Baltimore County executive details $70M spending plan for school construction in 2023

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. outlined the county’s spending plan for school construction projects next year, including $19 million to design new Towson and Dulaney high schools and $2.4 million for a new Scotts Branch Elementary School.

The county has allocated $70 million for school capital improvements for its 2023 fiscal year starting July 1 as part of a larger 15-year plan — called the Multiyear Improvement Plan for All Schools — to renovate and rebuild many schools across the system.

“Baltimore County children and educators need and deserve safe and modern school facilities, which is why we are investing historic resources to fulfill this promise,” Olszewski said. “I’m grateful to House Speaker Adrienne Jones and all our state legislators whose partnership and shared commitment on this critical issue is allowing Baltimore County to raise the bar for school construction investments across all of our communities.”

From left, Baltimore County Council Chairman Julian Jones, Superintendent Dr. Darryl Williams, and House Speaker Adrienne Jones applaud with Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski as he announces that $49 million in state and county funds will be spent to replace Scotts Branch Elementary School, a 1960s-era building where the announcement was made. (Amy Davis/Amy Davis)

The $2.5 billion plan, which was created by outside consultants, generated some controversy last year for omitting long-promised total replacements for the aging Towson and Dulaney high schools. Olszewski originally backed the consultant’s plan, but later pivoted to align with the Baltimore County school board by pledging to fund replacements for those schools.

In the announcement Monday, the county executive said next year’s budget will include:

$2,467,000 to replace Scotts Branch Elementary
$15,200,000 to replace Red House Run Elementary
$5,810,000 for a Pine Grove Middle School addition
$13,500,000 for a Dundalk High School addition
$10 million in design funds for solutions to high school overcrowding in the Northeast and Southeast areas of the county; $5 million will go toward each area
$9 million in design funds for a new Towson High School
$10 million in design funds for a new Dulaney High School
$500,000 in planning funds to expand career and technical education in the Northwest area

Construction at Towson High School will preserve the building’s historic façade with the school name in Art Deco lettering.

This list of investments will join other funded projects in the school system, including a new Lansdowne High School, Summit Park Elementary School, Rossville Elementary, Bedford Elementary, Northeast Middle School, and a new Deer Park Elementary School.

Investments at Deer Park will make the school Baltimore County Public Schools’ first net-zero facility, which means the building will create as much energy as it uses.

Del. Benjamin T. Brooks, Sr., left, looks at Cheryl Pasteur, center, a former Baltimore County school board member, who cried tears of joy after expressing her happiness about the announcement that Baltimore County is committing $70 million in capital investments toward school construction in 2023. (Amy Davis/Amy Davis)

This funding plan also includes a total replacement for Scotts Branch Elementary School, which was previously slated for renovations. Total budget for construction for the new facility includes $21.5 million from Baltimore County funds and $27.9 million from state funds, bringing the total to $49 million.

Baltimore Sun reporter Lillian Reed contributed to this article.