Worcester County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Annette Wallace delivered one of her most direct public responses yet to recent school budget debates on Tuesday, using her final superintendent’s report of the school year to challenge what she described as misinformation surrounding budget cuts and to publicly defend decisions made by the Board of Education.
Speaking at the June 16 meeting of the Worcester County Board of Education, Wallace laid out a detailed account of what county commissioners funded, what they declined to fund, and why the school system was subsequently forced to reduce programs and services.
“The facts matter,” Wallace told board members and the public.
Wallace said confusion continues to circulate regarding the Fiscal Year 2027 school budget and the reductions approved by the Board of Education earlier this month. She pointed specifically to discussions held during the Worcester County Commissioners’ May 19 budget work session and the commissioners’ final budget vote on June 2.
According to Wallace, Commissioner Chip Bertino asked Board President Todd Ferrante and Wallace to commit to funding negotiated employee salary agreements if commissioners declined to fund additional portions of the Board’s budget request.
“While such a request was improper because neither the board president nor the superintendent of schools has unilateral authority to alter an approved board budget without action by the entire board sitting here with me today, the intent of that discussion publicly was clear,” Wallace said.
She said commissioners made it known that they would support negotiated salary increases but not additional requested funding until the completion of an independent audit already initiated by the Board of Education.
“I responded with a plea of my own,” Wallace said. “Please do not choose to defund the important programs and resources that we have requested based on a question mark.”
Wallace argued that the commissioners’ final vote reflected exactly that position.
To make her point, she walked through the list of budget items commissioners approved.
“I’m going to Sesame Street this for everyone,” she said.
Wallace then read from the commissioners’ motion, noting that funding was approved for certificated staff salary increases, support staff salary increases, bus contractor rate increases, health insurance costs, pension obligations, retirement expenses, school construction, substitute pay increases and bus attendance funding.
She then read the items that were not funded.
“They did not support Pre-K positions in Pocomoke, dual enrollment, technology, additional RISE program, summer school salaries and wages, in-service pay, contracted services, supplies and materials — that’s materials of instruction for your children in their classrooms — and other charges such as teacher recertification,” Wallace said.
“They specifically read out the first set and said we funded those, which means the others have to be cut.”
“Basic math says that’s what you have to cut.”
Wallace said the distinction is important because she believes some elected officials are now attempting to portray the resulting cuts as decisions made solely by the Board of Education.
“The board did not vote to reduce these programs because it believed the reductions were good,” Wallace said. “The board was forced to identify reductions because Commissioner Abbott, Commissioner Bertino and Commissioner Bunting and Elder voted against funding those items in the budget.”
The superintendent became increasingly direct as she discussed criticism directed at the Board following the June 3 special meeting where members approved reductions to balance the budget.
“It is simply not true for commissioners to be emailing people in our public and saying that this board … made those cuts,” Wallace said.
One of the strongest moments of the afternoon came when Wallace challenged commissioners to publicly own the consequences of their votes.
“Public officials are entitled to defend their votes,” Wallace said. “They’re entitled to explain their reasoning. They’re entitled to disagree with what we send. But stand on business.”
“If you voted for it, be honest.”
“This board stands behind the decisions they make. The commissioners I would expect, I know this board expects and I hope our community expects, if you make the decision, stand behind it.”
Wallace accused some officials of attempting to distance themselves from the outcomes of those budget decisions after hearing concerns from constituents.
“They are not entitled to rewrite the history that’s been recorded and receipts kept online during their meetings,” she said.
“The citizens of Worcester County deserve honesty from elected officials. The educators, students and families affected by this decision deserve honesty as well.”
Wallace also pointed to the county’s financial position, noting that commissioners announced a surplus of approximately $29 million during a meeting earlier Tuesday.
Referring to roughly $2.78 million in school funding reductions absorbed over the past year, Wallace questioned why the cuts were necessary.
“They just announced today that they have a $29 million surplus,” Wallace said. “Twenty-nine million dollars.”
“Our community needs to know the money was there.”
“They chose not to fund it.”
Wallace also defended the Board’s decision to preserve Pre-K positions in Pocomoke, despite the budget shortfall.
“The board also chose to preserve Pre-K programs in Pocomoke despite the commissioner in Pocomoke not voting for that,” she said.
Those cuts, Wallace argued, would have disproportionately affected some of Worcester County’s youngest and most vulnerable students.
“Cutting positions, cutting opportunities for three- and four-year-olds in our most vulnerable area of our community just doesn’t align with my values and didn’t align with the values of this board.”
Instead, Wallace said the district chose to absorb reductions elsewhere, including leaving an executive-level administrative position unfilled and distributing those responsibilities among existing staff.
Despite spending much of her report addressing budget issues, Wallace concluded by praising school employees and students as the school year came to a close.
“Today marks our final day of school for students,” she said.
“Our teachers, our support staff, our administrators, our bus contractors, our custodians, our food service workers, and every member of Team Worcester have continued to place our kids at the center of this work.”
“I promise you that we will continue to do that regardless of the budget.”
Tuesday marked the final Board of Education meeting of the 2025-26 school year.
