Gazette: Programs for suspended students eyed for cuts

Fate of operations in Gaithersburg, Sandy Spring and Burtonsville in question

by Danielle E. Gaines | Staff Writer

A Montgomery County-funded program that helps suspended students and those facing expulsion keep up with classwork while they're barred from school campuses is on the chopping block.

The Health and Human Services and Education committees of the County Council considered a cut to SHARP, the Student Help and Academic Resource Program, at a meeting Wednesday because the program serves a limited number of students and cost the county $114,000 last fiscal year.

"While it's small, it all adds up. I'm kind of torn," said Councilman Craig Rice (D-Dist. 2), who voted for the cut.

After a 3-2 vote in favor of the cut, committee members voted to forward the elimination to the full council on May 16. A meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday was delayed, said Neil Greenberger, County Council spokesman.

County Executive Isiah Leggett (D) has recommended flat funding for the program in fiscal 2012. Leggett's budget also includes an $8.8 million spending reduction, to about $240.2 million, for the Health and Human Services department.

SHARP was created in 1998 and at its peak had seven locations — Bethesda, Burtonsville, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Montgomery Village, Sandy Spring and Silver Spring. Montgomery County began funding the program in 2000 and restructured it to eliminate four sites in fiscal 2010 because of declining attendance.

Eileen Shea, director of the Gaithersburg program, defended it at Wednesday's meeting.

When a student is suspended from high school, it often represents a low point in his or her life, Shea said outside the meeting room. The SHARP program aims to buoy those students' spirits by helping them stay on top of their schoolwork during their time outside of the classroom...

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