MoCo Taxpayers League Meeting: Phil Kauffman and Alan Xie

The next meeting of Montgomery County Taxpayers League will be held Thursday, July 21, 2011, from 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. in the Council Office Building, 5th floor meeting room (tentative), 100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD. For directions go here. Speakers from the Montgomery County Board of Education: Phil Kauffman, Member Alan Xie, Student Member Topic: "Maintenance of Effort and A Student's Perspective of the Budget" The meeting will adjourn no later than 9:30pm. Everyone is welcome---especially county taxpayers.

Another day . . . another violation of the Open Meetings Act by the BOE

In case you are wondering, we are not simply repeating posts.

But - the Board of Education just simply doesn't get it.

The Board of Education in MoCo has violated the Open Meetings Act. 

Again.

And they are paying big bucks for legal opinions that keep losing.

Today's opinion comes courtesy of Judith Bresler's Law Firm.  This firm provided the legal advice to the BOE that resulted in yet another violation of the Open Meetings Act.

Here is our suggestion to Dr. Starr. 

Fire the outside attorneys and start complying with the Open Meetings Act. 

Transparency is the buzz word of the day - and your outside counsel seems to have missed that class in law school.

Here is the opinion:

Open Meetings Act Violation

Gazette: School board fails on open-meeting compliance

Montgomery’s Board of Education needs a refresher course in opening its meetings during debate on some important decisions.
Last month, the state board that oversees compliance with Maryland’s Open Meetings Act found that the school board violated the law when it held a meeting in June 2010 discussing a deal to lease 20 acres in Potomac to the county for use as soccer fields. It was the second time within a year and a half that the school board has been reprimanded for its lack of transparency.
In March, the board voted 5-2 to approve a lease, angering the organic farmer who had been working the land for more than 30 years, as well as community activists who had hoped a school would be built there. Some were also displeased with the lack of an opportunity to comment on the proposal.
Janis Zink Sartucci and Rosanne Hurwitz had filed a complaint with the state compliance board shortly before the March vote, after word of the proposal had spread. The complaint questioned whether the school board had improperly closed meetings about the land in spring 2010.
The compliance board found the June 2010 meeting was not properly closed and that the school board’s reason for shuttering it was a clear misinterpretation of the law...

Editorial continues here.

MCPS cuts schools athletics budget by 10 percent

Gazette:  Montgomery County cuts schools athletics budget by 10 percent

Junior varsity programs take biggest hit in county's cuts to athletics

Fall high school varsity coaches in Montgomery County may still hold two-a-day workouts next month, but they’ll only get paid for one of those practices.
The two-a-day fall practices was the largest chunk of cutbacks the Board of Education made from athletics in its 2012 fiscal budget, accounting for nearly a third of the $751,900 reduced from the previous year. The 10 percent reduction also includes cuts to postseason coaching compensation and junior varsity sports... article continues here.

Cuts to MCPS athletics budget

Montgomery County Public Schools cut about 10 percent of its athletics program when it adopted the 2011-12 fiscal budget on June 16. Here are the cuts made:

$246,400 by reducing stipends to pay coaches for two-a-day practices in the fall

$126,700 by reducing the number of stipends paid in junior varsity sports; reduced each junior varsity sport by 2 to 3 games and 3 practices

$88,200 by eliminating three practice sessions per season for all high school varsity sports

$69,800 by reducing high school postseason compensation by 55 percent

$63,200 by eliminating one game per each of six teams at middle schools

$45,700 by reducing referees and transportation costs for junior varsity sports

$33,600 by limiting high school junior varsity cheerleading to fall only

$32,200 by eliminating high school varsity spring cheerleading

$17,500 by eliminating high school developmental girls golf

$12,900 by cutting stipends to high school intramural directors by 50 percent

$9,800 by reducing the high school coed and boys volleyball seasons by one game

$3,800 by reducing the amount each middle school receives for equipment and supplies by $100

$2,100 by reducing stipends to middle school athletics coordinators (four hours per school)

Welcome to Urban Montgomery County: Leggett wants a curfew for teens

Leggett proposes curfew for Montgomery youth

Council to discuss 11 p.m., midnight limits on being out in public

More Testimony on Crossway from Neighborhood Association

Here is the testimony that Judy Higgins, chair of the Land Use and Zoning Committee for the neighborhood Kensington View Civic Association, presented at the MCPS Board of Education meeting, July 7th, regarding the proposed Crossway Public Charter School.


Judy Higgins Testimony Crossway MoCo-Public Charter School-BOE Meeting July 7, 2011

Shareholders lob allegations at The Washington Post’s Kaplan unit

Premium content from Washington Business Journal - by Ben Fischer

Date: Friday, July 8, 2011, 6:00am EDT

Already besieged by federal and state investigations, The Washington Post Co.’s star subsidiary is staring down another gauntlet, this time in the courtroom.

In a new court filing, investors accuse the Post and two senior executives of hiding aggressive and potentially unlawful recruitment tactics of Kaplan Inc., and downplaying the risk that regulators would eventually target the operator of for-profit colleges. Those actions, the suit claims, artificially kept the parent company’s stock price high for a year before government investigations became public.

Citing 21 former Kaplan employees and one former client as confidential witnesses, the plaintiffs allege widespread company practices designed to maximize government-funded revenue at the expense of the students’ best interests, as well as tactics instituted to skirt regulations that govern recipients of federal student loans

Read more here.

Summer Seminars at Six: An Introduction to Education Policy

The U.S. Department of Education is offering free evening seminars on federal education policy.

These seminars are designed to share information about education policy that will help teachers to be engaged and participate in policy discussions at the federal, state and district level. Led by teachers working at the Department, along with other staff, there will be opportunities for questions and discussion both in person and online.

Dates: Every other Thursday: July 14, July 28, August 11 and August 25.
Time: 6:00 PM ET-7:00 PM ET
Location: U.S. Department of Education’s LBJ Building (400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20202) and online through U-Stream.

Topics:

An ED 101 Primer, Thursday, July 14. Questions to be answered include:
What is the mission or purpose of the U.S. Department of Education?
How is education funded in the United States?
What is the organizational structure of ED, and where can I go for help with my issue?
What is Title I and how does it work?

Who’s on First? State and Federal Roles and Responsibilities for Education, Thursday, July 28. Questions to be answered include:
What are the states’ and the federal government’s responsibilities for education?
What is the Common Core?
What are the primary ED funding streams and competitive programs?
What is Race to the Top and how does it support teachers and students?

Fixing What’s Broken in No Child Left Behind, Thursday, August, 11. Questions to be answered include:
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act and No Child Left Behind—same or different?
What problems are teachers, schools, and states having with NCLB?
In their Blueprint for Reform, what do President Obama and Secretary Duncan propose to do to fix what is not working in NCLB?
What does the Blueprint propose with regard to testing?
What is the federal School Improvement Grant program for low-performing schools and how might it affect my school or state?

Leading Their Profession: Teachers and Education Policy, Thursday, August 25. Questions to be answered include:
What are ED’s proposals for strengthening teaching and supporting teachers?
What does the Blueprint say about teacher evaluations?
What can teachers do to get involved in educational issues both at the national level and in their state or district?
What are the Teacher Incentive Fund and Title II?
Register to attend the Summer Seminars at the U.S. Department of Education or to view the Summer Seminars online through U-Stream

Meet-up with Arne!

Parents' Coalition was honored to be invited to the first Let's Read! Let's Move! event of the summer at the U.S. Department of Education, held on July 6th. Our guests included members of the Cheetahs Hockey Team and their parents. We all listened to Ed Sec Arne Duncan and surprise guests U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar read from some of their favorite books. AG Holder read from Dr. Seuss' 'Oh, the Places You'll Go!' and Mr. Abdul-Jabbar read from 'Goal!' by Mina Javaherbin. Another surprise guest was Teresa Scanlan, Miss America! What a thrill! Thanks so much to Michelle Draughn and Dept. of Ed staff and YMCA volunteers who organized this terrific event. The kids had a blast, first playing games like Brainquest, then listening to the readings and asking questions, and finally time out for play and games. We can't thank the Dept of Ed staff and volunteers enough for this wonderful opportunity. The warmth and enthusiasm for the children on the part of the staff and volunteers was a great thing to experience and the kids are still beaming. At the end of the event the kids all received snacks and a book of their choice autographed by Miss America! To me the most impressive part of the program was watching Miss America with the kids, running around, jumping and playing -- all in 4-inch heels! You go girl. For more on the event, read the DOJ blog here, and for a parent's-eye view, go here. And, the Dept of Ed blog is here.

Investigation into APS cheating finds unethical behavior across every level | ajc.com

Investigation into APS cheating finds unethical behavior across every level | ajc.com

...For teachers, a culture of fear ensured the deception would continue.“APS is run like the mob,” one teacher told investigators, saying she cheated because she feared retaliation if she didn’t.The voluminous report names 178 educators, including 38 principals, as participants in cheating. More than 80 confessed. The investigators said they confirmed cheating in 44 of 56 schools they examined.The investigators conducted more than 2,100 interviews and examined more than 800,000 documents in what is likely the most wide-ranging investigation into test-cheating in a public school district ever conducted in United States history.The findings fly in the face of years of denials from Atlanta administrators. The investigators re-examined the state’s erasure analysis — which they said proved to be valid and reliable — and sought to lay to rest district leaders’ numerous excuses for the suspicious scores... 

...The special investigators’ report describes years of misconduct that took place as far up the chain of command as the superintendent’s office. The report accuses Hall and her aides of repeatedly tampering with or hiding records that cast an unflattering light on the district.  In one case, Hall’s chief Human Resources officer Millicent Few “illegally ordered” the destruction of early, damning drafts of an outside lawyer’s investigation of test-tampering at Atlanta’s Deerwood Academy, the report said...

 ...The district’s priority became maintaining and promoting Hall’s image as a miracle worker... 

...Her supporters were so concerned the district’s problems would reflect poorly on the Atlanta “brand,” the report said, that they attacked those who asked questions about the district’s purported success... 

...Hall preferred to spend her time networking with philanthropic and business leaders rather than walking the halls of her schools, the investigators found...

 “Hall became a subject of adoration and made herself the focus rather than the children,” the investigators wrote. “Her image became more important than reality.”

More States Defiant on NCLB Compliance

More States Defiant on NCLB Compliance

Report: Special Investigation into CRCT Cheating at Atlanta Public Schools

Volume 1 of Special Investigation into CRCT Cheating at APS: Overview, Interviews, School summaries

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Volume 2 of Special Investigation into CRCT Cheating at APS: School summaries, cont.

Volume 3: Conclusions: Why cheating occurred and cover-up allegations

Story: Investigation into APS cheating finds unethical behavior across every level

State Investigation Reveals Widespread Cheating in Atlanta Schools

State Investigation Reveals Widespread Cheating in Atlanta Schools

Crossway Montessori Charter School Application

This is the application for the proposed Crossway Montessori Charter School.


Crossway Charter School Application Montgomery County MD 2011

Neelsville Middle School Parents Rally to Save Principal

Neelsville Middle School parents to meet at the school at 4:30 PM on July 8, 2011 to discuss sudden departure of school's principal. Meeting will take place in parking lot if necessary.


Neelsville Middle School faces restructuring based on the recent MSA results. 


What happens to the Community Superintendents when schools do not make AYP goals? 

MontCo delays charter school decision | Examiner Staff Writer | Education | Washington Examiner

MontCo delays charter school decision | Examiner Staff Writer | Education | Washington Examiner

Montgomery County school officials on Thursday delayed a vote on what would be the county's first charter school until the school's sponsors can resolve concerns about enrollment.The Board of Education voted to postpone the decision on the Community Montessori Charter School proposed by Crossway Community while some logistics are worked out. The proposed Seneca Creek Charter School -- which emphasized using the environment to provide a hands-on learning experience -- was rejected.Seneca Creek presented an "interesting concept" that was only "loosely thought out," said Board Vice President Shirley Brandman. Among the board's concerns were inadequate facilities, the absence of hot lunch options and a lack of contingency plans for bad weather.The board's main concern with Crossway Community's proposal was the school's "catchment area" -- the geographic region within which students are eligible to apply. The area was not defined before the meeting.Board member Laura Berthiaume said a small catchment area could limit the diversity of the students eligible to apply.

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/education/2011/07/montco-delays-charter-school-decision#ixzz1RTujZuZu

Starr paid $18,339 for unused vacation

Starr paid $18,339 for unused vacation

Addtional Testimony regarding Crossway Charter School Vote

Here is the testimony of Virginia Sheard, regarding the discussion and vote on the proposed Crossway Montessori School.


MC-BOE Testimony on Crossway Charter School, Virginia Sheard 7-7-11

MontCo needs more 'technical education,' says commission | Rachel Baye | Capital Land | Washington Examiner

MontCo needs more 'technical education,' says commission | Rachel Baye | Capital Land | Washington Examiner

Some Montgomery County youth say the county school system should offer more opportunities for "Career and Technology Education" and needs to advertise existing programs so people know they exist.
The youth — seven high-school and college students who sit on the county’s Commission on Children and Youth — inspired the commission to send a letter with the recommendations to Board of Education President Christopher Barclay and Superintendent Joshua Starr, according to commission Chair Vicki Stearn.
Non-college bound high-school students are often overlooked, explained Stearn. Programs that do offer opportunities for technical education — like that at Thomas Edison High School — are not well advertised.
“The young people felt most strongly about the marketing and advertising piece," said Stearn, explaining that the students said they didn't know technical-education programs existed despite having just come out of the school system...

Read more at the Washington Examiner: http://washingtonexaminer.com/blogs/education/2011/07/montco-needs-more-technical-education-says-commission#ixzz1RSl7XDWI

Montgomery delays vote on first charter school

Post Now:  Montgomery delays vote on first charter school

...Board members debated a last-minute proposal to establish a boundary for students who would be eligible to enroll in the Montessori program. The so-called "catchment area" would be similar to boundaries used for magnet programs in the county, but many questions arose about how it could work for a charter school...