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During a Dorchester County Council meeting March 18, Council President Lenny Pfeffer said its projected education expenses have increased since the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future, which is the state’s education plan, was adopted by the Blueprint’s Accountability and Implementation Board in 2022.

Although Dorchester County Public Schools has its own budget, the county is responsible for giving a portion of its revenues to the district every year based on a calculation determined by the state.

At the meeting, Pfeffer said the county expects it will owe the district $26.3 million for education expenses in fiscal year 2026. Projections from 2022 estimated the county would owe $23.9 million for fiscal year 2026 education expenses, according to projections from the Maryland Department of Legislative Services.

That is $2.4 million less than what is currently projected.

Pfeffer said that in 2022, the county expected to owe the district $26.8 million in fiscal year 2030.

“So we’re almost at fiscal year ‘30,� he said about how much the county is paying for education with the Blueprint in place.

Pfeffer said that in fiscal year 2034, the county expects it will have to spend $36.3 million on education. He said that in 2022, the county expected it would be paying $29.4 million in fiscal year 2034.

“They need more money than we can give them,� Pfeffer said about the school district, adding that the county’s issue is not with the district, but with the state’s plan. “We just cannot pay our bills that are unfundedly mandated on this county.�