MCPS parents frustrated with change in graduation venue

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - All Montgomery County Public high schools will now move their graduation ceremonies to the University of Maryland’s Baltimore County campus. School district officials say there are several reasons to do this — that it will help mitigate weather issues, make graduations more comfortable, accessible and affordable. But lots of families, particularly those I met in Damascus, really are heartbroken over this and are hoping they can get the district and school officials to change their minds. MCPS confirmed to FOX 5 that starting in 2026, all district high schools will hold their graduation at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County that’s UMBC. A letter sent to parents – obtained by FOX 5 calls the campus a "centralized venue" that’ll ensure consistency, equity and a celebratory experience. It acknowledged travel will be a concern and said the district will work on options for families. Meanwhile Damascus high school families in particular– are very upset...

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/mcps-parents-frustrated-change-graduation-venue

With data presumed unrecoverable, Baltimore County Schools scramble to recover from cyber attack

 

With student transcripts, ID numbers, state test scores and more apparently destroyed, the hackers’ stranglehold on student data is far worse that school officials have acknowledged

Baltimore County Schools won praise for restarting student learning after last month’s cyber attack. But behind the scenes, the system is still reeling from the assault, including its devastating impact on students’ educational records.

Some student records are “presumed completely unrecoverable,” a Baltimore County Public Schools (BCPS) employee with information about the attack’s impact told The Brew.

“SIS [the Student Information System] is toast,” said the employee, who spoke under the condition of anonymity...

...It was a fast comeback for the district, but numerous practical problems remained, among them a complication for school staff who are required by law to report suspected child abuse to authorities.

With student directory information missing – coupled with staff working from home – employees have found themselves scrambling to obtain phone numbers and addresses for the children they are required to help...

https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2020/12/18/with-data-presumed-unrecoverable-baltimore-county-schools-scramble-to-recover-from-cyber-attack/

[County Exec] Olszewski Troubled By Contact Made With BCPS Hackers Without Consulting Police

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski sent a scathing letter Friday to the county school superintendent, charging his response to the November 24 cyberattack on the school system has been disjointed and ineffective.

In the letter to Superintendent Darryl Williams, obtained by WYPR, Olszewski accuses school officials of not fully cooperating with the county police department in its criminal investigation. In the letter, Olszewski said law enforcement was not involved in a decision by the school system or its third party consultants to contact the attackers...

https://www.wypr.org/post/olszewski-troubled-contact-made-bcps-hackers-without-consulting-police?fbclid=IwAR0cK0JY3FpT4PdCd--etyZHZ3PmdPA7DkGhv1xI7AZLnprKQu1qRarI2JQ

Baltimore County Public Schools ransomware by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland on Scribd

Baltimore County executive says school officials are refusing to provide information about ransomware attack

 Baltimore County school officials have refused to share information with local police, the county attorney and state information technology experts about the catastrophic cyberattack that hit its systems last month, County Executive Johnny Olszewski Jr. said Friday.

In a highly critical letter sent to schools Superintendent Darryl Williams, the Democratic county executive called it “troubling” that school officials are not cooperating with county police, who want access to third-party consultants retained by the county school system to analyze the ransomware attack.

Also, “law enforcement was not involved in the decision made by either BCPS or its third party consultants to contact the attackers,” Olszewski wrote.

School officials have repeatedly declined to comment on whether they are in communication with the hackers.

In a letter responding to the county executive, Williams said his team has been communicating with the FBI “throughout the process.”..

https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-county/bs-md-co-letter-superintendent-20201212-24akcxywgnfwxgsfdu4kpyoz4y-story.html

WBAL: Olszewski calls out BCPS superintendent on ransomware; Williams responds

TOWSON, Md. —

Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski sent a scathing letter to the school superintendent over the handling of the ransomware cyberattack.

Olszewski is calling out Superintendent Darryl Williams for not taking the help he offered in the days after a ransomware cyberattack hit the district and, the county executive asserts, for not cooperating with the police. Williams disputed the county executive's assertions in his own letter.

 https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-county-public-schools-not-accepting-help-to-address-ransomware-johnny-olszewski-says/34948477

Multiple red flags preceded last week’s “catastrophic” cyber attack on Baltimore County Schools

 

A tech expert warned school officials in 2019 their networks were vulnerable to attack. A trove of personal data was exposed later that year. And the state auditor warned of vulnerabilities months ago – and previously in 2015.

...The technology journal Ars Technica not only revealed that Baltimore County Public Schools had alarming weaknesses, but it used BCPS as a prime example of how school systems across the country were at risk for similar attacks...

https://www.baltimorebrew.com/2020/11/30/multiple-red-flags-preceded-last-weeks-catastrophic-cyber-attack-on-baltimore-county-schools/?fbclid=IwAR1pLoWqbMBHYQpxA_WCkkTX3KOv8l9xpNBdiJireX1hKwi-VIFusNyBNQk

Audit of Baltimore County Public Schools Released One Day Before Ransomware Attack Shuts Down Virtual Learning. Audit Found Inadequate Security Safeguards.

NPR:  Ransomware Stalls Online Learning In Baltimore School District

A ransomware attack has shut down schools in Maryland's Baltimore County system. All online learning came to a standstill Wednesday when hackers locked down the school district's computer systems.

November 2020:  Maryland Office of Legislative Audits:  

Baltimore County Public Sch... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...

Baltimore County Public Schools reverse previous return to school plan

 https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-county-reverses-return-to-school-plan/34151536

Teachers Blindsided By Baltimore County Plan To Return To School Buildings

All of Baltimore County’s teachers and some of its students will soon be heading back to school buildings.

That announcement Thursday caught the teachers’ union, school board members and the county executive by surprise.

According to a release from the county school system, teachers will return to their buildings October 19, though most of them will continue to teach their students virtually.

Students most at risk of failing at virtual learning will return to their classrooms by November 13. That will include some disabled students, as well as children in preschool, pre-k and kindergarten...

https://www.wypr.org/post/teachers-blindsided-baltimore-county-plan-return-school-buildings?fbclid=IwAR3-nEXq7SNbDcS2pGWSNDP7ZTswBwOKxsMy9F6RopGFbuj8Zied1XsreLk

Baltimore City teachers union files complaint against school district over work days

The Baltimore Teachers Union has filed a complaint over a decision by the school system’s top leaders to require them to work four additional days at the end of June, days they say the contract does not require.

The fierce tug of war is over whether the teachers had already worked the 190 days their contract required by June 16 when school ended. The BTU contends that it worked four days in March — the 16th through 19th — when schools were first shut down because of coronavirus, but the school system disagrees...

https://www.baltimoresun.com/education/bs-md-ci-teachers-union-20200624-h6mq5qmgyzhrtpj6hffxth2544-story.html?int=lat_digitaladshouse_bx-modal_acquisition-subscriber_ngux_display-ad-interstitial_bx-bonus-story_______

Lawsuit: Balt. Co. Public Schools Destroyed Documents After Media Requests

Baltimore County Public Schools is accused of violating state law by destroying financial statements, so the public couldn’t see them. That stunning allegation is laid out in a lawsuit filed by a former school employee who says she was fired for refusing to take part in the coverup.

The complaint, filed last month in Baltimore County Circuit Court, alleges that County Schools shredded financial documents after a local journalist filed a public records request to see them...

https://foxbaltimore.com/news/project-baltimore/lawsuit-bcps-destroyed-documents-after-media-requests?fbclid=IwAR0EejVltg_HOhX_99AZ5RZTNqy3nRje_yaDijMl1Ny0Jq9ZK1NAImQ21h4

Baltimore Sun: Howard County superintendent proposes moving 7,300 students to address overcrowding, poverty inequities

In Howard County Superintendent Michael Martirano’s redistricting proposal released Thursday, he recommends moving more than 7,300 students to alleviate existing overcrowding, address inequities in the distribution of students affected by poverty and to establish a road map for students who will eventually attend the county’s 13th high school.

Full story at:
https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/howard/cng-ho-schools-redistricting-recommendations-0822-20190822-rxprk5uf4zcqllhtmotuxg4j5i-story.html

The Post Investigates: Councilman’s Financial Docs Reveal BCPS Ties, But Conceal County Contracts

Baltimore County Councilman Julian Jones may have just joined a building cast of characters recently zinged in Maryland for failing to disclose business connections when signing legal forms designed to capture conflicts of interest.

Joining former Baltimore County Superintendent Dallas Dance and Baltimore City Mayor Catherine Pugh, the District Four Councilman revealed his wife’s connection as vice president of a moving company, Walters Relocation Services, but failed to mention agreements with Baltimore County government in his financial statements, which includes at least two master agreements and contracts, some which have been in place since at least 2012.

On all four years of his financial disclosure statements, Jones made clear that his spouse, Sabrina Jones, worked as a principal for the company.  Missing, however, was information stating that Baltimore County government contracted with the company for moving and relocation services, and not the Board of Elections as he indicated on the forms, which is a distinct and separate entity.

Even two fellow councilmen were unaware of the connection to the county vendor.

Clearly disclosed on Jones’ financial records, however, was that the moving company had been doing business with Baltimore County Public Schools – for years – and had earned over $610,000 from the school system, during former Superintendent Dallas Dance’s entire tenure, records show...

https://thebaltimorepost.com/the-post-investigates-councilmans-financial-docs-reveal-bcps-ties-but-conceal-county-contracts/?fbclid=IwAR1ZuuvrqnSFFl06wG1NbyCZRMXEjkIRzAWFdg7XoQ2SSLpYKp-GEFvGsVk

Dallas Dance: Dancing Into School Districts with Digital Devices

Resigned BCPS Superintendent Dallas Dance Takes Consulting JobsBy Joanne C. Simpson

Dallas Dance could be coming to a school district near you. For a visit anyway. Dance’s new role after leaving his $275,000 annual superintendent job at Baltimore County Public Schools after June 30–at least two national consulting gigs.

Both companies, MGT Consulting Group and the Center for Digital Education, have had at least tangential relationships with numerous BCPS vendors, the superintendent, or the school system itself.

Recently, Dance announced a full-time position with MGT Consulting Group, a large Florida-based educational consulting company with offices nationwide.

Among other goals for the for-profit consulting group: “Future-Facing. MGT recognizes the changing face of education, as requisite knowledge shifts and desirable goals are reimagined so students are prepared for a 21st century workplace. With our broad knowledge background and significant experience, we will give you solutions that are appropriate and actionable.”

A current focus of MGT Consulting, one shared by Dance, is “technology strategic planning:” “Our experts know how to effectively produce strategic planning documents including all necessary inputs and are able to present the technology strategic plans to governing bodies in a way that encourages adoption.”

Dance’s strategic planning skills are evident in reports for BCPS, including Blueprint 2.0. Yet there are questions about the financial efficacy–as well as no objective evidence of positive student learning outcomes–for Dance’s signature laptop-per-student initiative known as Students and Teachers Accessing Tomorrow (STAT).

Among other issues, Baltimore County’s standardized PARCC student test scores last year came in lower than districts in the region, and in some cases dropped below the state average. Still unproven since launched in 2014, STAT nonetheless is being used widely–by Dance and others, including BCPS’ digital director Ryan Imbriale–as an example to replicate in other school districts around the country.

Dance and other top district administrators have also traveled widely across the U.S., spending hundreds of thousands in taxpayers dollars to do just that. See post with details here.

http://nancyebailey.com/2017/07/08/dallas-dance-dancing-into-school-districts-with-digital-devices/

Board Member attempt to bully other Board Members for Asking Questions

Towson: 

...“It is the moral and legal obligation of every member of the board to provide oversight of our superintendent and the school system.  That is actually the “board’s work.”  Board members don’t make implementation happen.  We authorize it by our votes.  So, to say that oversight is getting in the way of the work of the board is a display of a lack of understanding of the proper role of the board,” Miller said in an email.
“Not only is oversight our responsibility, but reporting issues of suspected abuse or ethical violations is required by board policy of all employees.”

http://towsonflyer.com/2016/05/12/accusations-hate-lies-retaliation-bcps-school-board/

BOE Member: Safety in Technology Committee is Needed

This did not happen in Montgomery County.  

A motion to set up a Safety in Technology Committee was made by Ann Miller, Board of Education member in Baltimore County.  In the video clip of the March 1, 2016, Baltimore County Board of Education meeting you can watch as the Baltimore County Board of Education immediately shelved the motion without discussion. 

Sound familiar? That's how MABE trains Board of Education members in Maryland.  MABE indoctrinates school board members to not follow Robert's Rules of Order, and to not allow Board members to speak unless they have pre-approval from the chair.  No public process is allowed. Watch the video to see how that looks in a live Board of Education meeting.  

Action Alert: Call Delegate Hixson at 410-841-3469 or (301) 858-3469

Baltimore County parents are asking for the help of Montgomery County parents.  They are asking that you call Delegate Sheila Hixson this evening and ask her to release the bill that will give them a partially elected Board of Education. 


Delegate Sheila Hixson represents District 20 in Montgomery County, but today she is holding up a bill that would give Baltimore County parents some elected members of their Board of Education. 
  
In Montgomery County we have an elected Board of Education.  That is not the standard in all Maryland counties.  Some Maryland Counties have Boards of Education that are appointed by the Governor.  Baltimore County is one of those counties.  The bill that is currently before the legislature would only give Baltimore County a partially elected BOE.  Part of the BOE would remain appointed seats.  But Baltimore County parents would like to have at least some elected representation on their Board of Education. 


Baltimore County parents are asking Montgomery County parents to pick up the phone this evening (legislature is set to end session at midnight) and ask our representative, Delegate Sheila Hixson, to help Baltimore County parents get at least a partially elected Board of Education.  
Delegate Sheila Hixson:  410-841-3469 or (301) 858-3469 

Mont. Co. Delegate Hixson holding back Baltimore Co. parents in quest for elected rep. on BOE

Montgomery County parents can advocate for Baltimore County parents to get at least some elected representation on the Baltimore County Board of Education by contacting Montgomery County Delegate Sheila Hixson. 

In Baltimore County, the Board of Education is appointed by the Governor. 

No Board of Education elections for them!

  

But, parents in Baltimore County have been working for years to get at least some of their Board of Education members elected.  A bill is in the General Assembly right now that would give Baltimore County a "hybrid" Board of Education, 6 elected and 5 appointed members.

  

However, the bill is hung up this weekend in a committee chaired by Montgomery County Delegate Sheila Hixson. 

Baltimore County parents have asked Montgomery County parents to help them advocate for elected representation on their school board.  

Contact Montgomery County Delegate Sheila Hixson and ask her to help Baltimore County parents get at least some elected representation on their school board!  Delegate Hixson's contact information is below. 

Hixson, Sheila E.
Delegate, Democrat
Chair, Ways and Means Committee
Leg. Aides - Monica Ettinger; Sarah Wolff
Admin. Aide - Aaron Kaufman 6 Bladen Street, Room 131
House Office Building
Annapolis, MD 21401
Phone: 301-858-3469 /410-841-3469
301-384-4739 (district)
Fax: 301-858-3850/ 410-841-3850

sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us

• Baltimore Sun:  Balto. Co. hybrid school board bill passes state Senate Measure would add 6 elected members to panel

• The majority of the Baltimore County Council supports a hybrid school board.
• The Baltimore County League of Women Voters supports a hybrid school board.
• The majority of both House and Senate members in Annapolis have demonstrated through their votes that they support a hybrid school board. 

UPDATE 5 PM:  [County Executive] Kamenetz Works To Jam Up School Board Bill

Towson U Prof: "I am firmly opposed to enrolling students in AP courses by the droves."

Here's what a Towson University professor has to say about the push to put all students in AP classes. (Reminder that The Washington Post's Jay Mathews' "Challenge Index" ranks high schools by how many AP exams are taken, not by how successful students are on the actual exam.)

I am writing to express my support for some of the parents of students at Towson HS. I have taught mathematics at Towson University since 1971, was a founder of the Maryland Coalition for Mathematics and Science, and just stepped down from a 14-year term as the Secretary of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).  What my colleagues and I are seeing at the collegiate level is an
erosion of rigorous and strong preparation for college-level subject matter, especially in mathematics... 

...The proliferation of AP classes and the disappearance of high school honors and gifted and talented courses have hindered most of the students we see coming into the university... 

...Students need to have courses available that are suited to them.  Something between "standard" and AP must be offered, and the success of the AP program in any school must be measured by the official AP exam grades of the students selected for the program, not by the number of students enrolled...

Read Professsor Martha J. Siegel, Ph.D's letter to parents here.

Follow the advocacy of Baltimore County Public School parents on this issue at their website.