BEL AIR — The future of Darlington Elementary School hangs precariously in the balance as Harford County Public Schools grapples with a staggering $60 million budget shortfall. Parents and school officials are on high alert as discussions about potential funding solutions intensify.
As one of the oldest institutions in Harford County, Darlington Elementary has become a focal point for concerned parents, many of whom chose to live in the area specifically to ensure their children could attend the school.
“We moved here for the school and made sacrifices. My husband drives an hour and a half to work each way because we want our kids to finish elementary here,” shared Jennifer Hathaway, a local resident with children enrolled at the school.
The emotional stakes are high. Parent Sarah Taney, whose second-grader attends Darlington, expressed her distress at the possibility of losing the school.
“It would just really stink to lose what we came here for. I’m praying that our school doesn’t get closed,” she said.
At a recent meeting, Harford County officials presented the school budget for the current and previous years, explaining the root causes of the shortfall. Superintendent Sean Bulson attributed the $60 million gap to reduced local government funding, rising operational costs, and the necessity for additional resources.
“Flat funding equals cuts. As costs go up, if the money is the same, you have to reduce services,” he stated.
Darlington Elementary has seen a decline in enrollment, leading to smaller class sizes that make it more expensive to operate compared to larger schools. Bulson noted, “With a school this under-enrolled, it’s something we have to consider. It may not mean closing, but we need to explore options to make it more cost-neutral.”
While closing the school could yield only about $1 million in savings, Bulson emphasized that this amount falls short of addressing the overall deficit. “It’s a big emotional change for a small return,” he said.
In response to the budget crisis, the superintendent has proposed increasing class sizes by reducing the number of teachers, which could return approximately $20 million to the budget.
However, parents are concerned about the impact these measures will have on their children's education. “I just feel like my son will get swept under the rug in a larger class size,” Taney said.
The upcoming fiscal year 2025-2026 budget will determine the next steps for the school district, but for now, both parents and officials are working collaboratively to find solutions that prioritize education while cutting costs. “It’s not ideal, and it’s the type of thing we have to think about with some of these smaller schools,” Bulson concluded.
As the community of Darlington awaits further developments, the fate of Darlington Elementary School remains uncertain, underscoring the broader challenges facing education funding across the region.