Fairfax Creates Online Budget Tool for Cost Cutting Suggestions

The Montgomery County Public Schools budget is put together behind closed doors, even the Board of Education members are not part of the budget meetings.  Yes, Maryland law calls on Boards of Education to actually set the local public school budget, but here in Montgomery County our Board of Education can not be bothered to spend their time on such mundane matters.

Take a look at what is going on over in Fairfax County Public Schools.  In that jurisdiction they have made available an online system to gather suggestions from the community.  Granted the choices have been pre-selected, but it is possible to eliminate the deficit and not impact classrooms.

Budget Proposal Tool is an online way for stakeholders to provide their recommendations for how to address the projected deficit that FCPS is facing in FY 2017. FCPS is gathering proposals for two different deficit amounts:  $50 million and $75 million. The shortfall contains uncertainty because there are costs and funding that are not determined until later in the budget process.

 http://www.fcps.edu/news/fy2017/budget-tool.shtml

...community members met with Houlihan... for an interview, but its members signed confidentiality agreements...

...The board said late Thursday it reviewed applications from 25 candidates and interviewed seven in person before choosing Houlihan.
Byron Johns, education committee chair of the Montgomery County branch of the NAACP, described the community reaction he’d heard as “underwhelmed.”
“His lack of experience and track record, I would have thought, is something that would give pause,” Johns said.
A board-created panel of community members met with Houlihan on Thursday for an interview, but its members signed confidentiality agreements.
Two people close to the panel who did not have permission to speak publicly about its work said the group did not officially vote on Houlihan. One said members had questions about his level of experience and his vision, with some expressing concerns about the learning curve he would face as Montgomery deals with challenges including rising enrollment and budget shortfalls. The panel was expected to relay its thoughts to the school board.

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/choice-for-montgomery-schools-chief-draws-community-support-criticism/2015/05/15/1b6a2648-fb39-11e4-9ef4-1bb7ce3b3fb7_story.html

MCCPTA Shuts Out Dues Paying Members from Yahoo Discussion List

This is the message that PTA members got last week.

Last week, MCCPTA deleted dues paying PTA members from the MCCPTA Yahoo discussion list.

For over a decade, dues paying PTA members could participate and read the MCCPTA Yahoo discussion list, but all that ended last week. MCCPTA deleted everyone from the Yahoo group that wasn't part of the MCCPTA inner circle. 

MCCPTA is no longer interested in keeping dues paying PTA members informed about the workings of this countywide organization.

It's really not a surprise.  Since around 2009 MCCPTA Presidents have been sitting on the MCPS budget committees and signing Confidentiality Agreements swearing that they will not reveal the MCPS back room budget discussions to their members.

PTA members, how is MCCPTA representing you behind closed doors? MCCPTA isn't telling.  

Parents just remember, according to MCCPTA the less you know the better.

Are education groups really listening to their members?

“It is a recurring narrative about how the leadership in so many education organizations is more responsive to those in power than to those whom they represent.”

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/wp/2014/11/12/are-education-groups-really-listening-to-their-members/

Case in point in Montgomery County: MCCPTA Presidents sign Confidentiality Agreements in order to participate in back room MCPS budget meetings. MCCPTA Presidents never report to their dues paying members on what they do in those back room meetings. 

Exclusive: MCPS Confidentiality Agreement Exposed

The "public's right to know."

PTA members, parents, and citizens have been forced by MCPS staff to sign "Confidentiality Agreements" in order to participate on Board of Education and MCPS committees for the last couple of years.

Committees such as the MCPS (secret) Operating and Capital budget committees, Site Selection Advisory Committees, Superintendent Selection Committees and curriculum committees have utilized these documents to silence members of the public from discussing public business with the public. 

The Parents' Coalition has obtained a copy of one of these "confidentiality agreements." To our surprise, the document isn't worth the paper it is printed on.

The MCPS "Confidentiality Agreement" references the Maryland Open Meetings Act, as if that act somehow binds participants to a Closed Meeting and to secrecy.  The Maryland Open Meetings Act does neither of these things. 

The Maryland Open Meetings Act only provides exceptions when a meeting can be closed, it does not mandate that a meeting must be closed. That is why a public vote of the meeting participants to go in to a Closed Session is so important.  The participants can vote to keep a meeting open, even if it could be closed under the Maryland Open Meetings Act.  


The public has the right to witness the meeting participants vote to go in to a Closed Session. 

A participant can't be told in advance that meetings will be Closed. It is the decision of the meeting participants, by a public vote, to close a meeting. It is possible that the committee will vote to hold the entire process in full view of the public!


Below is a copy of one of these MCPS "Confidentiality Agreements."

Note:  The Open Meetings Act itself also doesn't prevent participants in a Closed Meeting from walking out the door and discussing what went on in the meeting.  The "not divulge to another person" phrase in the MCPS Confidentiality Agreement is, well, just bullying.

XXXXX COMMITTEE
CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT


I have agreed to be a member of the XXXX Committee to XXXXXX and participate in making a recommendation to the Superintendent of Schools. In carrying out this task, I understand that I will be given access to confidential information and participate in meetings that are closed to the public in order to maintain confidentiality.
I agree that I will not divulge to another person any confidential information or any information discussed or otherwise a part of any closed meeting. I understand that Section 10-508 of the State Government Article, Annotated Code of Maryland, permits closed meetings by the XXXXXXXXX and I recognize and will honor my obligation to maintain the confidentiality of the meetings and materials.
_________________________
Signature
__________________________
Print Name
__________________________
Date