'We are stumped': School board grapples with $40 million shortfall in draft budget

Frederick County Board of Education members appeared morose on Wednesday as they contemplated more than $40 million in budget adjustments they must make before June 30, with some officials floating increased class sizes or cuts to athletic programs.

The board has about $894 million to work with. It had hoped to have $938 million. 

Officials have access to roughly $72 million more than they had this fiscal year. But they have to spend $46 million of that to account for inflation and enrollment growth.

And they had planned to spend $35 million to give 7.14% raises to employees across the district, whose salaries are not competitive with nearby jurisdictions.