Exclusive: MCPS Secret Budget Meeting Agendas Revealed

The Parents' Coalition has obtained copies of Agendas from the MCPS secret budget meetings.


While Maryland law says that a public school system Board of Education is to "prepare" the school systems budget, we know that here in Montgomery County that doesn't happen.  The MCPS budget is prepared by a committee that meets in secret, off camera and without notice to the public. 


We have known about the existence of the secret budget meetings for years.  In August of 2009, the teacher's union president announced he was attending the secret budget meetings.  In May of 2011, Superintendent Jerry Weast thanked the secret committee for their hundreds of hours of work on the MCPS budget.


This is the first time that the public has seen an Agenda for these meetings.  
Below are the Agendas for the meetings that were held to prepare the FY 2013 MCPS Operating Budget.  According to these documents, meetings were held on September 15, 2011; September 22, 2011; September 27, 2011; October 4, 2011; October 6, 2011; October 12, 2011; October 14, 2011; and October 18, 2011.


In attendance at these meetings were MCPS staff, Union leaders and MCCPTA officers.
Wonder what went on at these meetings? What budget decisions were made? What did MCCPTA advocate for?  What trade offs were made? 

According to MCPS Public Information Officer Dana Tofig, no minutes were taken at any of these meetings, so this is all the public can know about what took place at these meetings. 
FY2013SecretBudgetMeetings

PEAR = PROGRAM EFFICIENCY, ABANDONMENT, AND REDIRECTION