transfer after state aid recalculation

A Prince George's County Council education committee on a unanimous voice vote approved a Board of Education financial review and Transfer Request No. 1 that reduces the Prince George's County Public Schools (PGCPS) FY26 operating budget by $2,032,022.

Dr. Arun Perakkan, director of the Education Workforce Development committee, told members the decrease reflected final state aid calculations and two technical changes: roughly $1.9 million removed from both revenues and expenditures because the county and state now pay private pre-kindergarten providers directly instead of routing those funds through PGCPS, and a $34,543 correction reclassifying state revenue for a blueprint coordinator to supplemental funding. "Collectively, these adjustments result in a net decrease of $2,032,022," Perakkan said.

Siobhan Smith, PGCPS director of budget and management services, clarified the private pre-K funding change was not a one-time adjustment: "Starting this fiscal year, fiscal year 26, the county will just pay the invoice that comes through, directly, the local share. The state also pays the invoice directly," she said, explaining the district will not receive an appropriation for those private-provider invoices going forward.

A motion to move the transfer request favorably was made (Speaker 4), seconded (Speaker 3), and the committee recorded four "aye" votes from Council members Adam Stafford, Harrison, Hunter and Olson. The chair declared the motion carried 4-0.

The committee did not amend the transfer request; members asked that the presentation materials be circulated to the full council for reference. The approval formalizes the technical budget change and aligns the district's operating budget with updated state and county payment practices.