Breaking: County Appeals MSDE Determination that County Owes MCPS $1.4 Million

On September 2, 2015, the Parents' Coalition broke the story of a dispute between Montgomery County and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) regarding the County's funding of the Fiscal Year 2016 MCPS Operating Budget.  At issue is $1.4 million that MSDE says the County owes MCPS. 

On August 12, 2015, Montgomery County appealed the MSDE decision.  The Maryland State Board of Education asked MCPS to respond on this matter, and on September 9, 2015, Larry Bowers wrote a letter to the Maryland State Board of Education discussing the MCPS budget formulation process.  Those letters are shown below in the just released County Council packet.  In brief, MCPS blames MSDE for the error.

The Montgomery County Council's Education Committee will take up this matter on Tuesday, September 15, 2015, in a special session of this committee that will convene before the regularly scheduled full Council meeting that day.

Will MCPS get the additional $1.4 million for the FY 2016 Operating Budget? Stay tuned.

   2015 Sept 11 Montgomery County Council by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

Breaking: Who will Gov. Hogan's State Board Members Pick to Run MD State Dept of Education (MSDE)?

Maryland state superintendent resigns for new job

Interim Superintendent? What do you think?

According to the press reports surrounding Dr. Starr's departure as Superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, an interim superintendent will be named by our State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Lillian Lowery.

What do you think about Larry Bowers?  Good, bad, other?

Can Larry Bowers do the job?

Let Dr. Lowery know.  llowery@msde.state.md.us

In 2012 State Superintendent said students would "perform just as well on the old assessments"

August 26, 2012, the Maryland State Superintendent said,

Even if we embrace the Common Core, there is still going to be a Maryland assessment this year," said Japzon. "I think that is a little bit problematic. It makes for a very unique year. We are kind of in between."
But Lowery said that since more is being expected of students, they should perform just as well on the old assessments. "If they are teaching the Common Core standards, they should do well on the Maryland School Assessments and the High School Assessments," she said.
Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/education/bs-md-common-core-20120823,0,7931078.story#ixzz2Zy6MbvgM

It's 2013, and we now know scores fell!  MCPS, with the special Pearson curriculum, experienced one of the largest declines in scores on the State Assessments!

Starr's Hire is a Broad Academy Graduate

The Montgomery County Board of Education Appointed Dr. Kimberly Statham as Deputy Superintendent on Superintendent Joshua Starr's recommendation.  Ms. Statham is a graduate of the Broad Superintendent's Academy.  MCPS has sent a number of administrators to the Broad Superintendent's Academy over the last few years.  

Maryland's new State Superintendent is also a Broad Academy graduate. 

Here's a guide for parents to acquaint them with the academy.

A Parent Guide to the Broad Foundation’s training programs and education policies

The question I ask is why should Eli Broad and Bill Gates have more of a say as to what goes on in my child’s classroom than I do? ...

Meet New Maryland State Superintendent

Maryland State Board of Education today announced that Dr. Lillian M. Lowery, Secretary of Education for the Delaware Department of Education, has been selected the State’s next State Superintendent of Schools.


http://www.dmcouncil.org/membership/member-news/39-lillian-m-lowery-delawares-secretary-of-education