Oakland Mills High School: A Fight for Better Learning Spaces

The Howard County Board of Education is reconsidering its decision to delay renovations at Oakland Mills High School. This shift comes after strong advocacy from the school community and a board member's change of heart. The board had initially voted to postpone the renovations, but now, there's a push to reprioritize them. The window to include these projects in the capital budget request is closing, as the board awaits the state's proposed budget in January. Students like Oakland Mills High senior Maren McGillivray-Stubbs have been vocal about the need for better learning environments. She expressed concerns about her younger brothers not having a suitable school to graduate from. McGillivray-Stubbs joined others in protesting before a recent board meeting, urging the board to reinstate the renovation funding. Board member Jacky McCoy admitted she regretted her initial vote to defer the renovations. She acknowledged her mistake and changed her stance during the meeting. Before concluding the meeting, the board discussed the possibility of reprioritizing the capital projects list already sent to the state. However, the superintendent warned that full funding for the current list is uncertain, and rising costs pose a significant challenge. Board member Linfeng Chen cautioned against reopening discussions, citing past experiences where revisiting decisions led to lost funding. The board also considered advocating for more county funding in the next budget cycle. County Executive Calvin Ball had previously stated that the county has allocated more education funding than mandated by the state for years. This context adds weight to the board's deliberations on how to secure the necessary funds for Oakland Mills High School's renovations.