✂️ Painful Cuts Ahead: HoCo Schools Drop Staff, Strings, and More

Howard County’s Board of Education approved a budget that cuts 126.5 positions—including beloved programs like third-grade strings and elementary gifted and talented—despite $70 million in new revenue. Superintendent Bill Barnes called the cuts “painful,” citing a need to avoid an even bigger crisis next year. Some gains were made—like new athletic trainers and academic coaches—but the tradeoffs stung. One board member opposed the move, arguing students should come first. A final vote is set for June 12.