Harford Schools Mandates Call-In, Omits Access Code and Registration Info | The Locally Times
The Board of Education mandates a remote-only format for its February 23 business meeting, but public records do not specify registration procedures or provide the required access code.
## Schools Mandate Call-In, Omit Key Details Harford County Public Schools (HCPS) has directed residents wishing to provide public input at its upcoming Board of Education (BOE) meeting to do so exclusively by telephone. The notices instruct individuals who have registered to speak to call in at 6:00 PM on that date and enter a conference ID. These announcements, appearing on the HCPS homepage and its budget information webpage, establish a time for public comment but omit key details. Public records do not contain the required conference ID number, nor do they explain the process for residents to register as speakers. The available documents also do not provide an agenda for the meeting. The school system has not published a rationale for the call-in format, clarified if it is a permanent policy change, or indicated if alternative participation methods are available for residents who face barriers with a call-in system. ## County Government Opts for In-Person Budget Hearing The school system’s remote-only procedure for public input contrasts with the method used by the county’s executive branch for its budget process. A Harford County Government meeting record shows that County Executive Bob Cassilly invited citizen input on the fiscal year 2027 budget through an in-person public hearing. That event was scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at North Harford High School. The county’s announcement specified a time, date, and physical location for residents to participate in the budget process, which will conclude with the new budget taking effect on July 1, 2026. By holding an in-person forum, the county government provided a different model for public engagement than the one implemented by the school system.