Howard County Executive Calvin Ball filed emergency budget legislation Monday to provide up to $14.5 million in additional funding to the school system for the coming fiscal year.

If approved by the County Council, the emergency legislation would allow for the county to spend one-time funds from its policy reserve on recurring school system operating expenses.

When Ball introduced his fiscal year 2026 budget in April, he recommended funding $800 million of the Board of Education’s roughly $1.26 billion spending plan. His recommendation included $39 million in new funding for the school system and $6.7 million to pay for educator pensions.

However, Ball’s proposal fell roughly $30 million short of what the school system said it needed to meet financial commitments, pay for existing services and balance the budget.

Ball moved to close some of that gap Monday night.

“While approximately 64% of all new revenue growth in our proposed budget is already directed toward HCPSS, we recognize that the school system is facing additional fiscal challenges in the year ahead,” Ball said in a statement Monday night.

His one-time shift of $14.5 million is intended to help the school board work on closing the $29.2 million budget shortfall for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1.

The county executive said he prefiled the emergency legislation for County Council consideration “to ensure that we continue to deliver the best teaching and learning environment for our students and educators.”

County Council Chair Liz Walsh introduced the emergency legislation Monday evening. The council will hold a public hearing on the legislation on May 19. Ball has asked for the council to vote on it on May 21.

Passage will require a “supermajority of the County Council, or four of the five members,” according to a county news release.

“To prepare for emergencies and unforeseen fiscal challenges that may arise,” the county’s policy reserve fund sets aside 3% of the budget on top of the rainy day fund, according to the county news release.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the emergency legislation was tapped to provide $7.5 million in one-time funds to cover operating expenses at the time.

Superintendent Bill Barnes thanked Ball “for working collaboratively on a solution to substantially reduce our funding gap.”

“I am grateful for this positive development and will continue to work with the Board of Education to close the remaining gap in a way that prioritizes student and staff outcomes,” said Barnes, who became permanent superintendent last July, in a statement.

County schools officials engaged in difficult budget conversations last year to close a budget gap that topped $100 million.

They eyed class size increases, as well as cuts to central office staff and various programming, including elementary school music, gifted and talented courses and enrichments programs. Funding ultimately was restored for some of these areas.