SMOB 2.0

Responses to Questions from the Board's Meeting with Student Leaders

2011-04-07T01:10:00.000-04:00

Below are memoranda forwarded on behalf of the superintendent of schools regarding questions submitted by students at the Board of Education's recent meeting with student leaders.

The questions discuss: Portable Communication Devices, bullying, ESOL, Middle School Reform, and school lunch prices.

11.04.06 Port Comm Dev

11.04.06 Bullying Question

11.04.06 ESOL Program Question

11.04.06 MS Reform Plans

11.04.06 School Lunch Prices

Gazette: SMOB Voting Rights

2011-03-29T20:47:00.000-04:00

Student board member voting bill running short on time

Measure running into Senate opposition again

by Alan Brody | Staff Writer

ANNAPOLIS — Legislation that would grant full voting rights to the student member of the Montgomery County Board of Education passed the House of Delegates on Monday afternoon, but still faces resistance in the Senate.

The county's Senate delegation was considering taking up the bill Monday night, after The Gazette newsletter's deadline.

Several student government leaders appealed to the Senate delegation last week to pass the bill so it can be considered by the full chamber, but a vote on the measure was delayed. The House vote in favor of the measure was 92-39.

Student advocates have lobbied state lawmakers for two years to grant the student member of the board, who is elected to a one-year term by county middle and high school students, the right to vote on collective bargaining, budget actions, school closings and boundary decisions. Currently, they can register an opinion on those issues, but it does not count toward the overall vote.

Under the proposal, the student member would still be barred from weighing in on disciplinary matters involving teachers.

Montgomery County delegates overwhelmingly approved the legislation in early February, but several senators are hesitant to allow students the same voting privileges as members elected by countywide voters.

"These are great kids and they're really sincere and really competent, but this is undemocratic," said state Sen. Brian E. Frosh (D-Dist. 16) of Bethesda.

The student member is largely elected by nonvoting residents who do not pay county taxes and therefore do not have the same perspective as adult members, he said. Students also should not have to endure contentious debates on redistricting that can even be difficult for adult members, Frosh added.

"The hardest part of our job here is to say no and you don't learn that before you graduate high school," he explained.

State Sen. Jennie M. Forehand (D-Dist. 17) of Rockville also is uncomfortable granting student members full voting rights, but said she would be amenable to extending their privileges to one or two categories.

The current student school board member, Alan Xie, a junior at Richard Montgomery High School, told senators last week that it's important for the student representative to have voting rights on all board decisions because they directly impact the student body.

"The presence of an informed and franchised student member strengthens board decisions," echoed Michael Hagan, a Damascus High School senior who is president of the Maryland Association of Student Councils, the statewide student government association.

Anne Arundel County is the only jurisdiction in Maryland that grants full voting rights to its student school board member. Several other counties allow partial voting rights.

Staff writer Margie Hyslop contributed to this report.

abrody@gazette.net

SMOB Voting Rights Passes the House!

2011-03-29T20:44:00.007-04:00

On March 26th, the House voted to pass HB 539 by a vote of 92 to 39. Congratulations to everyone who's worked so hard to lobby for this bill, and thanks so much to all of the Delegates who voted in favor of passing it! You are truly doing a service to the educational system in Montgomery County.

Now, we are waiting on Senate action. The bill underwent First Reading in the Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee on March 25th, and a hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday, April 5th at 1 PM.

The hearing will be located at 2 West Miller Senate Building, 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD 21401-1991. See this list for the complete schedule; it's important to note that the bills are listed may not be the order in which they're heard. Anyone wishing to testify should arrive in Annapolis and sign the witness register by 12 PM Noon. If you have written testimony, please submit 25 copies to committee staff by 12 PM Noon for distribution prior to the hearing. After 12 PM Noon, please submit testimony at the time that you testify. The Committee will receive testimony from its sponsors (Delegates Kaiser and Hucker), department, and limited proponents and opponents.

Please show up to provide support for the bill or deliver testimony!

Valerie Ervin on the Kojo Nnamdi Show

2011-03-26T22:19:00.000-04:00

Check out County Council President Valerie Ervin on the Kojo Nnamdi Show (88.5 FM). She's also a former Board of Education member.

Superintendent Search - Leadership Profile Report

2011-03-12T17:38:00.000-05:00

For everyone who hasn't seen it, here's the Leadership Profile Report from HYA about the Superintendent Search. Stay tuned for more info!

This 21-page document summarizes public input about the search, with data disaggregated by stakeholder.

Superintendent Search Feedback

Potential Budget Reductions

2011-03-04T21:02:00.000-05:00

Below is Dr. Weast's Revised Summary of Potential Budget Reductions.

Staffing Allocation March 4, 2011

Bethesda Magazine Interview with Dr. Weast

2011-03-04T20:46:00.000-05:00

The Last Lessons of Jerry Weast

A question and answer session with the retiring superintendent of Montgomery County Public School.

BY CARIN DESSAUER

Photo credit: Michael Ventura

Jerry Weast knew he was facing a challenge when he left his position as superintendent of the Guilford County, N.C., system in 1999 to become superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools. Yes, Montgomery County schools were good, but the area’s demographics had been changing dramatically. More than 20 percent of the county’s children qualified for free or reduced-price lunches and demonstrated special instructional needs—a number that had doubled in two decades. And there was pressure to close an achievement gap between the diverse populations.

Weast, 63, who will retire at the end of this academic year, has been credited with not only closing that gap, but with doing much more—sometimes generating controversy along the way. He has overseen the state’s largest school district, and the nation’s 16th largest, with 144,000 students in 200 schools employing 22,000 people. While so doing, the Rockville resident has raised academic standards, racked up some impressive achievements and nearly doubled the county’s education budget, which currently is more than $2.1 billion.

Sitting in his office surrounded by memorabilia—including the school bell that his mother rang in a one-room Kansas schoolhouse in the 1930s—Weast says he is ever-conscious that “where you come from” shouldn’t be an impediment to getting a good education.

Q&A

How did you end up in education?

I was a business major and was planning to go into the business world. But I got the chance to coach a Little League football team and I really enjoyed it. I got to thinking that accounting is good, but working with kids is better. [So] from 1969 to 1972 I was an accounting and psychology teacher in Belleville and Colony, Kansas.

My dad was a farmer, and I learned a tremendous amount from him that has been integral to my success in education. What he taught me was how to observe, the importance of building relationships and how to be respectful of people, regardless of the position they hold or the degree that they have. Status and titles never impressed my father—making a difference is what mattered to him.

What has been your proudest moment as Montgomery County Schools superintendent?

One thing we really showed for America, not just for Maryland, is that if you do reform right, you actually can improve the statistics that everybody worships in America—but also improve the ethos of the school system.

This system is as large as it’s ever been in its history, it is as diverse as it’s ever been in its history and it’s gone from a majority-white system to a majority-minority system in the last decade. It went from 6 percent poverty not that many years back to well over 46,000 kids in poverty, which are more students than you have in the Washington, D.C., school system.

For 35 years, we have been keeping track of the SAT scores for this system, and last year’s graduating class set the highest record with the most diverse class, the most kids in poverty and the most kids that do not speak English [as a first language]. We went from 7,000 tests for Advanced Placement [when I started] to 30,000 tests. The International Baccalaureate program grew from 500 to 9,500 kids, and the largest concentration of the program in the world [is] here in this system.

Our teacher retention rate improved. Our graduation rate: Out of the entire top 50 [school] systems in the country in size, we were No. 1 not once but twice in a row the last two years. We were a finalist for [several educational awards]. …Newsweek puts us in the top 3 percent of the high schools in the nation on getting kids college-ready. And we had more high schools in Newsweek’s Top 100 “Best High Schools” ranking than any other school system in America.

We have one of the best systems of teacher evaluations through peer review, the least acrimony amongst the unions and the schools. …I could go on and on.

One thing you have to get across: It isn’t me. It is the employees, the community and the kids here working together. What I have done is maybe provided some structures, built relationships, provided a more diffused leadership program, given them some shared ownership along with the responsibility and developed the rubrics and curriculum that align with college-ready and career-ready.

Along the way, you’ve had a challenging relationship with the Parents’ Coalition, the network of citizen activists who use the political process and other means to hold MCPS accountable.

The thing people accuse me of is listening, but not hearing. I hear, but I do not always agree. I am sorry that the world is faster than it was 10 years ago. I did not do that. [But] if we do not keep up, then our kids will be behind. We have to stop whining and get real.

What are the remaining problems?

My most pressing problem now is that we have grown by 6,300 kids—a whole cluster [a high school, with middle and elementary schools] in the last 36 months—and we do not have the buildings to support that. We cannot keep up with the growth. It takes six or seven years to get a building through, so we are definitely going to be short on buildings.

[People] are not coming here because of the good roads or the cheap taxes or the cheap houses. They are coming here for the schools. …And the state is $160 million behind in what they said they would get us.

My next biggest problem: You cannot measure kids with a bunch of standardized tests. If you increase the testing, it does not mean that you will increase the quality. The quality is about teaching kids to be creative.

Last year’s documentary Waiting for Superman looked at the nation’s failing public school system. Do you think it reflects reality?

When I was going through school, there was the risk of the Communist threat. When going through college, it was the Soviet threat. Later years, it was that the nation was at risk, then “No Child Left Behind,” now the “Race to the Top.” [But what it is really about is the] same thing as when my mother was a teacher: preparing the kids for the future.

Many parents say that Montgomery County schools are great for overachievers, but not so great for average students.

That is one reason we created the Seven Keys to College Readiness. What we have shown is that more kids can handle the more rigorous trajectory than what we thought.

What are the challenges given the diversity of, say, Whitman, Wootton, Kennedy and Einstein high schools, and how do you address these both pragmatically and in terms of the budget?

Diversity is one of the best things that has happened. We have embraced it. Use common sense: Some kids need more time; some need smaller classrooms. Give it to them. Differentiate the delivery. …But do not compromise on the rigor.

There is concern that we are rushing our children to learn math and that one reason that children in Asian countries are much stronger in math is that they drum in the basics before moving to the next levels. What are your thoughts?

I agree that the math has to be changed. Having been to Asia, [I have seen that] they are trying to get our creativity; we are trying to get their depth. Both of us have half of the equation.

Who should succeed you?

Somebody who is as passionate, persistent, who values the employees, who loves kids, who looks to the future and understands that you are dealing with human beings, each one of them unique. …[Someone who is able to deal with the fact that this is] one of the most politically charged systems under the Capitol dome. Someone [who] has to want to live in a fishbowl and be able to handle it.

What list of priorities would you give your successor?

[Keep this improvement] rolling; expand early-childhood education; keep working on teacher quality; improve the curriculum; find more ways to engage our community, especially our community that does not speak English; make school more fun for the kids and the teachers, and that means more tools, more technology and more engagement; take the art, music and P.E., things kids enjoy, and integrate them with the curriculum; and do whatever it takes. …Don’t be afraid. Try to remember to bless your enemies because they help you understand that there are different points of view.

What’s next for you?

I do not want to give up the energy and enthusiasm for education. …[I want to] try a foundation or nonprofit. …I have six grandchildren. I want to see them. …[And] I want to stay [in the area]. I really love the people here and love the excitement and energy of this area. People here really want to do better, and they are driven by that.

Jerry Weast lists the top 10 accomplishments of his tenure*

MCPS has the highest graduation rate among the nation’s largest school districts, according to Education Week.
Nearly 30,000 Advanced Placement exams were taken in 2010, more than three times the number of exams taken in 1999.
The class of 2010 scored an average of 1,653 on the SAT, an all-time high and well above the state and national averages.
More than 90 percent of kindergartners last year met or exceeded reading targets, narrowing the achievement gap by race, ethnicity and socioeconomic status.
Last year’s graduates earned $234 million in college scholarships, an immediate 10 percent return on the MCPS budget.
A collaborative relationship with our staff, which includes having our employee associations at the budget table. Over the past three years, the associations that represent more than 20,000 employees have helped us cut more than $300 million from the budget and have voted to forgo cost-of-living increases for the past two years.
An increased focus on early education, including the expansion of prekindergarten programs for our neediest students.
A focus on parent and community outreach to all the citizens of Montgomery County at the district and school level.
High levels of employee satisfaction. In 2009, MCPS had a teacher retention rate of nearly 95 percent, much higher than other large districts around the country.
Our organizational excellence has been recognized recently with two prestigious national awards. In October, MCPS was named a finalist for the 2010 Broad Prize for Urban Education, which recognizes large school districts that have raised student performance while narrowing the achievement gap. MCPS is the first school district in the Washington area to be chosen as a finalist. And in November, MCPS was a recipient of the 2010 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes institutions that improve student outcomes, engage and empower staff and the community, carefully allocate resources and demonstrate leadership and social responsibility. MCPS is just the sixth school district to be an award recipient.

* in no particular order

What others say about Jerry Weast

Jay Mathews, Washington Post education columnist and blogger: “Jerry Weast was one of the most energetic and effective school superintendents I ever encountered. He is certainly in the Top 10 nationally in terms of raising the achievement of low-income students, which to me is the most important measure of an educator. The only reason I would not make him No. 1 is that he has not yet taken on one of our distressed urban districts, but if he did so, I think he would be very good.

“There was an advantage for him in running a district with voters, parents and school board members as smart and as generous as those in Montgomery County, but there are other similarly affluent districts that have not seen such gains for their most disadvantaged students.

“He was a good politician, a good publicist (he would come all the way to my office in Alexandria to explain his latest program) and a very good analyst of what worked and what didn’t with kids. I hope he writes a long book explaining it all in his characteristic clear and vivid way.”

Michelle Rhee, former D.C public schools chancellor: “Jerry Weast took the Montgomery County schools to a new level. His work and leadership made MCPS a model for the nation.”

Rosanne Hurwitz, activist with the Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County: “My kids got a great education, but there was a lot of work to advocate on their behalf. The system is designed for the great middle. If you are at the ultra-top or ultra-bottom, then the school system does not care. …I would hope that the next superintendent is more open to all parents and meets their needs.”

Valerie Ervin, Montgomery County Council president, Education Committee chair and former Board of Education member: “At the end of the day, he was a masterful politician who had the right idea at the right time. I think for the most part our students have benefited.

“…But one could say that the achievement gap is as big as it has ever been. Montgomery College has said that students coming from Montgomery County have to be remediated in math and reading. So even though the story that we were told was a hopeful one of great success for individual students, there is still a persistent achievement gap in Montgomery County Public Schools. …He is leaving at the right time because we now need some fresh ideas from a new visionary leader who can take us to the next level.”

George Leventhal, Montgomery County Council member: “Jerry Weast has accomplished a great deal, and he put an appropriate focus on outcome disparities between the kids from more fortunate families versus kids from less fortunate families. …He was a very successful superintendent during the time of rising revenues, but I think he is less well equipped to deal with a climate of shrinking revenues. [And] I think that he is too involved in political campaigns. I do not think that is the role of a superintendent.”

Potomac writer Carin Dessauer, a former executive with CNN and CNN.com, is a regular contributor to Bethesda Magazine.

Funding Our Children’s Future: The Right Thing to Do

2011-02-18T22:17:00.004-05:00

Funding Our Children’s Future: The Right Thing to Do
February 18, 2011

Dear Friend of Montgomery County Public Schools:

On February 14, 2011, the Montgomery County Board of Education approved a $2.2 billion FY 2012 operating budget request for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Mindful of the economic climate, the Board adopted the minimum funding level mandated under the state’s Maintenance of Effort (MOE) law, which requires counties to fund education at the same per student level each year. In order for Montgomery County to meet MOE, it must increase local education funding by $82 million to address increased enrollment of more than 3,300 students. If the county fails to meet its minimum funding obligation under MOE, as a penalty, the school district may lose at least $22 million in additional state aid. The Board’s adopted budget request, which includes no new programs, will now be submitted to Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett and the Montgomery County Council for consideration.

As a Board, we have been careful fiscal stewards. When there were federal stimulus dollars available, we were able to assist our county in closing the deficit. In the last two years alone, we have worked hand-in-hand with the county to waive $250 million dollars owed to MCPS. Over the past three years, MCPS has saved more than $300 million through budget cuts and expenditure controls. This has resulted in the loss of hundreds of positions, drastic reductions in central administrative services, and an increase of class size by an average of one student. In fact, MCPS is now spending $1,000 less per student this year (FY 2011) than it did last year.

The superintendent has released a sobering list of non-recommended cuts that amount to approximately $50 million. The Board has not taken action on specific cuts, but it is likely that we will need to make reductions before this budget is finalized. The challenge would be to make reductions that are not so deep that they do lasting damage to our schools. If we have to take the non-recommended cuts as proposed by the superintendent, the effect on direct delivery of instruction will be devastating. Regardless, every student in every school across the county will be affected by the reductions that are coming. We have concerns about the ability of the central office to manage the school system with the cuts being proposed. Some officials believe we can continue to absorb cut after cut without affecting student outcomes. They are wrong. Increases to class size, and cuts to counselors, paraeducators, special education and other teachers, special programs, sports, after-school activities, and other staff and programs will have devastating impacts that will be difficult, if not impossible, to reverse.

The Board’s action on the budget followed the good news that Governor Martin O’Malley has recommended providing the school district with $37.2 million more in state aid than had been anticipated in the FY 2012 operating budget. These recommendations are needs-based and speak eloquently to how much Montgomery County has changed over the past decade; it is no longer the wealthy enclave that people think it is. The governor’s actions signal how much he appreciates the need to keep MCPS a top-functioning school system renowned for its commitment to academic success for all children. The Board thanks Governor O’Malley for standing by the children of Montgomery County at a time of great fiscal anxiety and exploding enrollment. Many more of the students coming to us are living in poverty and bring greater needs into the classroom than ever before.

Some County Council members have suggested that while they support the intent of the MOE law, its requirements should be relaxed in times of fiscal crisis. These suggestions come at a time when the federal stimulus dollars for public education have dried up and the state has signaled its intention to shift the cost of pensions to local school systems. The Board agrees that the MOE law should be amended—for different reasons. As currently written, if the County Council does not fund the school system at the maintenance of effort level, and a waiver is not granted, the penalty hits the schools’ budget directly, and penalizes our students twice. The Board intends to work with all the other school systems in Maryland to effect a change in this law in Annapolis. We salute our County Council and county executive for their past support of our school system. MCPS is a recipient of the 2010 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and was a finalist for the Broad Prize for Urban Education because of our community’s tradition of demanding and funding excellence in education. We ask our leaders to simply obey the law and fund our budget at the minimum MOE floor level. It is the right thing to do.

Sincerely,

Christopher S. Barclay
President, Montgomery County Board of Education

For more information on the FY 2012 budget, visit our website.

SMOB Candidates

2011-02-11T02:37:00.001-05:00

Today was the SMOB Nominating Convention, and there was a great turnout of middle and high school kids from all across the county. Several members of the Board of Education also provided comments.

The final two candidates for this year's SMOB election are Hal Zeitlin and me, and the election will take place on April 13th.

Check out each candidate's voter guide here: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/studentaffairs/smob/candidates.shtm

Superintendent's Recommendation for Wheaton & Edison

2011-02-11T02:19:00.000-05:00

Dr. Weast has recommended that Wheaton and Edison retain their separate identities, and that we identify program and budget efficiencies to help develop the unique programs at each school.

His specific suggestions regarding programs, the budget, and recruitment are below:

Budget Clarification

2011-02-08T18:18:00.000-05:00

The County Council has to provide us with $82.1 million (4.7%) more for FY 2012 than last year to meet Maintenance of Effort. This would be $10,664 per student.They said they weren't going to do that.

Governor O'Malley's proposed budget includes a $37 million increase in state aid on top of the original $27 million increase, resulting in a projected $64 million increase in state aid this year. Part of O'Malley's increased state aid covers our loss of ARRA funds this year.

As of now, the County Council has not confirmed that they will provide any of the additional $82 million in funding. If we don't get this $82 million, we'll have to eliminate step increases and delay funding retiree benefits ($34 million). We'll also have to make personnel/program cuts totaling $48 million.

This is where Dr. Weast's recently released list of possible budget cuts comes from. The items on this list total $48 million and 650 positions, and they give us an idea of what may have to be cut if the County Council doesn't give us the $82 million. These cuts aren't listed in any particular order, and are not recommended. You can find them here.

If the County Council doesn't give us the $82 million, we'll also face a penalty in loss of increased state aid of at least $22 million, totalling $104 million in lost funding. This will be extremely hurtful to the school system, and we can't let this happen.

Budget Work Session

2011-02-08T17:49:00.000-05:00

Today the Board of Education spent all day in a budget work session, listening to staff present the budget chapter by chapter and reviewing each department meticulously.

The budget will be voted on by the Board of Education on February 14th.

Education Legislation

2011-02-07T22:32:00.003-05:00

Here's a list of relevant education-related legislation that's been proposed this year. For each bill, below I've listed the number, a link to the text, a summary, and my stance on it.

HB1: Education - Youth Athletes - Concussions

- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0001f.pdf

- Summary: Requires county Boards of Education and the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association to provide education regarding concussions and take appropriate action related to such injuries.

- Stance: Support with amendment (the school system can't be held accountable for educating all people involved in non-school related youth activities)

HB38/SB489: Nonpublic Schools Accepting State Funds – Bullying, Harassment, and Intimidation – Policies

- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0038f.pdf
- Summary: Nonpublic schools that accept state funds must adopt an anti-bullying/harassment policy.

- Stance: Support

HB44/SB53: Education - Waiver from Maintenance of Effort Requirement - Process and Factors
- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0044f.pdf
- Summary: Changes certain factors regarding the Maintenance of Effort requirement and waiver process.
- Stance: Support with amendment (allowing a county's history of exceeding MOE to be evaluated in the context of the MSDE Education Effort Index)

HB73: Vehicle Laws - School Buses - Prohibition on Permitting Sitting on Floor or Standing

- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0073f.pdf

- Summary: Prohibits a person responsible for students on a school bus from permitting said students from standing or sitting on the floor.

- Stance: Oppose (Issue is already addressed in COMAR - penalizing transportation staff is unnecessary)

HB127/SB262: State Board of Education - Financial Literacy Curriculum - Graduation Requirement
- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/hb/hb0127f.pdf

- Summary: Requires the State Board of Education to develop a financial literacy course, each county to implement it, and students to complete it as a required graduation credit.

- Stance: Oppose

SB41: Education - Age for Compulsory Public School Attendance - Exemptions
- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/sb/sb0041f.pdf

- Summary: Raises compulsory age of school attendance to 17.

- Stance: Support

SB109: Public Institutions of Higher Education - Course Credit - Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate Examinations

- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/sb/sb0109f.pdf

- Summary: Requires public institutions of higher education to grant the same credit for AP and IB.

- Stance: Support

SB167: Higher Education - Tuition Charges - Maryland High School Students

- http://mlis.state.md.us/2011rs/bills/sb/sb0167f.pdf

- Summary: Allows individuals who graduated from Maryland high schools to pay resident tuition at public institutions of higher education (excluding documented immigrants). Similar to the federal Dream Act.

- Stance: Support

Thomas Edison HS/Wheaton HS Roundtable Advisory Committee Report

2011-02-07T18:07:00.000-05:00

The Thomas Edison High School of Technology/Wheaton High School Roundtable Advisory Committee released its report last week.

Superintendent of schools Dr. Weast will be reviewing the report as he develops his recommendation about Edison and Wheaton.

On February 8th (tomorrow) Dr. Weast will release his recommendation.
On February 28th, the Board of Education will have a work session.
On March 15th, the Board of Education will hold a public hearing.
Finally, on March 28th, the Board of Education will take action.

The Committee developed several approaches to deal with Edison and Wheaton. Below is an excerpt from the report describing each approach.

Approach 1—One Comprehensive High School and One Career Technology Education (CTE) Center on Current Site
A. Status Quo
• Maintain existing relationship between Thomas Edison High School of Technology (Edison) and Wheaton High School
• Program improvements as needed for Edison and Wheaton High School
B. Edison and Wheaton High School in one building
• Buildings are attached and located on the current site
• Keep Edison and Wheaton High School separate and add an application-based magnet program at Wheaton High School
• Expand enrollment in the CTE center programs at Edison
• Upgrade programs and expand partnerships at Edison and Wheaton High School
• No redundancy in CTE programs between Edison and Wheaton High School
C. Two separate buildings for Edison and Wheaton High School
• Keep Edison and Wheaton High School separate and add an application-based magnet program at Wheaton High School
• Expand enrollment in the CTE center programs at Edison
• Upgrade programs and expand partnerships at Edison and Wheaton High School
• No redundancy in CTE programs between Edison and Wheaton High School

Approach 2—One Comprehensive High School that Includes the CTE Programs of Thomas Edison High School of Technology and Wheaton High School
A. One comprehensive high school on the site that serves the needs of all students
• School offers graduation requirement courses, current Wheaton High School CTE programs, and current Edison CTE center programs in one Grades 9–12 school.
• School serves the whole continuum of students—for example, special education, English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), Gifted and Talented (GT), Advanced Placement (AP)
• Expand the time period to acquire credits for CTE programs from 2 years (Grades 11 and 12 for most programs) to 4 years
• Add CTE preparatory courses as needed in Grades 9 and 10
• Provide two enrollment patterns:
• For Downcounty Consortium (DCC) students: Enroll in the comprehensive high school without designating a specific CTE program or choose to apply to the CTE center programs
• For students outside DCC: Students across the county apply to the CTE programs5
B. One comprehensive high school on the site that serves the needs of all students and allows students to enroll after Grade 9.
• Same as 2.A. but allows additional students to enroll in comprehensive high school for Grades 10, 11, or 12
C. One comprehensive high school on the site that serves the needs of all students and allows students to enroll in CTE programs for part of the day while remaining enrolled in their home high school.
• Same as 2.A. but allows additional students to enroll in CTE programs in Grades 10, 11, or 12 for part of the day while remaining enrolled in their home high school

Approach 3—Wheaton High School Remains on the Current Site and CTE Center Programs Are Relocated to Another Site
• Move Edison CTE center programs to another location
• Upgrade CTE programs at Edison and create additional partnerships with businesses
• Make Wheaton High School a high-tech high school and expand partnerships

Approach 4—Multiple Locations for CTE Programs
• Create three comprehensive CTE centers throughout the county
• Students would attend the center for CTE programs and attend their home high school for most graduation requirements
• CTE programs that are packaged together by industry/subject matter and divided among separate comprehensive high schools, which would allow student to have more access to programs (disperse Edison CTE center programs to comprehensive high schools across the county)
• Roll the CTE/magnet programs into other modernization projects and offer an upcounty and downcounty CTE center
• Make Wheaton High School a high-tech high school and expand partnerships

Approach 5—Charter school with business involvement
• CTE programs would be run by a charter school with business involvement Roundtable members also identified implementation strategies that could be considered with any of the approaches. These strategies include:
1. Create a middle school connector or overview program that lead to CTE programs
2. Create more MCPS Foundation courses to help develop CTE programs and magnet
programs
3. Create introductory classes at home school for Grade 9 students that introduce students to
CTE programs
4. Make CTE facilities available for adult education

The report is located here: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/planning/pdf/EdisonWheatonFinalRoundtableReport.pdf

MC 7-11 Passes 21-1-2 in the Montgomery County House

2011-02-06T16:18:00.001-05:00

On Friday, February 4th, the Montgomery County House Delegation voted on MC 7-11, the SMOB voting rights bill.

It passed with a near unanimous majority vote of 21-1-2, with only Delegate Gilchrist voting in the negative (again). Delegates Mizeur and Simmons were absent from the voting.

The bill will now move to the Montgomery County Senate Delegation.
The members of the Senate Delegation are:

- District 14: Karen Montgomery, Phone: 301-858-3625 / 410-841-3625
- District 15: Rob Garagiola, Phone: 301-858-3169 / 410-841-3169
- District 16: Brian Frosh, Phone: 301-858-3124 / 410-841-3124
- District 17: Jennie Forehand, Phone: 301-858-3134 / 410-841-3134
- District 18: Richard Madaleno, Phone: 301-858-3137 / 410-841-3137
- District 19: Roger Manno, Phone: 301-858-3151 / 410-841-3151
- District 20: Jamie Raskin, Phone: 301-858-3634 / 410-841-3634
- District 39: Nancy King, Phone: 301-858-3686 / 410-841-3686

The SMOB Council and I will be working on lobbying over the next several weeks.

Full text of the bill: http://www.montgomerycountydelegation.com/documents/MC7-11.pdf

County Affairs Committee Vote (February 2nd): http://www.montgomerycountydelegation.com/documents/CAMC7-11bill.pdf

House Delegation Vote (February 4th): http://www.montgomerycountydelegation.com/documents/HouseDelMC7-11bill.pdf

MC 7-11 Passes County Affairs Committee

2011-02-02T21:54:00.000-05:00

Today the County Affairs Committee voted 5-1 on the SMOB voting rights bill, MC 7-11.

Delegates Frick, Cullison, Feldman, Kaiser, and Reznik voted in the affirmative while Delegate Gilchrist voted in the negative. Delegates Carr and Hixson were absent from the meeting.

The next step for this bill is the Montgomery County House Delegation Meeting on Friday, February 4th.

Maintenance of Effort Bill

2011-01-31T21:50:00.001-05:00

There's currently a bill in the Senate that would make certain changes to the Maintenance of Effort law:

- Altering the date by which a county governing body must make a request to the State Board of Education for a waiver from the maintenance of effort requirement;
- requiring the State Board to consider specified factors when making a decision whether to grant a waiver;
- requiring the State Superintendent of Schools to make a preliminary assessment of waiver applications by a specified time

The full text of the bill on its First Reading is here.

It is important to remember that Maintenance of Effort is an important requirement that ensures adequate funding for education by maintaining a "floor" for local funding.

List of Potential Budget Cuts

2011-01-28T17:01:00.004-05:00

Recently, the Governor released his budget, which included $37 million more in state aid to MCPS than originally anticipated. Most of this increase will help make up for the loss of federal stimulus funds this year.

Moreover, MCPS has been able to save $15 million this year that will go towards next year's budget. However, we're still facing a crisis at the local level. County Executive Ike Leggett said that his proposed budget won't meet the state's Maintenance of Effort requirement.

In order to meet MOE, we have to provide an increase of $82 million in funding to cover increased enrollment. However, we may have to cut $82 million from our budget if the county doesn't provide this funding. This would require eliminating step increases ($28 million), further delaying funding future retiree benefits ($6 million), and personnel/program reductions ($48 million).

As a result, Dr. Weast recently released a list of possible budget reductions. Below is the list - however, it's important to keep in mind that these reductions are listed randomly and are not final.

SMOB Application Deadline Extended!

2011-01-28T12:08:00.002-05:00

Due to the snow days and homes without power, the deadline for students to submit their application for student member on the Board of Education (SMOB) has been extended until 4 PM on Monday, January 31st.

Candidates must bring their original application to the mandatory candidates' meeting at 4 PM on Monday, January 31st from 4-6 PM in the Cafeteria of Carver Educational Services Center (CESC) 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville.

Candidates should dress nicely as the MCPS photographer will take group pictures and the individual candidate portraits from 5:00-6:00 p.m in his studio at CESC.

Application: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/studentaffairs/pdf/smob/information/SMOBapp2011.pdf

Missing Olney Teen Found in Texas!

2011-01-28T12:06:00.002-05:00

(WUSA) -- Montgomery County Police say they have found one of the teens from Olney who has been missing since January 12.

County police learned Nicholas (Cole) Balderson, 17, and Rachel Reilly, 16, might be in the San Antonio, Texas area and began coordinating with the San Antonio Police Department.

Thursday night, county detectives were contacted by San Antonio Police Department investigators who said they took Rachel Reilly into custody at approximately 8:15 p.m.

San Antonio Police had received information that the two teens may be staying at a homeless camp near a San Antonio truck stop, T and A Travel Center of America in San Antonio. They located a homeless camp to the rear of the truck stop, and police say when officers approached, two subjects matching the teens' descriptions fled on foot.

Police were able to stop and detain the girl and identified her as Rachel Reilly. Balderson was not apprehended.

Rachel Reilly was taken into custody by the San Antonio Police and is waiting to be reunited with family. Police say she appears to be uninjured and in good health.

Police say Balderson is still missing, and it is believed that he remains in the San Antonio area.

Anyone who may know the whereabouts of Cole Balderson is asked to call the Montgomery County Police Family Crimes Division at 240-773-5400 or the police non-emergency number at 301-279-8000.

Ike Leggett - MCPS Will Pay Fine Instead of Meeting MOE

2011-01-26T13:10:00.002-05:00

In the below article, County Executive Ike Leggett tells the Washington Examiner that the county will not fully fund the school system, and that MCPS will ultimately have to pay a penalty for being unable to meet Maintenance of Effort for yet another consecutive year.

Although other branches of county government are suffering enormous cuts as well, Maintenance of Effort is the law and must be met in order to ensure a world class quality of education for our students, especially because of enrollment increases.

For context, Maintenance of Effort is a state law that requires the County Council, MCPS' funding body, to spend as much money per student as it did the previous year. However, last year we were granted a Maintenance of Effort waiver from the state.

This means that this year's Maintenance of Effort requirement is at FY 2010's level of $10,664 per student. Unfortunately, this also means that we are unlikely to be granted a waiver like last year, leaving us with a penalty in the form of loss of state aid.

MontCo will pay state fine instead of increasing school spending
By: Brian Hughes

Montgomery County will not spend an extra $82 million on public schools next fiscal year, County Executive Ike Leggett told The Washington Examiner, citing the suburb's chronic funding shortfalls as the need to buck state requirements.

"It's just not practical for us to fill that request," Leggett said of Superintendent Jerry Weast's call for tens of millions of dollars more in county funding. "We'd either have to raise taxes or tap department budgets that have already been hit hard the last two or three years. I'm not going to do that."

Under state law, local jurisdictions are required to pay the same amount per student as the year before. But facing a $300 million shortfall -- on the heels of filling a $1 billion budget gap -- Leggett and County Council members say they would rather take a hit in state funding than raid department budgets.

The county would miss out on $33 million in state aid by not meeting the standard, ultimately saving $50 million at a minimum compared with Weast's proposal.

For years, county officials pumped millions of dollars more than required into the schools and built one of the nation's top-achieving public education systems. The county was granted a waiver for not meeting the so-called maintenance of effort this fiscal year, but officials say they will not receive a free pass again.

Leggett's announcement on Tuesday was met with disappointment from school board members, who have routinely battled with the council over funding that accounts for 57 percent of all taxpayer dollars spent in the county.

"With an increase in students and an increase in needs, not having an increase in dollars makes it very difficult to maintain the quality of education for our children," said School Board President Christopher Barclay.

Weast's $2.16 billion budget proposal included spending for an expected 3,340 more students next year and roughly 154 more teachers. It also recommended step increases -- a 3 percent annual raise, on average -- that would have cost $15 million.

By not meeting the Maryland standard, Leggett would be free to slash the schools' budget from prior levels. He will present his budget to the council in March.

Multiple council members Tuesday endorsed Leggett's decision.

"I agree with him," said Councilman George Leventhal, D-at large. "We cannot starve the rest of county government. Unfortunately, the school system is going to have to find substantial savings."

Charter Schools

2011-01-26T13:02:00.001-05:00

Recently the Maryland State Board of Education reversed our decision to reject applications for two charter schools, Global Garden and Crossway Community. In part of its 17-page opinion, the state writes, "Members of a local board have a duty to evaluate public charter school applications based on the sufficiency of their contents, and not on the board member's own personal view of whether charter schools should exist."

We will have 90 days to reconsider these applications. To put this debate in context, there are currently no charter schools operating in Montgomery County, and some concerns that were cited in our original debate were discussions regarding the effects of charter schools on the budget.

According to MCPS spokesperson Dana Tofig, county lawyers are still reviewing the state board's decision - however, it is possible that the MCPS Board of Education will only have to put their reasons for denial in writing, and not actually reconsider the applications.

Government HSA Gone?

2011-01-26T12:53:00.000-05:00

The Government HSA, a graduation requirement for all students in Maryland, may be eliminated after the May 2011 administration under the new state budget.

Governor O'Malley proposes cutting $1.9 million from the Maryland State Department of Education budget, eliminating the Government HSA unless the legislature finds enough funding to restore it.

State Superintendent Nancy S. Grasmick says that she is comfortable with eliminating the Government HSA because Maryland is rewriting curriculum in all subjects to meet new Common Core standards.

In the end, the Government course will still be a graduation requirement.

But what are the greater implications of this decision on social studies and education as a whole?

Snow Dates for Budget Work Sessions

2011-01-26T12:49:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

We got a bit of snow today and school was cancelled - having fun? The outlook for tomorrow is more snow, so the Board of Education postponed its budget work sessions that were planned for today, Wednesday, Jan. 26, and tomorrow, Thursday, Jan. 27.

Instead, we'll be holding an all-day budget work session on Tuesday, February 8, beginning at 10 AM. We'll approve a budget proposal on Monday, February 14th. The Board's budget recommendation must be submitted to the County Executive and the County Council on March 1.

Governor O'Malley's Budget

2011-01-25T20:18:00.002-05:00

Hey guys,

So on January 21, 2011 Governor Martin O'Malley released his FY 2012 Recommended Operating Budget. But what does that mean, and how does it affect us?

If approved by the General Assembly, it would maintain K-12 state aid at FY 2011 levels, meaning an estimated increase in revenue for MCPS by $33.1 million compared with FY 2011, resulting in a total of $557.5 million in state aid. This is $41.4 million more than the total of $516.1 million in Dr. Weast's Recommended Operating Budget.

This doesn't affect Maintenance of Effort, which is based on local contribution. However, if the county fails to meet Maintenance of Effort we could face a penalty of up to $22.4 million.

It is important to remember that these figures are subject to change - however, they give a pretty good idea of what's going on right now.

Montgomery College sued over illegal immigrant policy

2011-01-21T21:30:00.001-05:00

Here's an interesting article from the Gazette - what do you think about this issue and the Dream Act proposed by Senator Madaleno?

Montgomery College sued over illegal immigrant policy
School is breaking law by granting in-county tuition, McDonough says
by Erin Cunningham | Staff Writer

Three Montgomery County residents filed a lawsuit against Montgomery College on Thursday seeking to overturn its practice of granting the lowest tuition rates to some illegal immigrants.

The lawsuit, filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court, claims the college is breaking the law by allowing recent graduates of the county's public schools — regardless of their immigration status — to attend the college at the in-county tuition rate.

Those who oppose the policy say it is costing the state millions of dollars annually and preventing U.S. citizens from attending the school. Supporters, however, say the policy is lawful and helps make college affordable for the students.

At the same time, Sen. Victor Ramirez (D-Dist. 47) of Cheverly and Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Dist. 18) of Kensington are preparing to introduce legislation that would make undocumented students eligible for in-state tuition at Maryland's public colleges and universities if they meet certain criteria.

State law prohibits undocumented students from receiving a reduced rate, and such students also are ineligible for financial aid through the federal government.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) and other elected leaders and college officials say they support the college's policy, which they believe is legal.

The college released a statement Thursday saying, "The college adheres to all laws and regulations regarding the information submitted for state aid."

The college has a long-standing practice of enrolling local high school students at in-county rates within three years of graduation. Montgomery College's board of trustees officially adopted the policy in late 2010, after McDonough spoke publicly about the situation.

Students who have not graduated from MCPS within three years must prove residency to determine their tuition rate.

The lawsuit was filed by Michael Lee Philips, of Rockville, and Patricia Fenati, of Damascus — both of whom ran for office on the Republican ticket in 2010 — and David Drake, a 69-year-old county resident.

"It's taxpayer waste, fraud and abuse," said Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, which he describes as a bipartisan watchdog group that is representing the residents in their lawsuit against the college.

During a news conference Thursday in Annapolis, Fitton said he estimates the cost of providing lower tuition rates to illegal immigrants to be as much as $8 million. An audit from 2009 showed that illegal immigrants took 11,000 credit hours at the college that year.

"It's an unfair practice," said Del. Patrick L. McDonough (R-Dist. 7) of Middle River. "They are taking slots away from American citizens and legal immigrants."

McDonough has been vocal on immigration issues and said he plans to introduce 16 bills session related to immigration during the current legislative.

In November, McDonough called for the college to be cut off from state funding because of its tuition practices.

The college, which has 26,000 undergraduate students on three campuses, has a fiscal 2011 operating budget of $208 million, about $30.6 million of which comes from the state. The remainder comes from the county (47 percent) and student tuition and fees (38 percent).

Montgomery County Public Schools graduates pay in-county tuition of $107 per credit hour. In-state tuition is $219 per credit hour, and out-of-state residents pay $299.

For Yves Gomes, 18, of Silver Spring, paying the in-county rate is the only way he could afford to attend the college, where he enrolled in the fall, he said.

Gomes, who is an undocumented immigrant, was born in India but moved to the United States when he was 1 year old. He is a graduate of Montgomery County Public Schools, making him eligible for the lowest tuition rate.

About 30 percent of MCPS graduates go to Montgomery College in their first year after high school, and 60 percent enroll by the second year. About 10,000 students graduate from MCPS annually.

The school system does not track the immigration status of its students because it is prohibited by federal law.

Gomes was scheduled to be deported last year, but was granted a rare reprieve by the federal government. His parents were deported in 2008, and Gomes is using money from the sale of his family home to pay his tuition.

Gomes says he hopes to attend Montgomery College for two years before enrolling in the University of Maryland, College Park.

"I was hoping to get my undergrad in biology," he said Thursday. "I want to be a doctor one day."

Gomes says that he and other undocumented students have discussed proposals to raise their tuition.

"It's rough because that's our future," he said. "Basically, they are trying to make it hard for us."

Kim Propeack, the political director for Casa of Maryland, a nonprofit organization that supports Latinos and immigrants, says a few dozen undocumented students are attending the college at the lower tuition rate.

She questioned why McDonough, who lives in Baltimore County, would be concerned with an issue in Montgomery County.

Help Save Maryland, a group opposed to illegal immigration, estimates that as many as 300,000 illegal immigrants are living in Maryland, although the number living in Montgomery County is less clear because it is not tracked, said the group's director, Brad Botwin, who lives in Rockville.

He questioned why taxpayers were funding the lower tuition rates for undocumented immigrants who cannot work legally in the country.

Montgomery County Council President Valerie Ervin (D-Dist. 5) of Silver Spring says helping make college affordable for all students will benefit the local economy.

"I see no problem with allowing children of immigrants to attend college and not make it cost prohibitive for them to participate in our economy," she said.

Strathmore & the Budget

2011-01-21T21:28:00.000-05:00

There may be some confusion that MCPS is providing $50,000 in unnecessary funding to Strathmore.

However, I would like to clarify that MCPS pays Strathmore for the 2nd and 5th grade concerts. Strathmore in turn pays the National Philharmonic for the performances.

NYA and the Student Bill of Rights

2011-01-20T19:45:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone,

On the behalf of former SMOB Tim Hwang, I'm here to provide a short summary of the National Youth Association, a new nation-wide student organization. Even while in college, Tim has been actively working to promote student advocacy across the country. More information is located here: http://www.nyaamerica.org/

You can read NYA's Student Bill of Rights below. Here's some helpful links:

Sign the Bill here: http://bit.ly/eYNNs9
Join the Facebook Event: http://on.fb.me/hadZIs

Stay Updated on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/f5fkVU

"The National Youth Association is devoted to a society in which youth and students are able to grow to their fullest potential while acting as agents of social change in the world they will inherit. We recognize education as an opportunity to empower today’s youth; a catalyst in eradicating major conflicts within the United States. Not only is education an issue of social justice, but it is vital to the survival of our economy and our nation. During past years, however, lawmakers around the country have issued crushing funding cuts for public education programs. We at the National Youth Association firmly oppose misguided cuts to education funding and will fight on your behalf to uphold teacher quality and scholastic programs.

These cuts have swept the country both by magnitude and scale. During the last fiscal year, thirty-four states have cut funding for K-12 education while forty-three states have cut support for state universities. During the past two years, public schools in California have suffered $17 billion in cuts, Illinois has anticipated the loss of 17,000 teaching staff, and New York has proposed a $1 billion cut in education aid.

We, the undersigned, in order to secure a better future, expect an education that prepares us for the globalized economy, an education that expects excellence for all regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, socioeconomic status, language proficiency, or disability. We seek to protect student rights in the face of state deficits, and we petition policy makers to revert misguided cuts in public education that harm the development and competitiveness of today’s youth as problem solvers of the future by recognizing the following provisions:

1. Students shall possess the right to qualified, engaged, and passionate teachers.

Teachers shall have a college degree with appropriate certification in the subject they teach and remain current in their academic fields.

2. The right to unfettered access to current textbooks, school supplies, and supplementary learning materials.

Schools shall make technology, workbooks, and supplements required for coursework available to students.

3. The right to security and privacy in their persons and their possessions on and around campus.

Students shall attend school without experiencing physical, emotional, or psychological bullying by peers, faculty, or the local community. Penalties against students, when they arise, shall observe due process and reasonably justify the offense.

4. The right to adequate facilities that encourage learning.

School buildings shall have comfortable temperature, sufficient light, and clean rooms, desks, and washrooms in order to provide good conditions for learning.

5. The right to challenging courses, enrichment activities, and after school activities (sports, clubs, etc.) that support academic needs, social needs, and personal development.

Schools shall provide courses and tutoring services, create opportunities that address students’ academic passion and curiosity, provide arts and athletics programs that enrich the soul and which develop a person holistically, and prepare them for global opportunities.

6. The right to physical education opportunities and nutritious school meals.

Schools shall provide physical education in curriculums and observe nutrition standards set by the Secretary of Agriculture in order to combat the social consequences and long-term health risks of childhood obesity.

7. The right to social, emotional, and post-high school counseling services.

Counseling opportunities enable students to explore their future potential, college readiness, and access to specialized program as well as find emotional support.

8. The right to a transparent, effective, and engaged administration that enforces school policies impartially and interacts with an elected student government.

Administrators shall have open mind and open door policies to address student concerns honestly, provide rationale for school decisions, support family and community involvement, and place student interests at the forefront of decision making.

9. The right to transportation to and from secondary schools.

In regions with inadequate public transportation, local and magnet secondary schools shall ensure safe and speedy transportation routes for all students.

10. The right to accessible early childhood education, free public secondary education, and reasonable costs to post-secondary education (college tuition, etc.)

Early education reduces juvenile crime and dropout rates, and secondary and post-secondary educations are necessary in most fields to develop competitive individuals in the global marketplace.

11. The right to an appropriate student-teacher ratio.

This ratio should be based on student age, course content, and student needs.

12. The right to freely express ideas and beliefs.

Schools shall respect, advocate, and protect student rights of expression and assembly to the extent that the law allows.

13. The right to fair and standards-based grading systems.

Schools shall enact fair, standards-based grading policies that are a fair representation of a student’s mastery of a subject."

Budget Q&A

2011-01-20T19:09:00.000-05:00

Questions about the budget? Some common questions about the FY 2012 budget are here:
http://montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/FY2012/budget-questions.aspx

The entire Q&A is too long to include in this post, so here's an idea of the information that's there:

1. How much does a one day furlough (for all employees) save MCPS? How much does a one day furlough save if SEIU members are exempted?

2. How many MCPS employees receive car allowances? Total cost? How much does MCPS spend in employee mileage a year?

Frederick County SMOB

2011-01-16T00:32:00.001-05:00

This is a great article from the Gazette about Frederick County SMOB Margo Dawes' push for voting rights. I'm also quoted in the article!

Frederick County's student school board member pushes for voting rights
by Margarita Raycheva

While her fellow student board members in Prince George's, Montgomery and Anne Arundel counties are voting on major education issues and policies, Margo Dawes has little power to actively influence school board decisions in Frederick County.

As the student member of the county's Board of Education, the 17-year-old Frederick High School senior is free to attend meetings, speak up, take sides on issues and voice her opinion along with the seven adult members of the board. But she has no right to vote, as the others do.

That is why Dawes, who represents the interests of 42,000 Frederick County students, was set to ask the board on Wednesday for partial voting rights for student members.

"I am doing this for students who cannot speak on the Board of Education," Dawes said.

The meeting occurred after The Gazette's press time on Wednesday. Check www.gazette.net for updates.

Partial voting rights would mean that student members would be only able to vote on policy changes and issues that affect students, and would not vote on budgets, personnel or boundary changes.

"We realize that this responsibility doesn't come lightly. But if they give us the chance they will not be disappointed," said Dawes, who will not get to benefit from the change if the board approves her idea, only future student members would.

According to Jamie Cannon, the school board's legal counsel, if school board members decide to give students a more active role on the board, they would have to include that position in their legislative package and bring it to the Frederick County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly, which could bring it for a vote in Annapolis.

The school board was scheduled to introduce their package to the delegation on Wednesday, Cannon said.

Dawes' idea for student voting rights is not unique in Maryland. It is modeled after the practice in Montgomery and Prince George's counties and at the Maryland State Board of Education, all of which give partial voting rights to their student members. Anne Arundel County is the only county in the entire state which gives full voting rights to student members on the school board. This year, students in Montgomery County are fighting to get a full vote, which would allow them to vote on budget issues.

"We want to increase our influence on the education system," said Alan Xie, the student board member on the Montgomery County school board, who praised Dawes' efforts in Frederick County.

"Students are the largest stakeholder in the school system," he said. "And we really feel that there is a need for a student vote on the budget."

In Frederick County, students have never had any voting rights, even though they've had a representative on the board since 1987. And this is not the first time that students have pushed for the right to vote.

"It has been an annual issue," said school board member Katie Groth, who has served on the board since 2004 and who has concerns about changing the current model.

One big factor for Groth is that students have to attend classes and cannot attend all board meetings, which could affect their ability to make decisions that affect the school system.

"Their No. 1 job is being a student," said Groth, noting that she would hate to see students missing classes just to attend board meetings.

Student board members only serve on the board for one year, when they are juniors or seniors, and that just doesn't give them enough time to learn how the school system works, Groth said.

Groth doesn't definitively oppose the idea of giving students a partial voting right. She feels that if the board decides to allow it, board members must be very careful in defining what issues students can vote on and what issues are off limits.

Other board members are worried that the public could pressure student members. Others have questioned who would hold students accountable if they do not follow the responsibilities of their job.

But Dawes believes she can alleviate many these concerns with the information she has collected on the practice in other counties. For instance, currently the Frederick County school board has no power to remove a non-voting student member. If the student member had voting rights and was not meeting the demands of their position, state law allows the board to petition the state to have that student removed from the job, Dawes said.

In Frederick County student board members are elected by the General Assembly of the Frederick County Association of Student Councils, which includes more than 110 students from nearly every middle and high school in the county. Students first appear in front of a panel, which selects the five top candidates to stand for election in April. The elected student representative assumes the position on July 1 and serves one year.

If the board doesn't think that process is rigorous enough for a student member who has voting rights, members could use the Maryland State Board of Education's practice, which selects two finalists in the student board member process and allows the Maryland governor to make the final student member selection, she said.

Though she doesn't know if the board will accept her proposal, Dawes hopes that she can get more school board members to see the value in giving students more power to influence the decisions that affect them directly.

"Right now I can talk all I want and people will listen, but it doesn't mean anything," said Dawes, who often takes opinion votes on the board. Opinion votes go on record, but they have no effect on the school board's decisions.

"I just feel like a very well accepted mouthpiece for students," she said.

Not all the current school board members in Frederick County oppose the idea of giving students a partial voting right. Board member April Miller, who was elected in November, said she would not be in favor of letting students vote on budget and personnel issues, but could be comfortable allowing them to vote on other issues, especially when they affect students directly.

Gazette Salary Project

2011-01-13T21:20:00.000-05:00

The Gazette Salary Project is an interesting study of how much money people in our county (and two others) earn. It has data regarding Montgomery, Prince George's, and Frederick County. The project is located here: http://www.gazette.net/whattheyearn/

Below is a picture from the project that has the highest salaries of our county's employees. For more information, visit the above link.

Superintendent Search Survey

2011-01-13T21:17:00.000-05:00

Hey guys,

The Board has just released an online survey asking for input on the new superintendent. The survey is located here: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/superintendent-search/survey.aspx

Please complete it to share your opinion!

Literacy

2011-01-11T19:30:00.000-05:00

Today the Board of Education discussed the important issue of literacy. During the discussion, we discussed how to improve literacy so that students can be better prepared for college and life after they graduate.

Some interesting facts from the presentation:

- 40% of high school graduates lack literacy skills that employers seek
- Lack of skills costs universities and businesses an estimated $16 billion per year
- 33% of fourth graders were proficient/advanced in reading on NAEP in 2009 (National Assessment of Education Progress)
- 32% of eighth graders were proficient/advanced in reading on NAEP in 2009
- The most common problem in literacy is comprehension

We identified many challenges that MCPS faces, some of which include:

- Students may enter MCPS in high school after indicator tests such as MAP-R
- There are less measures of literacy and performance during high school than middle school
- Teachers not trained in teaching reading/writing may have to teach these skills to LEP students in addition to the teacher's normal subject
- Comprehension is key to all subjects and future success
- Reading and writing may have a stigma surrounding it
- Students may be proficient at reading but not comprehending
- Initial difficulty with reading and writing may discourage later effort

One of the issues regarding literacy that we discussed was the performance of different groups and increase in enrollment. With the budget crisis, it will be a challenge to deal with this increase in future years.

Here is some data from the presentation today regarding recent increases in enrollment. These slides were from today's presentation and can be seen in rebroadcasts of today's meeting. I did not create them; I merely formatted/grouped the slides into the below format.

Maryland #1 in the Nation Again!

2011-01-11T19:10:00.000-05:00

Education Week recently ranked Maryland as having the nation's best public education system, giving it a grade of a B+. This grade is based upon student achievement, education policies, and school finances.

New York, Massachusetts, and Virginia placed in second, third, and fourth place.

Education Week also ranked student performance trends (which includes improvements in test scores and effectiveness at closing the achievement gap), giving Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Maryland first, second, and third place respectively.

Superintendent Search Public Forums

2011-01-10T18:33:00.001-05:00

The Board of Education will be holding Public Forums for discussion about the Superintendent Search in the next few weeks!

All citizens are invited to attend a series of public forums that will be held on 3 consecutive evenings with 2 locations across the county per evening. Representatives of the search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA) will facilitate the forums and receive community comment.

The forums will be held on Monday January 31st, Tuesday February 1st, and Wednesday February 2nd. The full schedule and details are below.

If unable to attend one of the public forums, community members are invited to provide input on the various attributes and characteristics desired in our next superintendent by completing our online superintendent profile survey which will be available mid-January through early February 2011.

Monday, January 31, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.

Location: Northwest High School, 13501 Richter Farm Road, Germantown (map)
Translation/interpretation available in: Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese

Location: White Oak Middle School, 12201 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring (map)
Translation/interpretation available in: Spanish

Tuesday, February 1, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.

Location: Bethesda Elementary School, 7600 Arlington Road, Bethesda (Accessible from Bethesda Metro Station) (map)
Translation/interpretation available in: Spanish, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese

Location: Montgomery Village Middle School, 19300 Watkins Mill Road, Montgomery Village (map)
Translation/interpretation available in: Spanish

Wednesday, February 2, 2011, at 7:00 p.m.

Location: Wheaton High School, 12601 Dalewood Drive, Silver Spring (map)
Translation/interpretation available in: Spanish

Location: Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville (map)
Translation/interpretation available in: Spanish, French, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese

If child care or translation/interpretation services will be required, please contact the Board of Education office at 301-279-3617 by January 24, 2011. For sign language interpretation, please call 301-517-5539 by January 24, 2011.

Wheaton and Thomas Edison HS

2011-01-10T15:37:00.000-05:00

There will be a meeting from 7-9 PM on Tuesday, January 11th regarding Wheaton HS and Thomas Edison HS. It will be in the auditorium of Wheaton HS at 12601 Dalewood Drive, Silver Spring, MD.

This roundtable will send its comments to the Superintendent on January 22nd, who will then submit his recommendation to the Board of Education on February 8th.

School Newspaper Update

2011-01-09T00:53:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone:

At the most recent meeting of the SMOB Council, we began a new outreach project to provide updates to school newspapers. We'll be sending out articles to every school's newspaper about the superintendent search, cell phone pilot, operating budget, and SMOB voting rights.

We'll also be sending out a copy of my video to high schools and middle schools to play during their morning announcements. This will be a unique chance to communicate information directly to students, and hopefully it will be a success.

Legislative Session; O'Malley says he won't shift pension costs to counties

2011-01-09T00:46:00.002-05:00

This article from The Gazette describes several local bills, including MC 7-11, which would give the SMOB (almost) full voting rights. The next article, from The Washington Post, describes a proposal by the governor that says pension costs will not be shifted to the counties this year.

Montgomery takes modest priorities to General Assembly
By Alan Brody and Sarah Breitenbac

A new four-year term begins next week for state elected officials much the same way the last one ended: with a yawning, long-term budget gap now exacerbated by the end of federal stimulus money.

As a result, Montgomery County legislators are girding for a turbulent 90-day General Assembly session in Annapolis that will leave them shooting for modest but critically important goals, such as protecting funding priorities and staving off a potentially harmful shift in teacher pension costs.

"The last few years, everyone has said, 'This will be the worst year,' " said Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D) of Kensington. "I definitely think this will be the worst year, because this is a year when we have to face our structural deficit without the backstop of federal funds."

For Madaleno, a member of the Senate Budget & Taxation Committee, which will wrestle with the state's toughest fiscal issues, that probably means considering cuts to previously untouchable programs, particularly education.

"The hole is huge, and we're really down to the very, very tough decisions, and they're going to hurt," said Sen.-elect Roger Manno (D) of Silver Spring, who moves over from the House after one term and also will serve on Budget & Taxation.

In addition to closing a projected $1.6 billion shortfall for fiscal 2012, Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and legislators will begin to tackle an even more daunting structural deficit - the long-term imbalance between revenue and expenditures - of almost $2 billion. Unlike in the past three years when Maryland received about $4 billion in federal stimulus aid, state officials aren't expecting help from Washington this year.

They'll also examine options to get a handle on the state's unfunded pension and retiree health-care liabilities, which will total about $33 billion during the next 30 years.

"We just want to make sure that we don't break anything in the process of trying to fix what's [already] broken," said Manno, citing the difficulties caused by deregulating the electric industry in 1999 and the 2002 adoption of the Thornton education plan without a revenue source. "We want to make sure there's a solution that's sustainable."

Lawmakers will probably weigh proposals to increase the levy on alcoholic beverages as a way to fund health-care and developmental disabilities programs, which have sustained deep cuts in recent years. A bill to make permanent higher tax rates on incomes above $1 million, which was passed in 2008 to offset the repeal of the short-lived sales tax on computer services, also will be debated.

O'Malley has said the budget he will submit to lawmakers this month will rely completely on spending cuts and transfers, but he has not ruled out signing into law tax measures approved by the legislature.

Seven new lawmakers will join the 32-member Montgomery County delegation in 2011, and the county is gaining several leadership spots in the House with the elevation of Del. Kathleen M. Dumais (D) of Bethesda to vice chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and the naming of Del. Anne R. Kaiser (D) of Burtonsville as one of two chief deputy majority whips.

Across the hall, Sen. Robert J. Garagiola (D) of Germantown will be the chamber's majority leader, and the county will retain three spots on the influential Budget & Taxation panel.

Montgomery legislators, all of whom are Democrats, said they want to ensure the county is treated fairly when it comes to spending cuts and the allocation of school construction funding, as well as other pots of money. Several local and state officials repeated that theme at a recent legislative breakfast attended by O'Malley and business, civic and political leaders.

Specifically, county lawmakers want to shore up the state's depleted Transportation Trust Fund, which has been hit hard by falling tax revenue and the raiding of transportation funds to help balance the state budget, said Del. Brian J. Feldman (D) of Potomac.

Some legislators are advocating an increase in the gas tax to help pay for road improvements and the development of highway and transit projects.

Officially, the Montgomery school system wants $163 million in state aid for 84 school-construction projects. But county lawmakers will ask for a more realistic $40 million, or 16 percent of the expected $250 million that will be allocated statewide, to build and renovate public schools. About 16 percent of statewide student enrollment is in Montgomery.

Modernization of Carderock Springs Elementary School in Bethesda, an addition to Takoma Park Elementary School and an upgrade to Cabin John Middle School in Potomac are among the top funding priorities.

Budgetary issues aside, lawmakers still are preparing long wish lists for projects in their communities and for policy initiatives that have little or no fiscal impact.

This also could be the year that lawmakers lift the ban on direct wine shipments that the liquor industry has fought for years, primarily because of worries that it would hurt in-state alcohol sales.

"It's not a life-or-death issue, but it's a pretty basic consumer issue," said Del. Tom Hucker (D) of Silver Spring, who was a lead sponsor of the direct wine shipping bill last year. "People don't understand why their choices are limited by special interests, and it's a basic step we can take."

Maryland is one of 13 states that bans residents from purchasing wine directly from out-of-state vineyards and retailers. Comptroller Peter Franchot recently released a report that recommends allowing direct wine shipments for in-state and out-of-state wineries but not for out-of-state retailers. The report recommends limiting people from purchasing more than 12 cases of wine a year.

In lieu of big-ticket items, Sen. Jamie Raskin (D) of Silver Spring plans to focus on extending civil liberties and public safety proposals, such as mandating installation of ignition interlock devices in the vehicles of convicted drunk drivers. That proposal passed the Senate each of the past two years, but it died in the House both times.

"It's a common-sense measure that will save dozens of people's lives every year," he said. "It costs us nothing, and it will save incredible pain and hardship for Maryland families."

House Majority Leader Kumar P. Barve said he expects Montgomery lawmakers will probably press for stricter regulation of energy companies.

Legislation that would apply to all utilities, but that specifically targets Pepco, the electricity provider that left tens of thousands of Montgomery customers without power during storms in 2010, is still in the works, he said.

"Since Pepco is the one that's falling down on the job, it would probably have the (most) effect on them more than anyone else," said Barve (D) of Gaithersburg.

Local bills that will probably receive consideration during the session include a proposal to extend additional voting rights to the student member of the county school board and several alcoholic beverage proposals, including one that would allow diners to bring their own bottles into eateries and let restaurateurs establish a corking fee.

Gazette staff writer Andrew Ujifusa contributed to this report.

O'Malley says he won't propose shifting teacher pension costs to counties
By John Wagner

CAMBRIDGE, MD. - Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) assured a gathering of county leaders here Thursday that he will not propose making local jurisdictions shoulder a portion of teacher pension costs in the coming year.

The issue of which level of government picks up educator retirement expenses is certain to be among the most thorny when the General Assembly reconvenes in Annapolis next week for its annual 90-day session.
With the state facing a budget shortfall of about $1.3 billion next year, many lawmakers are pushing to change the long-standing arrangement in Maryland under which the state covers the entire cost of local educators' pensions.

"While other elected leaders may well offer other approaches, the balanced budget proposal I submit to the General Assembly later this month will not propose pension costs this year onto the counties," O'Malley said, drawing a standing ovation at a dinner that was part of the winter conference of the Maryland Association of Counties.

In his remarks, O'Malley cautioned that his budget proposal will contain many painful cuts and that other reforms to the pension systems for state workers and teachers will be needed to make them sustainable for the long term.

"The only thing I can guarantee you about this budget is that no one will be happy," O'Malley said.
The governor's budget advisers had recommended he consider shifting 40 percent of teacher pension costs to the counties - a move with the potential to save the state more than $340 million a year. But such a move would also exacerbate budget problems on the local level.

Under options presented by O'Malley's advisers, such a shift would cost Montgomery County as much as $96 million a year and Prince George's County $50 million a year.

The state Senate advanced a similar proposal last year, but leaders of the House of Delegates balked at the idea. A state commission has since endorsed a move in that direction, increasing momentum for a shift in costs heading into the legislative session.

Leaders of both the House and Senate are scheduled to address the gathering of county officials Friday morning.

County leaders expressed relief upon hearing O'Malley's pledge not to shift teacher pension costs.

"He appreciates the tough times we've been under," said Howard County Executive Ken Ulman (D), the new president of the county organization. "Having a governor who comes out of local government is very important."

Ulman acknowledged that O'Malley's support was only part of the battle ahead in the legislative session.

"There's going to have to continue to be some education and dialogue with the General Assembly," Ulman said. "Shifting is not solving the challenge."

O'Malley mentioned several "principles" he would advance in reforming the pension system.

Those, he said, include maintaining a public system, asking for greater contributions from state workers and teachers, and establishing certain "milestones" to determine the need for additional changes.

"If is my belief that we cannot have an honest conversation about sharing costs, or even the need to share costs, until we reach agreement on how we can fix the pension system," O'Malley said.

The issue of shifting pension costs is one that does not break cleanly among partisan lines. The leading advocate in the legislature has been Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. (D-Calvert).

On Thursday night, House Minority Leader Anthony J. O'Donnell (R-Calvert) praised O'Malley's position.

"It's a rare occasion when I happen to be in agreement with the governor," O'Donnell said, suggesting a shift in the coming year would force local governments to raise taxes.

County Council President Valerie Ervin on Maintenance of Effort

2011-01-09T00:39:00.001-05:00

From the Washington Post on Friday.

Maryland's school funding baseline: Right in principle, wrong in practice
By Valerie Ervin, Silver Spring

Maryland officials, facing a $1.6 billion state budget gap for the coming year, may try to cut support for education, mental health and other vital services and shift the cost of teacher pensions to counties. But we in Montgomery and other counties have severe budget problems of our own. One common-sense action the state could take to help us is to amend its “maintenance of effort” law for school funding.

Maryland’s law requires counties to maintain their annual school funding level, adjusted for enrollment changes, regardless of fiscal pressures or any other factor. Failure to comply means forfeiting any increase in state school aid. As chair of the Montgomery County Council’s Education Committee and a former county school board member, I strongly support the intent of the maintenance of effort law. But in practice, the law is inflexible and illogical as written.

To illustrate, the law requires funding for next year’s Montgomery school budget that is $82 million, or 5.8 percent, higher than this year’s $1.4 billion, even though we face a $300 million gap in our overall budget. The law ignores the fact that over the last decade the county has funded our schools at $577 million above the maintenance of effort requirement. It also assumes that legitimate budget savings and productivity improvements are impossible to achieve.

Even worse, the law rigidly maintains school funding at the expense of other services that are equally vital to our children. Montgomery’s budgets for police, fire, safety net and other core county services are down for the first time in more than 40 years, some by more than 20 percent. The coming year promises more of the same.

We care deeply about children not only when they are in school but also when they are not. Yet there is no state-mandated maintenance of effort funding requirement for health and human services, libraries, public safety or transportation. These and other services are also essential to our 1 million residents, especially our children.

In 2009, the State Board of Education rejected the county’s request for a waiver from the maintenance of effort law. In 2010, the board grudgingly granted a waiver but made clear its dislike of the request. Yet the county’s world-class school system, made possible by our massive financial commitment, is a huge contributor to Maryland’s No. 1 ranking for educational performance. We should not be forced to go before the state on bended knee.

The law should be amended, not abolished. It should give weight to such factors as severe fiscal pressures and a school system’s demonstrated performance levels. The financial penalty should be removed, and there should be an appeals process if a waiver request is denied. Our partners in Annapolis need to make this issue a top priority so that we can work together to protect Montgomery County’s fiscal future.

The writer, a Democrat, is president of the Montgomery County Council.

Dr. Weast's Budget Will Not Be Funded?

2011-01-07T00:27:00.001-05:00

This article, from the Sentinel, describes some of the budget conflicts we encountered on Monday night at the MCCPTA Budget Forum.

County can't afford schools
By Paige L. Hill

Montgomery County simply can’t afford Superintendent of Schools Jerry Weast’s budget demands, according to Councilman George Leventhal (D-At large), who spoke Monday evening at the annual operating budget meeting hosted by the Montgomery County Council of PTAs.

“Let me just say that one of my biggest regrets as I look back on my years on the county council is that we did not set aside more when times were good,” Leventhal said. “What we don’t have is a cushion, and we literally ran out of cash in the spring.”

Weast proposed a $2.6 billion plan in December to accommodate more than 3,300 new students next school year, or a 2.8 percent increase over last year’s $2.1 billion budget.

“We are not going to fund his budget request – we don’t have the money,” Leventhal said.

He estimated that if Weast’s budget requests, as is, were fully funded by the county, it would represent 62.3 percent of total county spending. When the budget for fiscal year 2011 was approved the county allocated 57 percent of the budget to MCPS and still fell short of the state-mandated “maintenance of effort” law, which requires the county to meet a per-student budget each year, regardless of the ever-increasing student population. The state was able to make up for the difference, but the process of deciding on a budget last spring pitted the county council against Weast bitterly.

Weast’s proposed budget includes no new school programs, and no cost-of-living increases or raises for employees, but that did not appear to be good enough for the outspoken Leventhal, who stressed that county employees across the board would be “taking home less in 2012.” Likewise, Councilwoman Nancy Floreen (D-At large) said the budget-cutting process needed to be a “team effort.” Councilman Roger Berliner (D –Dist. 1) added that the team effort would begin with a frank discussion regarding the maintenance of effort requirement.

“In a county that has done more for schools than any other in the state, we are not parsimonious when it comes to our school system,” Berliner said as Weast wrung his hands and looked at the ceiling. “But when we are in the midst of a great recession … there are no good choices and there are no good options.”

School and PTA board members shot back that the county needed to mind that the maintenance of effort requirement is a state law that simply needed to be met.

“This year, things are just as uncertain as last year, and this year, the situation is close to catastrophic,” Board of Education President Christopher Barclay said. “We have to figure out how to craft things in the county to keep us on the path to success.”

Since the operating budget for fiscal year 2012 has not been finalized, Weast said there is no way to know how deep the cuts will be this year. The Board of Education is on a calendar that requires it to finalize the school’s operating budget on Feb. 8, but the county council won’t be done with their budget work until May.

“We don’t know how bad it is or how bad it’s going to be,” Weast said. “We will do everything we can to minimize damage, but there will be damage.”

Weast projected that damage would affect class size, hiring teachers and approving bus routes and busses. One audience member asked the panel to consider parent testimony and questions in the county council’s budget-making process, but Weast interjected that there would simply not be enough time.

Operating Budget Forum

2011-01-05T18:09:00.000-05:00

I was on the MCCPTA YouTube channel and discovered a lot of interesting clips from Monday night's Budget Forum. Here's two clips: one of my introduction, and one discussing Maintenance of Effort. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any clips that included my comments during the Q&A session. If I do, I'll post them!

Northwood eliminates block scheduling; Chevy Chase PTAs get creative during tough times

2011-01-05T16:09:00.000-05:00

Two more articles from the Gazette: one about Northwood's decision to switch to a 7-period schedule, and another about how PTAs in Chevy Chase PTAs are taking on a new role.

Northwood to eliminate block schedules in favor of everyday classes
By Jeanette Der Bedrosian

Vivian Scretchen's daughter, Vanessa, now a junior, chose to attend Northwood High School in Silver Spring because of its block schedule, and her mom says it's that schedule that contributed to her making the honor roll for the first time.

Ethan Barbee, a sophomore at the school, said the block schedule gives him an extra class he uses for an elective. And Brooks Boliek said his 15-year-old son, West, loves the school for its block schedule because it accommodates his dyslexia.

But next school year, Northwood will start operating on a daily schedule, with each student taking seven shorter classes a day rather than four longer classes a day every other day. The decision was made in an effort to help the school make adequate yearly progress on state tests, and also has a tie to labor issues—the new schedule requires teachers to teach five periods instead of six, according to Northwood Principal Dr. Henry Johnson. But parents and students who have grown to love the block schedule say they feel gypped by the change.

Johnson said the school is trying to improve athletic eligibility rates and meet state test score standards, which it has missed for the past two years. In 2010, Northwood missed adequate yearly progress for special education reading and math, according to the state testing site, www.mdreportcard.org. In 2010 reading, 51.2 percent of Northwood's special education students passed, while the benchmark for adequate progress is set at 72.7 percent. In 2010 math, 40.9 percent of Northwood's special education students passed, and the benchmark was set at 64.9 percent.

In 2009, the school failed to meet the benchmark graduation rate, the site says. Just below 80 percent of the school's students graduated that year, and in order to make adequate progress, 85.5 percent would have had to graduate.

"We've tried a number of things, but we haven't really looked at the schedule," he said about efforts to meet state test standards. "So maybe we should look at the schedule as an answer to some of these academic concerns we need to address."

The decision to change scheduling systems did not come from Johnson, he said. A stakeholder group of faculty, parents and students met in November to discuss possible changes to the schedule. That group decided to keep at least some form of block scheduling. The group then passed its findings on to the school's "instructional council," which consists of department chairs, resource teachers, supporting services members, administrators and faculty members.

The instructional council considered the recommendation from the stakeholder group but ultimately voted to institute an everyday schedule. Community Superintendant Bronda Mills signed off on the decision.

With this announcement, many parents have taken to Northwood's listserv to air their complaints about the shift. Parents involved in the stakeholder committee question why the instructional council went against their recommendation. Parents and students lament the loss of the eighth period, which many students used for theater, art or other elective classes. And they say the block schedule was one of the main reasons for picking Northwood out of the four options for high schools in the Downcounty Consortium.

"I can't escape this feeling that I'm being fed the bait-and-switch or something," said Brooks Boliek. "In my mind, I think that someone's given me a deal, and now they've reneged on that deal."

"It's a slap in the face," said Scretchen, who was on the stakeholder committee. "For them to not even come to us and let us know that these are the results before we hear it from the outside, that's a double slap. You want parents to be more involved, but why do we want to be involved when it's like this? When what we're doing doesn't mean anything?"

The change means each student will have seven 45-minute class periods a day. Formerly, each student had four 90 minute periods a day and saw each teacher every other day for a total of eight classes a week. With the new schedule, each teacher will teach five classes instead of six.

Upset parents say the shift to everyday scheduling means less instructional time—most classes take about 10 minutes for students to settle in. With longer classes, those 10 minutes don't mean much. But with 45-minute class periods, that's a substantial chunk of time, they say.

But Johnson said the instructional committee argued that it would help students to see their teachers every day, and it would cut the need for refreshers at the start of every class period.

"They felt very strongly about the decision they made," Johnson said. "I don't think it was a matter of the instructional council not listening to [the stakeholder group], I think they just felt so very strongly that a change needed to be made in order to improve instruction at the school. They're the ones with the students every day, and they see how the students perform and what challenges they face. They didn't discount it, they just felt very strongly about it."

Though some schools have shifted away from block schedules in recent years, several county high schools still have some sort of modified block schedule. Those schools include Blair, Blake, Kennedy, Watkins Mills and Wheaton high schools, according to MCPS Spokeswoman Lesli Maxwell. Maxwell said parents hoping for a change can go through the usual appeal process by filling out a complaint form that goes to school administration. The Board of Education also has the power to appeal the schedule change.

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As Chevy Chase school budgets shrink, role of PTA expands
By Sarah Gantz

As the Montgomery County Public School System continues to pare down its budgets, some Chevy Chase-area Parent Teacher Associations find themselves taking on a new role: subsidizing their schools, to make up for what the county is no longer able to provide.

PTA members say an increasing proportion of their fundraising efforts are being put toward basic school supplies and operations, rather than fun events and extras.

"In the past, the PTA has been in a role of community building and school spirit," said Jennifer Mitchell, the PTA president for Chevy Chase Elementary School. "But it's also become very important to supplement funds where the county or the school system can't get those funds."

Chevy Chase Elementary School's PTA is this year working to purchase computer carts that could be shared among classrooms to provide computer instruction. Budget cuts forced the school to close its computer lab this year, Mitchell said. The carts serve as miniature computer labs — each is equipped with a computer for teacher, a wireless printer and 10 smaller netbook laptops for students to share.

So far, the PTA has bought two carts, at about $6,000 each, and hopes to buy three or four more, Mitchell said.

In order to collect enough money for the carts, the PTA decided to scale down one of its biggest community events, a fall festival, Mitchell said. The event cost less than $1,000, she said, because the PTA was able to solicit donations from local businesses.

The Chevy Chase PTA's total revenue, which includes fundraising, member dues and program service revenue, was about $59,000 in 2008, according to the group's most recent tax filing. Mitchell said the group's revenue has remained about the same since, but declined to give a dollar amount.

The PTA at North Chevy Chase Elementary School has been adding to the list of school expenses it takes over from the county. When the county said it could no longer pay for the educational magazines teachers use, the PTA picked up the tab, about $1,300, said Sandra Chambers, the school's PTA president.

This year, the county cut the after-school bus, which brings home students who stay for a tutoring program. The PTA is paying for the bus, about $1,200.

"I think with the budget cuts, I'm not sure what's standard anymore," said Chambers. "With the budget cuts, the PTA is trying to pick up more and more."

The North Chevy Chase PTA's total revenue was about $43,000 in 2007, according to the group's tax filing. Chambers declined to discuss the group's more recent fundraising totals.

Not only are PTA's taking on more responsibility, some are raising more money and looking to alternative revenue sources.

Rosemary Hills Primary School's PTA has this school year raised more than three times as much money as years past, said the PTA's co-president, Holly Gross. The PTA has raised more than $60,000, about $18,000 of which will go toward the PTA's programs. The remainder will go to technology for the school, notably six Promethean boards, which will cost about $36,000. The school has four boards, which are interactive white boards, that are shared.

The PTA has always contributed to basic school needs, such as carpets for classrooms, but what's new, Gross said, is how they are raising money.

Standard fundraisers, such as a wrapping paper sale, have proven challenging to make profitable—people feel guilted into purchasing something they do not want to support a cause with vague definition.

Instead, the PTA has simply been asking for money — from parents, community members and even local governments.

Two parents, Sarah Brophy and Philip Giordano, addressed the Town of Chevy Chase's council in December to ask for $6,000 to put toward their goal. The town denied the request, but mentioned the PTA's request in its January newsletter and asked residents to consider contributing to their cause.

Neighboring Chevy Chase villages pitched in. Section 5 contributed $4,000 and Section 3 gave $2,500, with Section 3 residents contributing an additional $1,500, Giordano said.

"This was the easiest fundraiser I've ever done — just by asking people for the money just to write a check to the school," Gross said.

Effects of class size increase; FY 2012 school budget battle

2011-01-05T16:05:00.000-05:00

Today, I have two articles regarding the budget from the Gazette. One discusses the effects of class size increases, and the other describes the upcoming FY 2012 school budget. What's your opinion on the budget? Leave a comment!

Montgomery's largest class size increases seen at elementary, high school levels
By Andrew Ujifusa

Montgomery County Public Schools saw the largest jumps in average class size among its youngest and oldest students, according to a report from the schools superintendent published last month.

The average size of a kindergarten class grew by almost one student, from 18.8 students in the 2009-2010 school year to 19.7 students this year, Superintendent of Schools Jerry D. Weast reported in a Dec. 21 memorandum to the Board of Education, while the average class size in grades 1 through 5 grew from 21.3 students to 22.2 students.

At the high school level, the average non-English class also jumped by nearly a student, from 25.2 students to 26.1 students, while the average high school English class size grew less, from 24.4 to 24.8 students. English classes are broken out because the classes are kept smaller due to the amount of writing that teachers must grade.

At the middle school level, average non-English class size grew from 24.6 to 25.2 students, while middle school English class size on average grew less than half a student, from 23.6 to 24 students.

Weast put the statistics in a positive light, writing to the school board: "It was expected that class sizes would grow by 1.0 student; therefore the results are better than expected. Elementary schools had the greatest increase in class size, because most of the higher-than-projected level of enrollment was at the elementary level."

Despite the school system's decision to increase its guidelines for the largest class sizes at all grade levels this year, the percentage of classes at some levels that the school system considers "oversized" still grew in some cases.

For example, the guideline for the maximum non-English high school class also grew from 32 students last year to 33 students, but the number of those classes classified as oversized grew from 270 last year to 285 this year. The number of "oversized" kindergarten classes only grew from six to 13, but that was after the maximum guideline increased from 25 to 26 students.

After the school system increased the maximum class size guideline for English middle school classes from 28 to 29, the number of those "oversized" classes dropped from 84 to 59. Non-English middle school classes considered "oversized" decreased from 186 to 153, after the maximum guideline increased from 32 to 33.
Class size has become one of the most passionate conversation topics related to county schools, after the school system announcement earlier this year that it projected the one-student increase in average size.
Montgomery County Public Schools has an enrollment of 144,458 students this school year, an increase of 2,681 from last year, at the same time that 182 teacher positions were cut.

Weast has raised the possibility that class sizes could increase again next year if the school system receives significant budget cuts. Enrollment is expected to top 145,000. He has proposed a $2.16 billion budget for next year, $59.6 million more than this year's budget.

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Another battle shaping up this year over Montgomery County schools budget
by Andrew Ujifusa

After hearing school and county leaders argue over how much money was too much and not enough for education, one parent at a forum Monday said he was already predicting one bad outcome for next school year.

"I gather from the conversation that class size is going to go up," said Larry Edmonds of Burtonsville, the cluster coordinator for Paint Branch High School.

Edmonds spoke at a forum held by the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations at Montgomery County Public Schools headquarters in Rockville. Leaders discussed what should happen to the school system's operating budget next fiscal year as enrollment rises, resources continue to shrink and the possibilities loom that the state will cut K-12 education aid and dump more public employee pension costs on counties.

With his proposed $2.16 billion budget for fiscal 2012 on the table, including $82 million in additional money from the county, Superintendent of Schools Jerry D. Weast counseled patience.
After noting that "no one here is an advocate on behalf of reducing staff in schools," Edmonds asked Weast whether the school system had a plan in place for determining which teachers should be let go first, if some have to be cut.

Weast replied that there was, but that the decision might have to be made in the latter stages of fiscal 2011, which ends June 30, because of uncertainty over state funding.

"We're just not going to know until maybe June this year, and that doesn't give us much time to do the processes we have to," said Weast, who is set to retire effective July 1.

Included in the list of the Parent-Teacher Association's priorities is no further increase in average class size and no reduction in academic intervention, special education and the number of reading teachers.
The average kindergarten class size was 19.7 students this year, up from 18.8 students last year. The largest class sizes this year are in non-English high school courses, with an average of 26.1 students, up from 25.2 students.

Several audience members, in support of the association's priorities, sported bright yellow shirts with a "Got Staff?" sticker pinned on the back, above the slogan "Smarter Growth for Smarter Kids."

The association's goal of preventing another class size increase dovetails with the 152 new classroom positions Weast plans to create in fiscal 2012 to keep up with a growing student population, projected to increase from 144,458 this year to more than 145,000 next year.

But the association's desire to stave off classroom staff cuts easily could wilt. When the school system's budget shrank by $96 million this fiscal year, 182 teacher positions eventually were cut.

While Weast assumes a $28 million increase in total state funds for the school system, school board member Philip Kauffman (At large) of Olney raised the possibility of a 5 percent cut in public school aid from the General Assembly. This fiscal year, the state provided $488 million in total funding.

"My fear is that we may be looking back on this time as the beginning of the end," Kauffman said.

County Councilman George Leventhal (D-At large) of Takoma Park said Weast's budget, which assumes $1.497 billion in county funding, did not match with fiscal facts and the needs of police and fire departments, libraries and other county agencies.

"We are not going to fund his budget, because we don't have the money," Leventhal said.

He said the county should get credit now for past generosity, because in the decade prior to 2009 the county funded schools on a per-pupil basis by $577 million more than state law required. As a result, the school system qualified for state aid increases, which occur when enrollment increases.

Leventhal added that some form of pay cut was on tap for fiscal 2012 for all public employees, in the form or furloughs or other cuts. Raising taxes, meanwhile, simply would cause the county to fall further behind Fairfax County, Va., in the quest to attract new businesses, he said.

For fiscal 2011, all county employees except school system employees were required to take furlough days. County Council members did suggest teachers take furloughs on classroom planning days, but school officials balked at the idea.

"We're all going to take home less in our paychecks," Leventhal said.

But school board members said Weast's budget, while it carried a big price tag, simply kept the school system from losing ground.

Referring to the conflict between the school board and council last year, which culminated in the threat of a lawsuit by the school board against the council over cuts, school board member Laura Berthiaume (Dist. 2) of Rockville commented, "It's certainly better to do it with us than do it to us."

But without knowing what burdens state government will ask counties to bear, school board members said trying to read the tea leaves was very difficult.

Weast's budget still needs the school board's approval. The board will vote on the budget Feb. 8, after public hearings, hosted by the Board of Education, on Jan. 12 and Jan. 19.

Describing the substance of the conversation between the school board and council members, Ted Willard, the association's curriculum coordinator, observed, "This feels to me like a game of chicken with two school buses."

Montgomery County Honor Rolls

2011-01-05T16:01:00.000-05:00

Check out the list of students on the honor roll as of December 2010! It's located on the Gazette's website, and includes most high schools and some middle and elementary schools. Click here to see.

Debate: Teacher Pay and the Budget

2011-01-04T21:38:00.001-05:00

This was a piece today in the Rockville Patch by Brandon Rippeon and Saqib Ali. What would you cut from the budget? Post a comment!

Rippeon's point:

The Gazette's Dec. 22nd issue said County Council members said teachers should make the same sacrifices as county employees, who are giving up pay raises. What should be the focal point is not the compensation of MCPS' overworked and underpaid classroom teachers, but the overwhelming number of administrators and bureaucrats whose titular positions and ridiculous pay packages are sapping the school system of badly needed resources.

Here are just a few of the outlandish positions and salaries one could only find in Montgomery County where the entire school system is run to benefit the few (administrators and bureaucrats) at the expense of the many (students and classroom teachers).

A "video services technician" who received $81,899 last fiscal year to convert VHS material to DVD.
An "information technology specialist" who for only $103,609 provided telecommunication services.
An "instructional specialist" and a "coordinator" in the Office of School Performance who received a combined $282,807 to work on curriculum development.
And a "web producer" whom I am confident earned every dollar of his/her $102,997 taxpayer funded compensation package.

These are not individual positions. There are thousands of them throughout the 22,000 strong MCPS work force.

Compare those positions and salaries to the income of a classroom teacher with BA degree who is paid a whopping $46,410.

The current county revenue shortfall and budget crisis have given the County Council a fortuitous opportunity to exert control over the selfish and reckless school board and MCPS leadership. The council should mandate a total budget and personnel review by an outside auditor. I would be very curious to see how those 1,000-plus MCPS issued credit cards are being used. The taxpayer has overfunded MCPS maintenance of effort requirements by over $500 million over the past decade; we have done our part.

Throughout the upcoming negotiations MCPS should remember only 25 percent of Montgomery County residents have children in the public school system, yet MCPS is spending more than 55 percent of our total budget.

Ali's counterpoint:

Let me get this straight: You think the real problem with MCPS's budget is that there are too many administrative and overhead expenses when compared against classroom teachers' salaries?

That's certainly an original argument. But I suspect it's wrong.

A certain amount of overhead positions are necessary for smoothly running one of the country's larger school system. It's easy to lampoon and demagogue them as you have done. I would actually agree that no-one should be getting paid $82,000 a year simply to transfer VHS to DVDs, but I doubt that is their only duty. I certainly can't find anyone willing to substantiate that.

The issue that the County Council is currently wrestling with is how to close next year's $300 million dollar deficit (out of a total budget of $4.3 billion). There are only two choices: increasing taxes or deeply cutting services. Cuts are more likely since many politicians read the victory of the 2008 "Ficker Amendment" to be a mini-tax rebellion by the county's residents — a sort of "We can't take it any more!" moment.

So the four-point-three-billion-dollar question is: Where will these cuts fall? Will they come out of the school system's hide? Or the non-school system county employees (firemen, policemen, other civil servants)? Will they take the shape of layoffs, furloughs, reduced employee benefits or increased employee contributions?

These questions will be resolved by byzantine maneuvering and vicious knife-fights in the County Council and among various labor unions over the coming months. All the while players in this tense drama will be positioning themselves to run for higher office in 2014.

These budget-balancing votes in Annapolis and Rockville in 2011 might be the most significant (and controversial) votes these politicians take their entire four year terms.

MCCPTA Operating Budget Forum

2011-01-03T22:40:00.000-05:00

Tonight, I went to the MCCPTA Operating Budget Forum. Members of the Board of Education and County Council were present for questions about the Operating Budget from MCCPTA. It was a very exciting and interesting event, to say the least.

There was some debate between the Board and Council about meeting Maintenance of Effort, which I explained in my previous post today. Can we meet it? At the forum, Councilmember Leventhal stated that the council would be unable to fund MCPS at the level proposed in Dr. Weast's Operating Budget. This level is $10,664 per student, for a total projected contribution of $1.497 billion.

Members of the Board stated that meeting Maintenance of Effort is a requirement under law and is necessary to maintain the quality of education in Montgomery County, especially because we are projected to have an increase in enrollment next year of over 2,800 kids.

However, councilmembers also brought up several important points. The school system's current budget is around 57% of the county's, and Dr. Weast's proposed budget would bring the school system's operating budget to approximately 62% of the county's budget. Many other departments in county government will have to suffer cuts, including the library system. In addition, last year all county employees (except those in the school system) had furloughs.

As you can see, there's merit to both arguments. However, I do believe that the school system should be funded at Maintenance of Effort. In the end, this budget forum's really helped me to understand other points of view. It was informative, and I encourage everyone to show up to the Board's Operating Budget hearings on January 12th and 19th.

Young Activists Card

2011-01-03T19:33:00.000-05:00

I received this card from the Takoma Park Young Activists Club. It looks great! Thanks for taking the time to contact me. Your concerns are being heard, and I really appreciate your advocacy!

What is Maintenance of Effort?

2011-01-03T19:26:00.001-05:00

If you're keeping up with the budget, you're probably curious what Maintenance of Effort is.

Well, what is it? Maintenance of Effort is essentially a state law that sets a funding "floor" for county governments. It requires them to spend at least the same amount per student as the previous fiscal year. More students (such as the projected increase of 2,585 in 2012) results in more money.

This year's Maintenance of Effort requirement is $10,664 per student. What does that mean? Well, it means that we spent $10,664 per student in fiscal year 2010. Why 2010? Last year we didn't meet Maintenance of Effort and faced a possible fine. Luckily, the fine was waived. So, the requirement for Maintenance of Effort this year is at the level from 2010.

What have we learned? Well, in 2010 we tried to shift $79 million in school construction debt into the operating budget. However, the Attorney General said this was illegal because it "artificially" satisfies the Maintenance of Effort requirement.

How is this issue important this year? Well, the county needs to provide $1.497 billion in local funding. Otherwise, we could face a penalty of up to $27 million in loss of increased state aid.

To sum it all up, the County Council is our local funding body. As stakeholders in the school system, it is important that we convey and emphasize the importance of being funded at Maintenance of Effort level.

So, to the County Council: please fund us at Maintenance of Effort level! Our educational system needs it, even in such dire economic times. Thank you!

A piece by Arne Duncan

2011-01-03T19:17:00.000-05:00

Today I encountered an interesting essay on the Washington Post written by current Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. Tell me what you think!

School reform: A chance for bipartisan governing

By Arne Duncan

With a new Congress set to begin, key members on both sides of the aisle are poised to rewrite the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), currently known as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). In fact, the work has been underway for much of the past year, and few areas are more suited for bipartisan action than education reform.

On many issues, Democrats and Republicans agree, starting with the fact that no one likes how NCLB labels schools as failures, even when they are making broad gains. Parents, teachers, and lawmakers want a system that measures not just an arbitrary level of proficiency, but student growth and school progress in ways that better reflect the impact of a school and its teachers on student learning.

Most people dislike NCLB's one-size-fits-all mandates, which apply even if a community has better local solutions than federally dictated tutoring or school-transfer options. Providing more flexibility to schools, districts and states - while also holding them accountable - is the goal of many people in both parties.

Both Republicans and Democrats embrace the transparency of NCLB and the requirement to disaggregate data to show achievement gaps by race, income, English proficiency and disability, but they are concerned that NCLB is driving some educators to teach to the test instead of providing a well-rounded education.

That is why many people across the political spectrum support the work of 44 states to replace multiple choice "bubble" tests with a new test that helps inform and improve instruction by accurately measuring what children know across the full range of college and career-ready standards, and measures other skills, such as critical-thinking abilities.

NCLB's accountability provisions also prompted many states to lower standards, but governors and legislators from both parties in all but a handful of states have rectified the problem by voluntarily adopting higher college and career-ready standards set by state education officials.

Finally, almost no one believes the teacher quality provisions of NCLB are helping elevate the teaching profession, or ensuring that the most challenged students get their fair share of the best teachers. More and more, teachers, parents, and union and business leaders want a real definition of teacher effectiveness based on multiple measures, including student growth, principal observation and peer review.

These issues are at the heart of the Obama administration's blueprint for reauthorizing ESEA: more flexibility and fairness in our accountability system, a bigger investment in teachers and principals, and a sharper focus on schools and students most at risk.

This common-sense agenda also reflects the quiet bipartisan revolution underway at the state and local level. With the incentive of the Race to the Top program, governors, states and districts across America are implementing comprehensive plans to reform education systems and boost student achievement.

School districts and their local partners in inner cities and rural communities are overcoming poverty and family breakdown to create high-performing schools, including charters and traditional public schools. They are taking bold steps to turn around low-performing schools by investing in teachers, rebuilding school staff, lengthening the school day and changing curricula.

In partnership with local teacher unions, districts are finding new ways to evaluate and compensate their teachers and staff their schools. Some districts have reshaped labor agreements around student success - and teachers have strongly supported these groundbreaking agreements. On Capitol Hill, numerous internal meetings with staff as well as external meetings with educational stakeholders have occurred, several hearings have also been held, and some legislative language has been drafted and shared at the staff level.

The urgency for reform has never been greater. Today, American students trail many other nations in reading, math and science, and a quarter of them do not graduate high school on time. Many college students do not finish, despite the clear national need for more college-educated workers who can successfully compete in the global economy.

President Obama in 2009 set a national goal that America will once again lead the world in college completion by 2020. With our economic and national security at risk, this is a goal Republicans, Democrats and all Americans can unite behind.

Since coming to Washington, I've been told that partisan politics inevitably trumps bipartisan governing. But if I have learned anything as education secretary, it is that conventional wisdom serves to prop up the status quo - and is often wrong.

In the past two years, I have spoken with hundreds of Republican and Democratic mayors, governors and members of Congress. While we don't agree on everything, our core goals are shared - and we all want to fix NCLB to better support reform at the state and local level. So, let's do something together for our children that will build America's future, strengthen our economy and reflect well on us all.

Budget cuts and school gardens

2011-01-03T19:15:00.000-05:00

I have two interesting articles today. The first is a piece from the Baltimore Sun about our state's budget crisis.

Budget cuts loom, taxes possible as Annapolis takes on shortfall

By Julie Bykowicz, The Baltimore Sun

A gaping budget gap awaits Gov. Martin O'Malley and Maryland lawmakers when they return to Annapolis this month — a problem that persists even after three years of recession-driven trimming and now amplified by the evaporation of federal stimulus aid.

But fresh from re-election to four-year terms, officials have the political capital this year to make unpopular choices.

O'Malley, a Democrat who campaigned heavily on his commitment to education and secured the backing of the state's largest labor union, is considering cuts to schools and reductions to the state work force. And the Democratic-controlled legislature, emboldened by its immunity to November's national Republican tide, is weighing tax increases, including those on alcoholic beverages and gasoline.

"The general rule is, get the hard decisions out of the way early," said former Gov. Parris N. Glendening, a Democratic elected official for 31 years. "Even if there are budget-balancing gimmicks left, it's still better to just make the tough calls now so that voters can see the full benefits of what you've done by the next election."

Such was the case with O'Malley's first term. He called a special session of the legislature in 2007, pushed through a billion-dollar tax plan and laid the foundation for a slot machine gambling program.

Due largely to a national recession and a slow start for gambling, the state's budget remains awash in red, with as much as a $1.6 billion shortfall in the next fiscal year's $13 billion operating budget and a structural deficit — the persistent difference between state revenue and state spending — of about $2 billion, legislative analysts say.

A committee of top legislators recently recommended that the governor shrink the structural deficit by at least one-third this year, meaning that O'Malley would need to reduce spending by about $667 million, in addition to closing the gap in the operating budget.

The governor has said that his fiscal 2012 spending plan, to be unveiled this month, reflects the "new normal" of more than 7 percent unemployment and lower revenue from income taxes and other sources. He has pledged not to introduce new or increased taxes, though he has said that he would be open to revenue proposals approved by the General Assembly.

In recent memos and conversations with agency leaders and advocates, state officials have revealed some of O'Malley's options for cost savings.

This second article discusses the ongoing issue of school gardens.

Frustration sprouts in Montgomery County over resistance to school gardens

By Michael Birnbaum

Charlotte Schoeneman thought her daughter's Takoma Park school would welcome a parent proposal to start a vegetable garden; the city typically embraces all things green.

But she and other Montgomery County parents were rebuffed, told that one person's tomato is another one's maintenance nightmare. School officials cited allergies, pests and possible summertime neglect as reasons for concern.

The parents, who were inspired in part by first lady Michelle Obama's national campaign to fight childhood obesity, said they're puzzled by the school system's decision. In D.C., which has the highest rate of adolescent obesity in the country, several public schools have gardens, and a recently passed law encourages more. Arlington County boasts about 25.

"Vegetable gardens teach kids that there's more to a meal than just chicken nuggets on a plastic tray," Schoeneman said.

Schoeneman said that she and other members of the Takoma Park Elementary School PTA have worked to improve food at the school, though their victories have been minor at best. The school's principal nixed a proposal to use school property for a garden, Schoeneman said, saying she was worried about attracting pests.

Schoeneman said she enjoys spending time with her second-grade daughter in their own Takoma Park vegetable garden, which attracts nary a rat.

"If you had a fruit tree, you could see the fruit growing on the tree," Schoeneman said. "If you had a little plot, you could have beans and some chard and some onions. You could watch those things growing on their own."

Montgomery County's handful of school vegetable gardens came about only because some schools went rogue and built them without central office permission. Parents whisper about them and try to shield them from publicity.

A February letter from Superintendent Jerry D. Weast to the school board outlined his concerns.

"Because vegetable gardens are a food source for pests, create liabilities for children with food allergies, and have other associated concerns, the Department of Facilities Management staff has not approved gardens designed to produce food," he wrote.

He suggested instead that the school system work with the Montgomery Department of Parks to build gardens on park property near school sites. Parents say that's not a meaningful option for teachers who want to make growing food part of the school day.

When the gardens are off school grounds, "it's kind of pointless, because it's not acting within the curriculum, and the teachers couldn't embrace it," said Kristen Dill, another Takoma Park Elementary parent. She has a degree in horticulture and grew up in Nebraska. But she's been stymied in the suburban wilds of Montgomery County.

"Elsewhere, there's so much energy right now" around vegetable gardens at schools, Dill said. In Montgomery, by contrast, "it feels like molasses," she said.

School officials said they are working to develop standardized plans for container gardens that schools could use as soon as this spring. The school system also has allowed some property near administrative buildings - not schools - to be used for community vegetable gardens. But many parents and community advocates say that's not enough.

"There are school systems around the country that are embracing this," said Gordon Clark, director of Montgomery Victory Gardens, a group pushing for community gardens. "Any school that wants to do it should have some support from the school system to do it any way they want."

Parents and teachers around Montgomery County, including at Takoma Park and Piney Branch elementary schools and Montgomery Blair High School, have tried unsuccessfully to start vegetable gardens.

Montgomery officials said there is no ban against vegetable gardens and cite the schools that have them to prove their point. But they said they have discouraged them until now due to concerns about pests such as rats and groundhogs, who might be attracted to the vegetables, and with student allergies to certain crops. Nevertheless, they're committed to the idea, they said.

"Any school in Montgomery County that wants a vegetable garden, there will be a way for them to have a vegetable garden," said Sean Gallagher, assistant director of the school system's Department of Facilities Management.

Initially, he said, schools will have an approved template for a portable container garden. Later, "if a school has shown they can do really well with a container garden," they might be able to move on to more traditional raised beds. "We just want to give them the right guidance to be successful."

Many other local school systems have embraced gardens without such caveats. The first lady made headlines when she invited students from Bancroft Elementary School in the District to help plant the White House vegetable garden, and she made more headlines when she in turn visited Bancroft to help students plant theirs.

The D.C. Healthy Schools Act, passed in May, created a program that gives grants to D.C. schools to help them set up school gardens and encourages them to create compost piles as part of them. At least nine schools have vegetable gardens.

And in Arlington, the school system has encouraged gardens without exerting significant direct control.

"There's no central policy of 'this is where your garden's going to be, this is what you're going to grow.' It's up to the school," said Frank Bellavia, a spokesman for the school system.

Bellavia said he had not heard of any issues with pests or allergies and that someone from the community typically maintains the gardens over the summer. Vegetables from the school gardens usually are donated to a food bank, he said.

Meanwhile, Montgomery parents have lowered their expectations.

"I'm not really hoping for much," said Schoeneman. "I just keep plugging away, and maybe something good will happen as the tides turn."

Meetings

2011-01-02T15:49:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!

It's time to kick off the year with a few announcements.

First, there will be an informational meeting for all who are interested in becoming the next SMOB! It'll be on January 4th from 5-6 PM at Carver Educational Services Center (850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, MD 20850).

Second, there will be a SMOB Council meeting on January 6th from 6-8 PM at CESC. We will be discussing our new outreach program targeted at specific schools (morning announcements and newspapers) as well as the SMOB voting rights bill. We will also begin preparations for the May town hall. Anyone is welcome to come and provide their opinion!

I'm looking forward to seeing everybody there. Happy new year!

Budget Video is Live!

2010-12-31T23:27:00.000-05:00

I've finished my video on the budget! I've also included information about the Superintendent Search and the cell phone pilot. You can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3CBsVLLQ6Q.

More Budget Facts

2010-12-31T20:07:00.000-05:00

After some reading, I wrote up a list of important things you guys should know about this year's budget.

· FY 2012 Proposed Operating Budget

o $2.163 billion, increase of $59.6 million or 2.8% from FY 2011 $2.104 billion

· Revenue sources in FY 2011

o Revenue from county: 67.3%

o Revenue from state: 23.2%

o Revenue from federal government: 5.7%

o Other: 3.8%

· Change in revenue sources in FY 2012

o Revenue from county: $1.497 billion, up from $1.415 billion (69.2%)

o Revenue from state: $516 million, up from $488.6 million (23.86%)

o Revenue from federal government: $65.56 million, down from $119.06 million (3.03%)

§ Loss of almost $54 million in federal stimulus aid

o Other: 3.91%

· Enrollment increase

o Officially, there are 144,064 students

o Projected 2012 enrollment of 146,649 – an increase of 2,585 students

· Expenditures

o Instructional Programs: 80.5%

o School Support: 14.6%

o System-wide Support: 2.3%

o Miscellaneous (including Food Service): 2.6%

· Reductions and Savings

o No across-the-board class size increase

· Maintenance of Effort

o State law requiring county to provide local funding at least equal to the same amount last year per student

o FY 2012 requirement is $10,664 per student

o MCPS received a MOE waiver last year

o County Council is the school system’s funding body – the BOE can’t tax

o This year’s MOE requirement is $1.497 billion

o If the County Council does not fund us at MOE, we face a penalty of up to $27 million in loss of increased state aid

· Dr. Weast’s Recommended Budget – not definite

· The Board of Education is holding Public Hearings on the budget on January 12^th and 19^th, 2011

American Math Scores

2010-12-29T17:20:00.001-05:00

A while back, the results of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) were released. This test measures the performance of 15-year-olds in reading literacy, mathematics literacy, and science literacy. The results of American children can be found here.

The following is an article by The Washington Post's Jay Matthews about U.S. test scores.

Are math scores lagging because U.S. parents are clueless?
By Jay Mathews
I stumbled across one of those charming surveys with too small a sample to depend on, but a result interesting enough -- and close enough to possible -- to blog on anyway. It suggests that the kids in Singapore are stealing our lunch money in the race for math supremacy because their parents hire tutors far more often than we do, and because their parents have a less inflated sense of their math skills than U.S. parents do.

The survey of 1,114 parents of children ages 10-14 was conducted in 2010 by a team of researchers working for the Raytheon Co. and a Boston firm called Eduventures Inc. There were only 561 parents from the United States, 311 from England and 272 from Singapore participating, but the researchers apparently felt that gave them at least a faint suggestion of what might explain the fact that Singapore students’ average math scores are significantly above those of U.S. students. What do you think?

In Singapore, the researchers said, 42 percent of parents report the use of tutors for math help, compared with 10 percent of parents in the United States.
That doesn't mean those American 10- to 14-year-olds aren't getting extra help with their math homework. Seventy-seven percent of U.S. parents said family members helped the children, usually about one or two hours a week.

Let's give a cheer for involved parents before we review the evidence suggesting that mom and dad may not be the best tutors, or the best judges of the worth of their assistance. More than half said they "believe they have high ability to help their children with fractions, division, and math word problems." Seventy-two percent said they "know the level of math education my child needs to succeed in college."

The researchers, phrasing their conclusions gently, said: "Evidence suggests U.S. parents may be overly confident or lacking in the use of accurate metrics around math performance and college preparedness. For example, 78 percent of U.S. parents report their children's math performances are in the top 20 percent compared to peers in school."

There is more bad news for us otherwise good-hearted American parents, proud of our kids and eager to help. The researchers discovered that 51 percent of Singapore parents had received instruction from educators about how to help their children with math. In the United States and England, only 25 percent of parents reported receiving similar instruction.

About a third of Singapore students had participated in math competitions, the parents reported. Only 20 percent of the English parents and 9 percent of the American parents said the same.
U.S. educators appear to think that our kids need more help in math, as well as other subjects. Parents agree. Now we have to figure out if the help we are giving them is really helping much.

Superintendent Search

2010-12-28T16:49:00.000-05:00

The Board of Education has hired the firm Hazard, Young, Attea, & Associates to conduct its Superintendent Search. Our website for the search is located here.

The timeline below shows how the search will be conducted. Right now, we're still very early in the process. However, I'd like to know what characteristics you guys would value in your future superintendent, and what priorities you think he or she should have. Send me an email at Alan_Xie@mcpsmd.org, or leave a comment! I'll be updating the blog periodically to discuss our progress in the search.

Quick Budget Facts

2010-12-28T16:34:00.001-05:00

In anticipation of my upcoming budget video, here's some facts about the Superintendent's FY 2012 Recommended Operating Budget:

- No new services or initiatives
- No across-the-board class size increases
- No Cost of Living Increases (COLAs) for employees for the 3rd year in a row
- MCPS employees have agreed to forgo COLAs for the past two years, and voted to give up step increases last year - saving us $115 million annually
- Meets Maintenance of Effort: state law requiring the county to fund education at the same per-student level of $10,664 from FY 2010 (because MOE was waived during FY 2011)
- If the county doesn't fund the budget at MOE, MCPS will likely be penalized with the loss of $28 million in increased state aid
- 2.8% budget increase ($59.6 million) to account for a 2.3% growth in enrollment and loss of federal stimulus funds
- Loss of $54 million in funds from the federal stimulus package, leaving us a "funding cliff"
- Currently, the number of students considered Limited English Proficient is 18,793
- The number of students receiving Free or Reduced-Price Meals (FARMS) is at 45,196 - nearly one-third of MCPS students
- MCPS was named a recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the highest presidential honor an American organization can receive for performance excellence through innovation, improvement, and visionary leadership
- MCPS was selected as a finalist for the Broad Prize for Urban Education, which recognizes large school systems that have improved student performance while narrowing racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic achievement gaps

That's all for now - keep an eye out for my video!

Tumblr!

2010-12-27T23:13:00.002-05:00

Hey everyone,

If you haven't already seen it, here's the SMOB Tumblr: http://mocosmob.tumblr.com.

It's a compilation of pictures from everyday school life, and we're hoping to expand it and make it a part of the blog as well.

Have a fun winter break!

Senator Madaleno Proposes Maryland Dream Act

2010-12-21T23:37:00.000-05:00

From the Gazette article entitled "Feds drop ball; Madaleno prepares to introduce state Dream Act" published December 20th, 2010 by staff writer Sarah Breitenbach:

After the U.S. Senate failed to pass a plan this weekend that could give undocumented students access to citizenship through military service or higher education, state Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. announced his plan to bring similar legislation to Maryland.

Madaleno (D-Dist. 18) of Kensington, announced Monday that he plans to introduce his version of the Development Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act when the General Assembly convenes in January. If passed, the bill would enable students who graduated from Maryland high schools or served in the military to receive resident-rate tuition at public universities and colleges.

His version of the legislation, while unable to offer citizenship, a federal responsibility, will mirror a bill introduced by Sen. David C. Harrington (D-Dist. 47) of Cheverly in 2009.

Giving immigrants access to higher education and a path to citizenship improves communities and would come at little cost to the state, Madaleno said.

"My impression from the conversations I've had with people in the immigrant community is they're just not going to school," he said. "They're not able to pay the out-of-state- rate. If there were a revenue loss, I think it would be so tiny, it would be minimal."

The Maryland legislature passed a version of the Dream Act in 2003, but it was vetoed by then-Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. Ten states have passed laws allowing undocumented students to pay in-state tuition.

"We want to certainly maximize the potential of every person in our state and if it's helping them go to college, I think that's a good thing," Madaleno said, "especially if that's encouraging them to find a path to at least being documented."

Operating Budget Presentation

2010-12-17T21:21:00.000-05:00

Superintendent Dr. Jerry Weast presented his proposed Operating Budget this Wednesday, December 15th at Richard Montgomery HS.

He has recommended a $2.163 billion budget that complies with Maintenance of Effort. This is an increase of $59.6 million, or 2.8% from the FY 2011 budget. It is important to remember that this budget requires additional local funding due to the loss of federal stimulus funds (ARRA).

It is projected that we will have 3,340 additional students in FY 2012, and an increase of $17.2 million is used to cover these costs. However, there are no new initiatives or programs. In addition, there will be no across-the-board class size increase.

To read the Budget in Brief, click here.
To read the full budget, click here. It is a very large file and may take a long time to load/may crash your computer.

If you have any questions about the budget, don't hesitate to send me an email at Alan_Xie@mcpsmd.org.

A final note: I will be creating a short, 1 minute video about the budget in the next several weeks. It will be sent out to all MCPS middle and high schools in January. An in-depth blog post about the budget is also coming up!

Bus Fees Bill Dropped

2010-12-02T19:44:00.001-05:00

Today, Senator Madaleno (D - District 18) announced his withdrawal of proposed local bill MC 10-11.

http://www.gazette.net/stories/12022010/montnew131723_32547.php

Local Legislation

2010-11-21T22:49:00.000-05:00

The Board of Education voted to support three local bills: MC 7-11, 10-11, and 11-11. A public hearing for these bills will be held on December 6th, at 7 PM. It will take place in the 3rd Floor Hearing Room of the Stella Werner Council Office Building, 100 Maryland Avenue in Rockville.

Here's some clarification on these bills:

7-11
This bill would give the Montgomery County SMOB full voting rights (except negative personnel). I want as many students as possible to lobby the General Assembly for the passing of this bill, and to show up at the hearing. This will show that we care, and help us finally achieve (almost) full voting rights!

10-11
This bill would repeal the prohibition on bus fees in Montgomery County. However, there are a few issues regarding this bill that need to be addressed. This bill is NOT instituting bus fees. The Board of Education has NO plans on the table or in the pipeline to institute bus fees. This bill simply puts Montgomery County on level footing with the other counties in Maryland by repealing the prohibition on bus fees. In Maryland, 23 out of 24 counties currently do not prohibit bus fees.

11-11
This bill would create a unified process for the construction, remodeling, and placement of MCPS buildings. It would give only Montgomery County government the authority to issue permits and enforce regulations and codes, benefiting MCPS immensely.

I encourage youth to please come to observe or testify on December 6th! You can sign up here, call 410-841-3010/301-858-3010, or email saha@mlis.state.md.us. Thanks!

Fall Update!

2010-11-21T22:22:00.000-05:00

It's been more than a month since my last post, and I apologize for taking so long - it's been a busy couple of weeks!

Here's an idea of what's happened so far:

- On October 6th, the Board of Education met with the MCAAP (Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals) and discussed several issues, including the change to state law regarding evaluation systems and the FY 2012 budget.

- On October 6th, I also met with the MCJC Executive Board and discussed the MCAAP meeting. On the 7th, I met with the MCR Executive Board.

- The Board of Education met on October 12th. At this meeting, we approved the Comprehensive Master Plan and discussed Wellness in MCPS, specifically the 12-week health and fitness competition called MCPS on the Move, a program between MCPS and Kaiser Permanente. We also discussed the nutrition of school lunches.

- The Board of Education's 14th Annual Distinguished Service to Education Awards Ceremony was held on October 21st. Congratulations to all of our amazing recipients! They have truly made outstanding contributions to public education and children in Montgomery County.

- The Board of Education held another meeting on October 25th. During this meeting, we took action on the sale of the former site of Robert E. Peary HS. In addition, staff updated the Board on a pilot program: Student Instructional Program Planning and Implementation (SIPPI).

- On October 27th, the Board of Education met with MCCPTA (Montgomery County COuncil of Parent Teacher Associations) leadership and discussed community engagement and communication.

- On October 13th and 28th, the Board of Education held two Community Roundtable events. They were a huge success!

- On October 29th, I attended the MCJC General Assembly at Eastern MS. It was a pleasure to return to my old middle school and talk to students from around the county, and I enjoyed the experience very much. I also attended the MCR General Assembly at Blair HS on November 4th. On November 8th I attended the MCJC Executive Board meeting, and on the 9th I attended the MCR Executive Board meeting.

- The Board of Education met on November 9th and voted on the 2011-2012 school calendar and approved several pilot courses. In addition, staff updated the Board on the K-12 Mathematics Work Group. Finally, the Board of Education voted on its Legislative Platform. We voted unanimously to support SMOB voting rights, and the Board also voted to support MC 7-11, the local bill sponsored by Delegates Kaiser and Hucker that would give the SMOB full voting rights (except negative personnel).

- On November 10th, I attended a meeting with the Montgomery County Commission on Children and Youth. This meeting was an open forum discussion among youth about stress, with many adults acting as observers. The event was a huge success and I encourage youth to attend next year.

- The Board of Education held two Facilities Hearings on November 10th and 11th, and the community came out in full force to provide testimony. Decisions on boundaries were made on November 18th. A short summary can be found here.

- On November 16th, the Policy Committee held its first meeting of the year. We discussed Policy IED, regarding Framework and Structure of High School Education. In addition, we discussed Policy JEE, regarding Student Transfers.

- The Board of Education also met with the Montgomery County Delegation on November 16th. Though some legislators were unable to attend, the meeting was still very important. The Board discussed Maintenance of Effort, the budget, and local bills that it endorsed (MC 10-11 and MC 11-11).

- I met with the SMOB Council for the second time on November 17th. At this meeting, we planned outreach with high school newspapers and testimony for educational legislation such as SMOB voting rights.

That's all for now!

SMOB Town Hall

2010-10-04T21:13:00.000-04:00

Hello everyone!
I'm pleased to announce that I will be holding a county-wide student Town Hall at Richard Montgomery High School on Monday, October 18th, from 6 PM to 8 PM. This event will be a way for students around the county to express their concerns and opinions in an open forum, and allow them to communicate with the SMOB and understand the work that is being done.

The SMOB Council will be working diligently to plan this event, and we hope to see a diverse group of people from across the board. I'm looking forward to seeing everyone there!

Please spread the word about this!

SMOB Council Information

2010-09-27T23:57:00.000-04:00

The SMOB Council decisions have been made! Due to privacy concerns, specific names will not be posted on the blog - instead, email notifications have been sent. There were a lot of good applicants, so congratulations to everyone on making it! Our first meeting will be on Monday, October 4th at the Carver Educational Services Center in Rockville, from 6-8 PM. I'm looking forward to meeting everyone and working with all of you over the course of this year.

Hopefully, we'll get the Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook more active within the next few months!

Apply for the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council!

2010-09-21T21:05:00.000-04:00

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett is seeking student applicants to fill a vacancy on the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council. This student member will serve a one-year term, which may be renewed for one additional year. The student should be a high school junior or senior when initially appointed, and should attend a public or private school in the County. This student serves without compensation, but is eligible for reimbursement for travel and dependent care for meetings attended. Meetings are held six times per year the second Thursday of every other month at 5:30 p.m. in the Family Justice Center building at 600 Jefferson Street in Rockville.

Applicants of diverse backgrounds, professions, gender, geography, disability and ethnicity are encouraged to apply. An application, consisting of a brief cover letter and resume, should be sent by mail to County Executive Isiah Leggett, 101 Monroe Street, 2nd Floor, Rockville, MD 20850, or by email to countyexecutive.boards@montgomerycountymd.gov. Home and employment addresses, as well as contact phone numbers and email addresses should be included. If appropriate, applicants should indicate the position for which they are applying. The deadline for application is October 8, 2010.

More information is available at: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/exec/vacancies/PR_details.asp?PrID=6919

APs

2010-08-27T10:43:00.001-04:00

For all students taking AP tests: starting in May 2011 (this school year), all tests will no longer have a guessing penalty. According to the College Board, "Total scores on the multiple-choice section will be based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points will no longer be deducted for incorrect answers and, as always, no points will be awarded for unanswered questions." To read the entire statement or view revised grading curves for past released exams, click here.

The reasoning behind this change and possible effects are still unknown. Yet this change poses several questions. Do the new changes in AP scoring actually disadvantage certain groups at the expense of others? Also, should blind guessing be allowed on exams that measure content mastery (as opposed to skill mastery)?

Elections

2010-08-27T10:28:00.000-04:00

Students are the largest stakeholders in the educational system, and we, the undersigned student leaders of Montgomery County, would like to release a statement on behalf of the students regarding the upcoming elections. Approximately one in every five people in Montgomery County is a school-aged child - almost 20% of this county’s demographics. Yet we students have had historically minimal representation in the political process when compared to other groups of smaller size and scope. Although society places an incredible emphasis on education, it paradoxically overlooks the youth population during the political process. This ends now.

MCPS is home to more than 142,000 students. As student leaders, we will act in the best interests of each one of these students in order to promote the welfare of our school system as a whole. We have carefully analyzed the decisions and policies of our elected officials, and have a thorough understanding of which candidates have contributed significant legislation to education. This past year has been fiscally challenging for the school system, and we hope that during this next year and the ones that follow, we will be able to maintain the world-class quality of education within MCPS. Although we will not officially endorse specific candidates in any race, these elections will have a significant impact on our education for years to come. We are paying close attention to the races and are extremely sensitive to the current political climate.

In the spirit of increasing political advocacy, we are also encouraging all eligible students in Montgomery County to register to vote in the coming months. Through collaboration with local student leaders we hope to coordinate an early voter registration drive in schools at the beginning of the school year.

We applaud the students of Montgomery County for their advocacy and encourage them to continue promoting student involvement in important issues. This election is an important step towards a new future for education and student empowerment; we are proud to be taking that step together, as a community, as a county, and as students of MCPS.

Mr. Alan Xie
Student Member, Board of Education

Mr. Daniel Arias
President, Montgomery County Region

Summer 2010

2010-08-24T16:40:00.000-04:00

Hello, everyone! It's the last week of summer, and school's about to start. Here's a brief update on what's happened since school ended:

Stephen N. Abrams, a three-term Board of Education member, passed away on August 1st. His passion for education has created a lasting impact on MCPS, and he will be commemorated by the Board of Education at their next meeting, on August 26th. I offer my deepest sympathies to Mr. Abrams’ wife, family, and friends.

Dr. Jerry Weast, superintendent of MCPS, has announced that he will retire at the end of his current contract, on June 30th, 2011. Dr. Weast has made remarkable achievements during his tenure, and is the second-longest serving superintendent in MCPS history. To read his memorandum to the Board of Education regarding this, click here.

Maryland is among ten winners in Phase 2 of the "Race to the Top" education grant initiative, winning $250 million in federal grants. The other winners are D.C., Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, and Rhode Island. The two Phase 1 winners were Delaware and Tennessee.

Last week, I attended New Board Member Orientation at MABE (the Maryland Association of Boards of Education). I met almost all of the other SMOBs/SROBs from other counties in Maryland, as well as the state SMOB. We hope to achieve a lot this year through our continued collaboration.

With the arrival of school also comes the fall elections. Youth are playing a larger role in today's politics, and I encourage all eligible youth to register to vote and participate in the political process.

There's still time to apply for the SMOB Council! Once again, detailed descriptions of each staff's responsibilities are here, and the application is here.

Good luck to everyone with their new school year! I hope to see as many students as possible this year during school visits, SGA events, and the like.

SMOB Council Applications!

2010-07-13T00:08:00.001-04:00

In continuing Tim's SMOB 2.0 legacy, I present: the SMOB Council Applications for the 2010-2011 school year.

Interested in student advocacy, leadership, politics, or playing a role in the decision making process of your education? Apply to join the SMOB Council!

Detailed descriptions of each staff's responsibilities are here.
To apply, click here.

All applicants will be contacted for phone interviews. Applications close Saturday, September 11th at 11:59:59 PM.

I appreciate everyone's commitment and dedication to our mutual cause, and hope to have a successful year working with the Council!

The Board of Education Fourteenth Annual Distinguished Service Awards

2010-07-09T22:42:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the short notice! The nomination deadline is Friday, July 16th, 2010 at 5 PM. Nominate those who you feel deserve this recognition!

From the MCPS website:
The Montgomery County Board of Education established the Awards for Distinguished Service to Public Education in 1997 to recognize and show appreciation to individuals, groups, and businesses that have made exemplary contributions to public education in Montgomery County.

Categories
Up to three awards will be made in each of the following categories:
-- Business
-- Community Individual
-- Community Group
-- Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Staff
-- School Service Volunteer
-- Individual Pioneer

Who Can Be Nominated? (Eligibility)
The Individual Pioneer Award is presented to an individual who may not be active currently, but who has made extraordinary contributions in the past, and whose impact has had a profound systemwide effect on MCPS over the years. The other awards go to an individual (including MCPS students), group, or business that has, within the past three years, provided sustained service, support, and commitment to public education, as demonstrated by:
-- An outstanding contribution of time and expertise to MCPS programs
-- The development and/or implementation of an exemplary program or project
-- A contribution that results in systemwide benefit

Who Can Submit a Nomination?
Any person or group may submit nominations. Nominations for the awards are sought from the general community as well as community organizations, businesses, the superintendent of schools, and members of the Montgomery County Board of Education.

Online Nomination Form
Printable Form

Thanks, again!

2010-07-07T21:04:00.002-04:00

Hello! I'm Alan Xie, the Student Member of the Board of Education for the 2010-11 school year. I'd like to congratulate Tim on a wonderfully successful year in office, and say thanks to all of the people who helped to elect me.

This marks my first post on this blog, with hopefully many more to come. The design and layout of the blog have been adjusted, and the Facebook and Twitter have been updated as well.

For students who are interested in applying for the SMOB 2.0 Council, more information will be posted regarding position information, applications, and meeting dates. I'm looking forward to working with everyone this coming year!

Thank you!

2010-07-01T22:39:00.006-04:00

Hello,

My name is Tim Hwang and I am now your former Student Member of the Board of Education. Although I can hardly believe it, my term is now over, and I would like to thank every one of you for allowing me to serve this past year.

It has been an incredible experience meeting students across the county and working to represent you all, and I am confident that Alan Xie, your new SMOB will work just as hard to keep up the great tradition.

Together we were able to eliminate the LC policy, together, we were able to create a pilot program to all cell phones during lunches, together we were able to fight for more voting rights, together we were able to make MCPS more environmentally friendly, together we were able to fight for the budget, and together we were able to bridge the communication gap that many SMOBs have failed to do.

I hope you will all continue to stay involved and informed about the many issues that are coming up. Next year will be tough. With an increasingly tough budget year and a new superintendent in place, your SMOB will have a lot to do, but I am confident that you all will be there to support him.

To see a copy of my swearing-out speech or what we were able to do this year, you can go to: http://mocosmob.blogspot.com.

Thank you!

Swearing Out Speech:

Exactly one year ago, in a building displaying banners of excellence and a room drenched with an aroma of expectations, I walked into this very same room, with a bead of trepidation making its way down my back, with the weight of responsibility and anticipation of an entire county on my shoulders. But in the course of this one year, my beliefs about the school system have not changed much. My belief that the hard work of teachers, staff, and administration and the open minds of a student body ready and willing to learn provides the fundamental engine of a world class education system, is just as strong, if not stronger today. So I am here today, a product of this school system, humbled by the opportunity to have served the students of Montgomery County and honored by the opportunity to have worked alongside the dedicated and passionate staff and members of the MCPS Board of Education.

It is with this belief and experience that I continue the tradition of passing on the torch to the next leader of the students. I have gotten to know Alan through his experience in Student Government, and just like all the student members before him, I am confident that he will be able to take on the burdens of responsibility and advocacy, cherish them, and reach new heights. I would be amiss if I did not mention and recognize Nick Maggio, as well, who gracefully ran against Alan in the past election. Both candidates provided strong leadership and experience and it serves as a testament to the strength and caliber of student leadership in our county.

I thank my family and friends for putting up with my ridiculous schedule as well as all of the great staff members and members of the Board office who have helped me learn and achieve every step of the way. And of course I would like to thank each and every one of my former colleagues on the Board of Education for providing me the opportunity to learn under your excellent leadership and example. We may not always have agreed on issues or practices, but the civil attitude and willingness to work together is something that is something to be rivaled in many other governmental organizations and decision making bodies.

Last year, I spoke of one of my friends, Jeff Sy. Jeff came here from very modest means. His father would drive 4 hours a day to his work to put food on the table and provide for a small two-bedroom apartment where Jeff could study with his two siblings. His mother barely spoke English and managed to feed him on the established welfare system. Despite all that, he was able to come to Montgomery County and study in the some of the best schools in the world, allowing him the opportunity to reach new heights never imagined by his parents. And today, I am proud to say that, against all odds, because of school systems like these, he is a proud graduate of MCPS schools and will be attending a top 20 college in the fall. Indicative of the changing demographics of our nation, Jeff’s parents traversed thousands of miles to raise a family in the best county in the nation to join hands with this system in its goal in providing the American Dream for every student.

As we look towards the future, MCPS is poised to take on new challenges – of increasingly difficult economic climates and a student population more diverse and more in need of aid than before. Jeff’s situation is not unique; rather it is becoming the norm in many of our communities throughout the county. And it seems as if public education, is being assaulted from all ends. Yet at the very same time, this generation is desperately grasping on to the hope that they will have a job, a career, a future, once they are of age and HOPING to maintain the same American Dream that previous generations have achieved. After having worked in the school system this part year and being a student of it for twelve, I am proud to say that MCPS has been at the forefront of this compelling need in our society, working to raise the bar, close the gap and revolutionizing MCPS to bring it into the 21^st Century.

Throughout the year, our struggle to set high expectations and fight for the budget set the tone of this Board. And we have all learned that when we struggle together, when we strive to achieve together, and when we try and understand each other, we are able to accomplish great things. I have always believed that that democracy is not a spectator sport; rather it is an amalgamation of all its citizens within a constantly changing system requiring participation from every one of its members. And together with the teachers, students, parents, staff, all standing side by side, together we were able to organize, and together we were able to send a powerful message to our officials that education is not something to be looked down upon, and together we were able to spare MCPS from an impending catastrophe.

Through twitter, youtube, facebook, blogging, and SMOB 2.0 whether through town halls or school visits students capitalized on their ability to make a difference and join in on the discussions. And for the first time, through the “Campaign For Our Future” hundreds of students throughout the county were able to come together in a grassroots campaign to fight for full funding of our education. Consequently, the decision-making authorities are beginning to witness the power of the youth voice, as seen by the hundreds who packed the County Council’s Youth Town Hall and Community Forums that the Board held.

Last year, I ran for this position envisioning a particular school system. A school system unrestricted by race, gender, socio-economic status, or disability; A school system competitive with the rest of the world; A school system where no child is truly left behind. Consequently, one year ago, I said that I would try and bring together students from across the County to fight for a common purpose and empower this generation. One year ago, I said that we would work to make the school system a better place to learn and achieve. And one year ago, I said that we would work together to make MCPS a world-class school system for all of our students. While we have not achieved these goals as of now, I am confident that this Board and this system will be able to accomplish any goal that it sets for itself, and that with the collective resolve of parents, teachers, students, staff, and community, we can and we will achieve.

#1 in the Country

2010-06-10T20:30:00.000-04:00

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has the highest graduation rate in the nation among large school districts, according to a national report released today.

MCPS’ graduation rate is 83.1 percent, highest among the nation’s 50 largest districts, according to Diplomas Count 2010, a report put out by Education Week. Fairfax County, Va. was second at 82.5 percent. MCPS’ graduation rate rose 2.4 percentage points from last year’s report, when the district was tied for first with the Cypress-Fairbanks district in Texas.

“The commitment to education shown by our staff, our parents and our community continues to pay dividends for our students,” said Board of Education President Patricia O’Neill. “We are proud that more of our students than ever are graduating on-time with the skills they need for college and the work place.”

The MCPS graduation rate of 83.1 percent is significantly higher than the rate for the state of Maryland (73.7 percent) and the nation (68.8 percent). It is also the highest rate MCPS has ever had in the five years that Education Week has been publishing the report.

Superintendent of Schools Jerry D. Weast said the growth in the graduation rate has come as MCPS has seen dramatic changes in its student population, including increases in the number of students living in poverty and those who need language assistance.

"The staff and students of MCPS are showing the nation that race, ethnicity and family income do not have to be predictors of academic success,” Dr. Weast said. “We have high expectations for all of our students and they are living up to those high expectations every day.”

The Diplomas Count 2010 report is the latest indicator that MCPS is successfully graduating its students ready for college and the work place. Participation and success in Advanced Placement classes—a strong predictor of college readiness—is at an all-time high, and it is expected that the class of 2010 will have the highest SAT scores in MCPS history. Additionally, this year’s graduates have already qualified for $232 million in college scholarships, an increase of almost $50 million from last year.

MCPS is one of five finalists for the $1 million Broad Prize for Urban Education, the largest education prize in the country. The prize recognizes large school districts that demonstrate high academic achievement and success in closing the achievement gap. The winning district will be announced in October.

Maintenance of Effort Waiver Granted

2010-05-25T14:56:00.007-04:00

Because the County Government went below $137.7 Million + $19.7 Million in funding the specified legally-mandated Maintenance of Effort budget that the Board of Education proposed, it needed a waiver so that MCPS wouldn't get slapped with a penalty the following year.

After MCPS and the County Government came to a budget reconciliation agreement last week, the Maryland State Board of Education just voted 7-5 to grant MCPS the Maintenance of Effort Waiver for FY11 and not give MCPS a $51.3 Million penalty next year.

FY 2011 Budget Reconciliation Agreement

2010-05-19T15:04:00.007-04:00

Previously, I had told you all that the proposed County Executive's Budget contained a $137.7 Million reduction to the Board of Education's proposed budget. As of today, MCPS, the County Executive and the full Council (with a recent unanimous vote) agreed to the following more cuts and changes to the budget:

Reduce Tech mod and Relocatable projects in CIP (construction budget - not operating): $4.7 million
Additional operating budget reductions for FY11: $19.7 million
Total Additional Cuts $24.4 million

Carryover from FY 10 Operating Budget for energy tax: $2.0 million

We will now have to wait for the State Board of Education's ruling on Montgomery County's Maintenance of Effort Waiver to decide whether or not MCPS will lose an additional $52 Million in state aid or not. This will bring the total FY 11 reductions to $137.7 Million + $19.7 Million = $157.4 Million with the possibility of the state Board of Education making the reductions close to $210 Million if they do not grant the Maintenance of Effort Waiver.

I will keep you all informed as the situation progresses.

Joint Letter to County Council from Students Opposing Further Cuts to MCPS Budget

2010-05-10T18:35:00.006-04:00

RE: Additional Cuts to the MCPS Budget

Dear Members of the County Council,

The Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils (often referred to as MCR-SGA) voted last week to take a position on the proposed additional cuts to the County Executive’s recommended operating budget for the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). We are pleased to announce that the MCR Executive Board voted unanimously to support MCPS, MCEA, SEIU Local 500, and MCAAP in opposing any further cuts to the proposed FY 2011 MCPS operating budget. The Montgomery County Junior Councils, our middle-school counterpart, has pledged to take up the issue at their next meeting.

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett’s budget meets 96% of the Board of Education’s request. MCPS is prepared to make cuts amounting to $137.7 million in its operating budget, thus meeting the County Executive’s proposed reductions. The Board of Education has assured us that it will do everything possible to limit the effect these cuts will have on the quality of education provided by the county. However, cuts to the MCPS budget exceeding $137.7 million will put in immediate jeopardy the education of over 142,000 students currently attending public schools in Montgomery County.

The students of MCPS are vehemently opposed to any additional cuts to the County Executive’s recommended operating budget for our school system. MCR-SGA and MCJC, as representatives of the student voice and as strong advocates on behalf of student concerns, are therefore of the opinion that further cuts will only harm the education MCPS can offer and, in turn, harm the potential of MCPS graduates in their roles and endeavors in the future.

Therefore, MCR-SGA and MCJC will actively oppose any further cuts to the proposed FY 2011 MCPS operating budget. Although we have remained relatively silent on this issue in the past, we have realized that we cannot sit idly by without defending our education and our school system, to which we owe so much of who we are and of who we will become.

Students, not staff or administrators, will be feeling the blunt of the reductions that you have proposed. With a skyrocketing increase in enrollment this past year and a reduction in staffing, students will be losing opportunities to sign-up for classes that they may wish to take. In many of our schools, where enrollment in higher level advanced and AP classes is already low, the subsequent increase in class sizes means less choices and less opportunities for our students to truly reach their full potential.

Programs that directly impact the students (such as summer school) and specialty programs that cater to individual student needs will be effectively cut or reduced. Furthermore, because of reductions in staffing, students will likely have less access to developing the student-teacher relationship that is truly essential to learning in our schools. These cuts will disproportionally affect our most at-risk students and will result not only in a decrease in the standards and outcomes of the education system overall, but also in the widening of the achievement gap and the elimination of the gains that thousands of staff and students have worked so hard to reach. It is simply not equitable to deny our students the opportunity to succeed.

Already, students have heard about the possible effects of proposed cuts to instruction, sports, extracurricular stipends, extended day programs, and activity buses – programs that have kept students engaged in the school community and active in participating outside of their schools. We, as students, realize the impact of these cuts in our communities and will not stand for such a hostile assault on our futures.

We are reminded everyday in school that education is the great equalizer – that education has the opportunity to create an unquantifiable multiplier effect among the community that raises the quality of living and the standards of society. Yet imagine a school system where teachers are not adequately trained or prepared to teach students with the latest techniques or content. Imagine a school system where teachers are scrambling to handle an increase in students with a decrease in preparation and instruction time. Imagine a school system where there are not enough counselors or academic intervention teachers to address the problems of our most at-risk students. Imagine a school system where students are not given the attention and the help they need in the media center to utilize and optimize resources and technology. Imagine a school system where students are not provided with safe and healthy schools that are kept clean and in top shape. Imagine a school system this time next year with a sharp increase in drop-out rates, leading to the inevitable deterioration of communities and a decrease in the standard of living. We can not and will not stand for such a school system, for further cuts will only serve to punish the hard work of our fellow staff and students.

Anyone that states that further cuts to our school system will not result in a direct impact to students and the classroom is telling a blatant lie. Education truly is the gateway to our futures and we, as students and as the largest stakeholder in the system, will not complacently remain silent as policy makers attempt to strip us of our opportunity to succeed and to achieve our true potential. We ask our elected officials and community leaders to please not do what is “right for politics” but do, instead, what is “right for the students.” Regardless of racial and linguistic barriers, regardless of geographic boundaries, and regardless of age differences, students across the county stand together in asking that education remain the top priority in our community.

As you make difficult decisions in the coming weeks, we hope you remember that you hold the futures of 142,000 students in your hands and that you have the tremendous burden of ensuring that those students are successful in their lives and careers. Therefore, we will stand united with our teachers, our administrators, our service employees, and our school board in asking that the County Council adopt a budget that:

1. Does not furlough ANY county employees
2. Avoids any additional cuts to MCPS beyond the $137.7 million already agreed to
3. Raises the full $101 million proposed increase in the energy tax
4. Phases in the restoration of the reserve fund by going to 5.6% in FY11 and then to 6% in FY12

Sincerely,

Tim Hwang
Student Member, MCPS Board of Education

Daniel Arias
President, MCR-SGA

Richard Yarrow
President, MCJC

New SMOB Elected!

2010-04-28T19:03:00.003-04:00

As of April 28, 2010, Alan Xie, sophomore Richard Montgomery High School, was elected as the 33rd Montgomery County Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB). Congratulations go out to both Nick Maggio and Alan Xie for running great elections and we look forward to a great year!

I will be stepping down as the Student Member on July 1, 2010 with the installment of Alan as the new SMOB.

Senate Delegation, Gridlock Disenfranchises Students

2010-04-10T13:14:00.015-04:00

http://www.gazette.net/stories/04072010/montsch181802_32548.php

House bill on student voting rights in limbo

by Marcus Moore and Sean R. Sedam | Staff Writers

A bill to expand the responsibilities of Montgomery County's student school board member is unlikely to pass this year's legislative session, because the county's Annapolis delegation can't agree on which issues the students should be allowed to vote.

The House of Delegates has passed a version of the bill, but it won't become law until the full Senate agrees to the legislation.

There are several reasons why the county's student school board members should not have expanded voting rights, said Sen. Rona E. Kramer (D-Dist. 14) of Olney.

Students rely on their teachers for grades, she said, so if student board members voted against a matter that affected teachers, their grades could be affected.

Another pressure could come from parents, Kramer said. If the student school board member goes to a friend's house, the parents could lean on the student to vote in favor of proposals that could help their neighborhood, she said.

"That's a lot of pressure on a student," Kramer said. "I think we've completely lost sight of common sense. These students are elected by 12-year-olds. We're going to allow a person not elected by the taxpayers to vote on a $2 billion budget?"

Hey guys,

Despite our best efforts, it looks like the bill will not pass this year. Here is a bill report showing where our Senators stood on the issue.

To address the points made by Sen. Kramer in the article, I have several questions:

Should we not allow parents with children in the school system to vote on policies and regulations? Wouldn't their children's grades be affected?
Should current school board members not be allowed to go to their neighbor's homes? After all, their peers could "lean on" them to vote in favor of proposals that could help their neighborhood.
Should steps be taken to eliminate pressure at all levels of government? Isn't the idea of "pressure" a fundamental part of our pluralistic democracy?
Do you know that the Student Member position is not elected in a Direct election by 12-year olds?
Does the Board of Education appropriate $2 Billion? Or under state law, is it a recommendation to the county council? So who REALLY deals with "taxpayer money"?
Shouldn't all students be exempt from paying sales and other forms of income taxes in the State of Maryland since "students are not taxpayers"?
Since several senators seem to disrespect the student voice so much, should there even be a Student Member position?

Truly it is a sad day in Montgomery County, one of the most progressive districts in America, when our own legislators can not agree on whether or not students should be represented in the decision making process. This is an issue that we, as students, have been fighting for for the past 3 decades. Even after 30 years of movements, activism, and involvement, our legislators have yet to recognize the impact that students can have in their own school system. Going against those who are on the ground level every day in the school system, the Board of Education, the Teacher's Union (MCEA), the County-wide student government associations, the County Council, and the County Executive, the Senate Delegation instead chose to disenfranchise students from the process.

As we go forward, I am reminded of a quote from our current president: "In the face of a politics that's shut you out, that's told you to settle, that's divided us for too long, you believe we can be one people, reaching for what's possible, building that more perfect union. [...] Each and every time, a new generation has risen up and done what's needed to be done. Today we are called once more -- and it is time for our generation to answer that call. For that is our unyielding faith -- that in the face of impossible odds, people who love their country can change it."

Thank you to all the Delegates, Senators, community activists, and leaders who let us come this far. We can only hope that in future years, student and community leaders will be able to once again come together to bring up the issue and be victorious in this constant struggle to be truly represented.

Open Letter to Senators on Voting Rights

2010-04-10T13:07:00.002-04:00

The day before the final vote on the Voting Rights Bill in the Senate Delegation, I sent the following letter to the entire Montgomery County Delegation:

Dear Senator:

I am writing to you today regarding a bill that you will be voting on in your Delegation tomorrow: MC 12-10.

During the last election cycle, we were told that we, the youth, had the fundamental ability to change the way politics was done in America. I worked tirelessly in the last election and I ran for this position because I sincerely believed that this was the truth and because I wanted to be part of a government that was truly receptive to the needs and wants of young people. It is my hope and desire that you subscribe to this notion that youth truly should be empowered to become the next generation of leaders.

Working as a board member, I honestly do not see any distinction between my role and that of the other board members. The statute currently states that I am not able to attend executive sessions regarding collective bargaining unless the Board votes affirmative to do so. To this day, I have attended every single executive session regarding collective bargaining and the constant vote to include me in the matter is simply a cumbersome and unnecessary step in restricting the voice of the students. I have always voiced my outspoken opinion of the budget with or without restrictions. At this point it is a matter of whether or not people will listen to the comments that I make, and that is up to you.

With regards to the pressure argument: I didn't run for this position thinking I wouldn't have to face and political pressure (In Montgomery County, that's just not possible). In the past election cycle, I received 35,654 votes (more than any State Senator or Delegate from Montgomery County). As you would know, one doesn't get that many votes, unless some significant pressure is applied. To be quite honest, I believe my position goes through much more scrutiny and examination than many of the state offices. I was required to debate and answer questioning from a convention of the brightest student minds in Montgomery County to narrow down the field to two candidates, to debate my opponent in a 30 minute debate broadcast to all the voters, to submit a candidate profile which is used in many government/English classes, etc. to be under public scrutiny, and to campaign to my base of 142,000 citizens, who truly place their trust into their representative.

Furthermore, I have attended every single Capital Budget and Operating Budget hearing and have been subject to extreme lobbying on every spectrum of the budget process - regardless of my vote - because citizens and community activists, just like the Board of Education, the County Executive, the County Council, MCEA, etc. recognize the importance of youth involvement in the political process. I have witnessed with my own eyes the emotional pleas, condemnations, and commendations spoken to any government body. With or without the vote, pressure will be felt - but such is the political process. We were born into a society where pluralism of interests dominate the political arena and without the "pressure", decisions cannot be made because the cases for all arguments are not made. I truly am thankful for and proud of the "pressure" that is applied to me and my position as it indicates the real interest in the community for garnering student support for a proposal.

Students have fought for this right for the past 30 years. Voting no to this bill would disillusion an already frustrated generation of students in Montgomery County. Voting no to this bill would not mean "protecting the students from themselves"; rather it would indicate a distrust of students and their ability to handle decisions. Please stand with your county, students, and teachers and vote yes to a proposal that would truly institutionalize the government's support for student advocacy.

Tim Hwang

State Grants MCPS Waiver for Five Snow Days; Classes End on Schedule with no additional days added into Summer

2010-03-17T16:27:00.003-04:00

Maryland State Superintendent Nancy Grasmick has granted a five-day waiver to Montgomery County Public Schools, meaning the district will not have to make up the snow days that resulted from back-to-back blizzards in February.

If there are no more emergency school cancellations this school year, the calendar will not be adjusted and classes will end, as scheduled, on June 16, 2010.

MCPS has lost nine days of instruction due to snow this year—December 21-23, February 3 and February 8-12. The Montgomery County Board of Education had already built four snow days into the 2009-2010 calendar.

County Executive Proposes Budget; Goes to County Council for Review

2010-03-15T17:26:00.022-04:00

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett today announced his recommended $4.3 billion operating budget that closes a $779 million gap for fiscal year (FY) 2011 that begins July 1. Leggett’s budget focuses on protecting essential services and his priorities of education, public safety and the safety net for the most vulnerable, but includes significant reductions in services and staffing levels.

Leggett’s hard choices resulted from the continued severity of the economic recession; doubling in the local rate of unemployment; declining residential and commercial development; ongoing, sharp declines in tax revenues and state aid; and emergencies such as the H1N1 flu outbreak and snow removal from this winter’s historic blizzards.

Leggett’s previous cost reduction efforts preserved direct services as much as possible, but even these services will now be affected with this year’s looming deficit. This budget proposes cutting costs by eliminating 452 government positions, providing no pay increases of any kind for County government workers, furloughing non-public safety County employees for 10-days, realizing cost savings from all County departments, and reducing current revenue funded expenditures in the capital budget. All told, between position abolishments, leaving positions vacant, and reductions in overtime, Leggett’s budget would reduce the County government budget by 750 work-years. Under the recommended budget, the property tax rate remains unchanged, but recommends an Energy Tax and an Ambulance Fee.

Among County government departments, the largest reductions from FY10 levels are in the Regional Service Centers and the Office of Human Resources (both 33 percent reductions), the Commission for Women (27 percent), the County Executive’s Office (26 percent), Housing and Community Affairs (24 percent), Transportation (23 percent), and Libraries (22 percent). Among the lowest reductions were Fire and Rescue (2.6 percent less than in FY10), Police (4 percent), Correction and Rehabilitation (4.5 percent), Department of Transportation/Transit Services (6.8 percent), and Health and Human Services (10.6 percent). Noyes Library would be closed, library materials reduced, and overall library hours cut by 8.7 percent.

County recreational facilities, except for pools, would be closed one day each week. Senior mini-trips and outdoor adventure programs would be eliminated. After-school Sports Academies and Recreation Extra programs would be reduced. Eighteen Ride On routes (three weekday, 10 Saturday and five Sunday) would be eliminated and another 16 restructured, saving $2.7 million, and the Call-N-Ride program would be reduced to one coupon book a month. The County Volunteer Center would be reduced and restructured.

The budget includes reductions in the Montgomery Cares program that provides health care to the uninsured, as well as reductions in home care, school health aide hours and payment to disability development providers. Funding for the County’s tuition assistance program would be eliminated. Non-emergency tree maintenance would be curtailed and, except for buses, the County would purchase almost no new vehicles or computers during the coming years. Maintenance in County facilities will be reduced. Pedestrian safety education monies would be drastically curtailed.

On education, Leggett’s budget meets 96 percent of the Board of Education’s request. The County will again this year apply for a waiver from the State “maintenance of effort” requirement that will lower the County’s contribution by $58.2 million and still qualify for increased state K-12 education aid. MCPS funding will decrease by 79.5 million - a 3.9 percent decrease from FY 10. However, if the "debt service reimbursement" amount is excluded MCPS funding for educational programs in FY 11 will be the same as FY 10. Overall, MCPS' budget will decrease by ($169.7 Million offset by $37.2 Million from Governor) $137.7 Million under the County Executive's plan.

More information: http://montgomerycountymd.gov/apps/News/press/PR_details.asp?PrID=6390

HOW WILL MCPS BE AFFECTED?:

MCPS recognizes the significant budget deficit the County is facing and is prepared to make substantial cuts to help close the gap. We have already achieved savings of more than $30 million in the FY 2010 budget to help fund next year’s budget.
The county will not meet its maintenance of effort requirement so it will be necessary to support a MOE waiver lest MCPS face the possibility of losing up to $53 million in new state aid.
MCPS must guard against any cuts deeper than $137.7 million in the budget otherwise it could have devastating consequences on our reform efforts. These cuts equal nearly $1,000 per student compared to the current budget. Because the County Executive’s Operating Budget Proposal does not meet the maintenance of effort requirement, it will be necessary to seek a waiver of the requirement for the FY 2011 budget. If MOE is not waived, MCPS could be faced with the devastating loss of up to $53 million in increased state aid. MCPS will need to work with the County to ensure that the State Board grants a waiver for FY 2011. This comes as the County is in the final stages of winning approval by the legislature to waive the $23.4 million fine for not meeting its funding requirements in FY 2010. We hope this will be approved by the legislature soon.
If the cuts amount to $137.7 Million, the following will be cut to preserve the classroom as much as possible: Elimination of all OPEB contributions(retiree health trust fund) - $42.9 million; Elimination of salary increments (steps) - $25.9 million; Increase of class size by 1 student at all grade levels - $16 million; Central services reductions - $6.0 million; Other savings and reductions - $10.3 million. After that further cuts will have to be made.

The County Council will now review the Budget and will make changes/review/approve it after having hearings in April. Then it will come to the Board of Education to see what cuts will have to be made. We need to make sure that no further cuts are made to the budget in order to preserve our own education. I'll provide more opportunities for you guys to get involved as the time comes.

Md. General Assembly waives $23 million Montgomery education fine

2010-03-12T15:09:00.004-05:00

Schools fine waived

Washington Post

Michael Birnbaum

The Maryland House of Delegates voted 130 to 5 Thursday to waive a $23.4 million fine that had been levied against the Montgomery County public schools this year because the county failed to meet minimum levels of education spending in the 2009-10 fiscal year.

A similar bill passed the Maryland Senate last month, and though some procedural steps remain before the change becomes final (the Senate and the House have yet to pass identical bills), school officials are breathing easier.

The bills waive the minimum spending levels, called "maintenance of effort," for the current fiscal year, and therefore eliminate the penalty associated with the County Government not fulfilling those requirements.

The possible $23.4 Million cut to FY 2009-2010 has now been resolved and MCPS will not have to make them.

LC Policy Rescinded for SY 2010-2011

2010-03-12T14:56:00.004-05:00

I have just received word from staff that the LC Policy is in the process of being rescinded for the 2010-2011 school year. Please stay tuned for more information.

The Case Against LC Policy:

The LC Policy violates MCPS's Grading and Reporting Guidelines and a Student's Rights and Responsibilities. It is clearly stated that grades will not reflect attendance, that grades will never be used as a disciplinary measure, and that a student's grades should be solely based on the achievement of course outcomes. The LC Policy fails students for constant absences and uses grades as a disciplinary measure. It uses attendance as justification for failing students (not a failure of meeting course objectives) and is thus not reflective of a student's achievement of course outcomes. It further turns students off to the school: if a student LC's more often than not, the incentive to continue going to class is lost. Finally, it promotes a "credit card" mentality that states that a student is allowed to have 4 absences prior to any consequence.