Details of deal between Wireless Generation and MCPS finally revealed

Of all the deals made between MCPS and vendors, the details about the Wireless Generation royalty agreement have remained the most elusive. Over the past several years, various newspapers and blogs have included articles questioning the terms of the deal.  The Parents' Coalition has finally obtained some of the documents that describe the development, distribution, and payment arrangements for the MClass DIBELS product that was jointly developed by Wireless Generation and MCPS.

In this blog article, the first of a series, we will reveal some of the details about the revenue that has been received by MCPS from the partnership between MCPS and Wireless Generation.

But first, readers who need a refresher on the deal between MCPS and Wireless Generation should review the following articles:

The Curious Case of John Q. Porter

John Q. Porter and the DIBELS Debacle

Peyton Wolcott: Maryland  (Jerry Weast Montgomery County Public Schools - Media Query)

Montgomery County Public Schools Announces Partnership With Innovative Technology Company Providing Handheld Solutions for Teachers
 
Stacey Childress: Wireless Generation (Harvard Business School Case Study)
(Note:  Dr. Stacey Childress is one the authors of Leading for Equity: The Pursuit of Excellence in the Montgomery County Public Schools and is a director of the Wireless Generation company.)

Did Harvard flub the analysis of Montgomery County Public School Performance?

Since its inception, the partnership between MCPS and Wireless Generation has yielded $320,842.59 to MCPS, illustrated by the document below.

Wg Royalties

As shown in the above document, MCPS Chief Technology Officer Sherwin Collette has directed that the royalties be placed in the "OCTO [Office of the Chief Technology Officer] Technology Initiatives" account -- a slush fund controlled by Mr. Collette.  These funds should have been forwarded back to Montgomery County government for future appropriation, but as with the E-rate rebates, MCPS improperly retained the royalties. 

Meanwhile, MCPS has purchased large amounts of products from Wireless Generation.  We will have more about the purchases and the people behind the deals in upcoming articles.