Howard County Public School System leaders told the council they want to hire consultants to evaluate public‑private partnership (P3) options and to perform a facilities assessment that would prioritize capital needs across the district.

Cornell Brown, chief operating officer for the Howard County Public School System (HCPSS), told the January work session that the school system plans to engage technical and financial consultants — typically a P3 technical consultant plus financial advisors — to evaluate which projects would be marketable to private partners and what financing structures could yield. Brown and Dan Lubli, executive director of capital planning and construction for HCPSS, said the study would not presume P3 is the outcome; rather, it is intended to identify which projects, if any, would be suitable for alternative financing and to produce short-, mid- and long‑range options for the district.

The board asked for the study after prior discussions with other jurisdictions and presentations that included Prince George’s County experience, Brown said. HCPSS also seeks a facilities assessment beyond the state’s building‑condition index — an evaluation that would pair building‑system condition with programmatic needs (for example, whether a building’s layout supports current educational programs, wraparound services, pre‑K or other changed uses). Brown and Lubli said the district’s last similar assessment (a Gilbert study) dates to 2008 and that the school‑system team needs updated information to prioritize projects and guide long‑range planning.

Councilmembers at the work session pressed several points. Some, including members who have opposed P3 in the past, said P3s can shift capital costs into ongoing operating obligations and pointed to the county’s experience with a courthouse public‑private arrangement. Others said the core problem is an insufficient capital envelope; councilmembers repeatedly referenced a historical “$54 million” annual capital funding ceiling for school projects and urged stronger prioritization and/or more county investment. Several council members asked how a P3 analysis would change if the county increased its capital allocation rather than seeking alternative financing.

On Hammond High School, Lubli said construction is complete and the project is in the closeout and warranty phase; remaining funds in the capital project account exist to address any warranty or unforeseen items. He explained that state cost‑of‑construction indices and contingencies for renovation projects drive budgeting practices and can result in residual funds at closeout that the system then reallocates for other needs. Councilmembers asked for a follow‑up meeting to reconcile specific line‑item figures for project E1024 (Hammond High) and to document remaining work and balances.

School board members and councilmembers also discussed past studies in other Maryland counties (for example, Charles County) that evaluated P3 and did not find it financially feasible. School officials said each district’s portfolio is different and that a district‑specific analysis is needed to determine marketability. The board emphasized the study is intended to provide definitive, data‑driven options that let elected leaders choose a path rather than continually revisiting the question without updated analysis.

What’s next: HCPSS will pursue consultant procurement for a P3 technical/financial study and a facilities assessment, then present options and a prioritized plan. The council signaled it wanted clearer cost/benefit information — including the operating‑budget implications of any P3 scenario and reconciled closeout figures for Hammond High — before committing to alternative financing or changing capital‑budget ceilings.