$33,441 on Staff Appreciation at Churchill HS

On April 15, 2009 the Churchill PTSA presented public comment on the MCPS Operating Budget to the Montgomery County Council.  The Churchill PTSA advocated for more funding for the MCPS Operating Budget because of the elimination of illegal curricular fees.  The Churchill PTSA presentation included the following:

"We spend approximately $30,000+ per year to provide an on-going rigorous lab program to students. This equates to approximately $13.00 per student per year for science lab supplies. MCPS provides approximately $10,000 and student’s fees provide the remaining $20,000+."

Let's check that statement out. The last annual financial statement for Churchill High School as of the date of the PTSA comment was June 30, 2008. The Parents' Coalition has obtained the Churchill 2008 financial statement and it is shown below.  

For the year ending June 30, 2008, Churchill High School's Science Department had spent $14,522.93, not the $30,000+ that the PTSA claimed.  The Science Department had an ending balance in that account of $22,376.

If it is true that the MCPS Operating Budget allocated $10,000 to the Churchill Science Department, and the Science Department spent $14,522.93, then the actual gap between MCPS funding and what was spent was $4,522.93. It is impossible to tell from the financial statement how those funds were spent as there is no break down of disbursements. (A gap of more like $2.26 per student between MCPS funding and expenses.)

The PTSA math is also skewed as it states that Churchill High School spends $13 per student on science lab materials. If that were true the total spent on 2,000 students would be $26,000 (not $30,000+). If MCPS contributes $10,000 then the difference would be $16,000 if those numbers were accurate.  That would work out to an $8 per student gap. Yet, the PTSA states that Churchill High School is collecting between $10 to $25 per student.

Either way, the annual financial statement shows that Churchill High School was collecting more in student fees than were allegedly used for science materials. 

What is clear from the Churchill High School Independent Activity Fund (student funds) financial statement is where they have been spending $30,000+.  According to the June 30, 2008 financial statement, Churchill High School has been spending that kind of money on Staff Appreciation. 

Churchill Audit Statements 063008