Good Afternoon! My name is Nancy Cipolla. I have been a teacher in
MCPS for 30 years and have been fortunate enough to teach at the Virtual
Academy for the past three years. I am here today to request that the
Board of Education fully fund the Virtual Academy as planned for grades
2-12 for Fiscal Year 25 and beyond.
In February, the board came to a unanimous agreement to fund the full
program at the Virtual Academy for next year. In fact, Ms. Wolf said, “You
were going to ensure that the MVA was going to stay put for Fiscal Year
2025.” There was some discussion about wanting to analyze the data at
the lower school.
As a teacher in MCPS, I believe it is crucial to base our decisions on
evidence and data that demonstrate the efficacy of programs. So let’s
discuss the data from our Lower School so you can see the value of our
program and see clearly who will be affected by the decisions you
make today.
Let’s start by taking a deep dive into our performance data. The data for
our lower school shows that we surpass the average achievement in
MCPS in both reading and math. Whereas MCPS shows 46.5% average
achievement in math and 55.3% average achievement in reading, our
average math achievement is 84% and our average reading achievement
is 77%. To break achievement down further, our end of year Dibels data
showed 73% of our first graders and 69% of our second graders reading at
or above grade level. NWEA Spring data shows 64% of our third, fourth,
and fifth graders met proficiency on MAPR . Spring Data for MAPP and
MAPM also show we are achieving better than many schools in MCPS.
72% of our first graders, 74% of our second graders, and 66% of our third
graders met proficiency. An astounding 90% of fourth graders and 89% of
fifth graders receiving virtual instruction in math met proficiency. The data
doesn’t lie, virtual instruction works for elementary students. Our students
are not only thriving but they are exceeding standards.
Voice data also shows how students are building strong relationships
with their peers and teachers and have self-confidence. This is an indicator
that we have created equitable identity-affirming classrooms where
students feel supported and comfortable asking questions . 94% of
our students feel confident that they can do well. 91% of our students said
they had friends in the Virtual Academy and that they had opportunities to
learn about people from a variety of different racial, ethnic, and cultural
backgrounds.
Now let’s look at the demographics of the Virtual Academy. Our student
population is predominantly from the Global Majority (35% Hispanic,
21.4% African American, 24.3 % Caucasian,13.8% Asian, 5.2%
Multi-racial, .2 % American Indian, and.1% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander).
Furthermore, our school has a 67% FARMS rate, yet we do not receive
any Title I funding or benefits.
The Virtual Academy also offers hybrid classes to over 200 elementary
students attending approximately 30 in-person schools. Next year,
our hybrid program was scheduled to expand to over 300 students.
Through this program, we are able to provide instruction in enriched
mathematics. Not only is this a cost savings to the county, as our four
teachers would be equivalent to approximately 20 in person teaching
positions, but let’s take a look at who is benefiting from hybrid instruction.
80% of the schools that utilize hybrid math instruction are Title 1
Schools, with student populations that represent the global majority.
These students would not be receiving enriched math instruction if not for
the Virtual Academy. As you ponder this, think about how many students
are not receiving instruction in enriched literacy (ELC) in these same
schools. Why are these students’ academic needs being ignored?
I ask the board as you deliberate on your decision today to consider your
core purpose of preparing all students to thrive in their future and
your core value of equity. Think very carefully about the students you are
doing harm to if you decide to close the Virtual Academy. Many of them
are students who are financially disadvantaged and represent the global
majority. How does this fit with your values? Each board member has an
opportunity today to show Montgomery County that you are committed to
your core purpose and values. By supporting the Virtual Academy, you
are allowing our students to continue to thrive and you are ensuring
all students have an equitable opportunity for high quality education
in Montgomery County Public Schools
We are asking you to fully fund the Virtual Academy as planned for
grades 2-12 for FY25 and beyond.
https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/D64KJ25206F1/$file/Nancy Cipolla Testimony.pdf
