WTOP: Your children’s school could be giving away their information

WASHINGTON — The back-to-school routine involves a crush of forms and permission slips for parents to sign. And they’re all important, but one could be critical for you and your child’s privacy, and even safety.
“Schools are allowed by federal law to share or sell directory information about their students with anyone, including data brokers and marketing companies, unless they have a parental opt-out form on file,” NBC News Consumer Correspondent Herb Weisbaum tells WTOP.
This means parents, and even students, are subject to “a torrent of advertising, or worse — you know, this is just the sort of information a stalker, abuser, predator or identity thief needs.”
Parents and children who have fled abusive situations are particularly at risk, Weisbaum says....

 http://wtop.com/education/2015/09/childrens-school-giving-away-information/

“What is the staff confidence level that this is going to work sort of as advertised, that fees that are incurred and assessed by the City of Gaithersburg are actually going to … that MCPS is going to play ball and they’re actually going to go toward relief for our capacity problems at the specific school level.” #overcrowding #Gaithersburg

At a July 6 Joint Mayor and City Council and Planning Commission Public Hearing, a proposed amendment to the city’s Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance (APFO) was discussed. The amendment suggests raising the APFO from 110 to 150 percent of school capacity five years in the future and collecting a Gaithersburg Schools Facilities Payment Fee from developers in areas where a specific school exceeds 105 percent capacity.
In Fiscal Year (FY) 2016, Rachel Carson Elementary School is expected to reach 148.1 percent capacity, a student population increase of more than 5 percent from FY2015. Speaking before the Mayor and City Council and Planning Commission, John Schlichting, director of Planning and Code Administration, said that RCES is “the most crowded school in the City of Gaithersburg, and one of the most crowded elementary schools in the county … (and) is already one of the largest if not the largest elementary school in the county.”
All of the elementary schools in the Quince Orchard cluster are overcapacity, he noted. Fields Road will be at 125.5 percent in FY2016 and Thurgood Marshall at 124.2 percent.
In total, 11 Gaithersburg public schools will be over 110 percent in FY2016, putting them in moratorium per the city’s current APFO that limits residential development when schools exceed 110 percent capacity. While waivers can be granted for schools that are below 120 percent capacity, only Gaithersburg Elementary at a projected 117.6 percent capacity and Northwest High School at a projected 110.3 percent capacity are eligible for this...

...Working in tandem with the new fee, the current 110 percent maximum for forecasted enrollment (in five years) would be changed to 150 percent. The City Council would be given authority to waive either the 150 percent capacity ceiling or the Gaithersburg Schools Facilities Payment Fee (or both) with defined justifications...

 http://towncourier.com/proposed-apfo-amendment-suggests-local-fix-for-schools/

BOE Meetings This Week: Budget, Plastic Grass, and MCEA

2015

Thu, September 17	10:00 AM	Fiscal Management Committee 2. Fiscal Review 2.01 K-12 Budget and Allocations 3. Artificial Turf Fields 3.01 Artifical Turf Field Program at High School Stadium Fields
	07:00 PM	Meeting with MCEA	* Meeting not televised

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/boe/meetings/

Starr & Russo on: The Dangerous and Harmful Influence of Teacher Bloggers @JoshuaPStarr

The Dangerous and Harmful Influence of Teacher Bloggers

By Nancy Flanagan on September 3, 2015 10:56 PM

(Yes. It's sarcasm.)
Happy Labor Day weekend--the holiday set aside to honor the stormy, husky, brawling folks with the big shoulders who, you know, built this country. Much like the determined, steadfast, committed teachers who also built something of infinite value: the nation's education system. Say what you like about teacher quality, but a free, high-quality, fully public education as every child's birthright is one of America's best ideas.
So it's hard to understand why Alexander Russo--a self-identified paid professional journalist--would be sending up red flags over the undue influence of education bloggers in policy creation. In a piece that relies heavily on an interview with Joshua Starr, of PDK,  who bemoans the tendency of social media to pass on both true and false information, accelerating concerns for districts who want to present their best face to parents and community. Russo says:...

 http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/teacher_in_a_strange_land/2015/09/the_dangerous_and_harmful_influence_of_teacher_bloggers.html

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

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

Final Exams Get an "F" in Montgomery County

Smash the Charter Limit on Montgomery County Property Taxes or Decelerate Spending?

 Montgomery County Taxpayers League Meeting
www.mctaxpayersleague.org

Wednesday, September 16, 2015 - 7:00 - 9:00 pm
5th Floor Conference Room, Council Office Building
100 Maryland Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850

                                                                       

Topic:   "Smash the Charter Limit on Property Taxes or Decelerate Spending?"

Speakers:  Steve Farber, Council Administrator, Montgomery County Council

Joseph Beach, Director of Finance, Montgomery County Government

Questions sent to the speakers in advance of the meeting:

1.  There is a widely held belief that Montgomery County has been an ardent follower of Parkinson's Law:  "expenditure rises to meet income".  Now that the income situation is bleak, what are the approaches being used by the County Executive and the County Council to cutting expenditures.  Are there any analyses of programs that have outlived their original intent but continue to linger on?  Are most budget reductions just a nibbling around the edges?  What are some of the criteria used to analyzing existing programs?  How many programs have actually been cut by more than 50%?  How many exist despite those cuts?

 

2. (a)  Personnel costs are growing faster than inflation.  The savings plan proposed by the Executive and the plan adopted by the County Council provide little relief from ever climbing  personnel costs, and have focused instead on non-recurring costs like CIP projects funded with current revenues, new programs and special project costs.  How should the 2016 budget process and contract negotiations address out of control personnel costs to avoid the need for bigger cuts to services or possible furloughs?

 

2. (b)  Most retiree taxpayers will likely not receive any increase in 2016 retirement annuities due to a negative or flat Consumer Price Index (CPI).  Most working taxpayers will not receive generous salary increases.  The current system of contract negotiations with unions is tilted heavily in favor of the unions as there is no representation by the taxpaying public.  Collective bargaining has an enormous impact on the County's fiscal situation.  How open is the County Executive and the County Council to making these negotiations more transparent and to include a few taxpayers in the negotiations process?  

3.   Income tax revenue increases are driven largely by capital gains which have been in a slump since the 30% run up in the S&P index in 2013.  Recent stock market indications point to even lower results for 2016, creating a need for further spending cuts, or property tax increases above the charter limit.  How much in further spending cuts are needed in FY 2016 to avoid busting the charter limit, assuming Wynne case projections are correct and income tax shortfalls are the same as last year?  Regarding the Wynne decision, where Maryland was found to be double-taxing business owners, does the political leadership find it ironic that this ill-conceived decision to double tax might lead to even greater taxation of all taxpayers to fill the gap?

4.    Taxpayers have suffered from slow economic growth, reductions in their investments, and are aging, which reduces their ability to pay higher property taxes.  We have seen our county grow dependent on income tax revenues, bloated by non-recurring capital gains not economic development, to annually increase operating budget and CIP expansion driven debt service costs.  Now that the income tax revenue strategy has collapsed, the County Executive is talking about a 10% property tax increase, and even creating a new Transit Authority that would circumvent the charter limit.  Taxpayers are losing confidence in the budget process and spending controls.  How can the budget process for FY 2016 be changed to cut inefficient and ineffective spending, and make these allocation decisions more transparent?

5.  County taxpayers are providing funding for migrant support services for education, affordable housing, food stamps, and medical services.  While these are seen as legitimate needs and the County has stepped up to this responsibility, how much of the county budget goes towards funding these needs?  How much does the County get reimbursed by the Federal Government?  By the State?

More Help Wanted

Did you ever wonder how Montgomery County Board of Education and Montgomery County Public Schools reach various decisions?

Here is your opportunity to find out AND get paid!

This popped into my mailbox - must be destiny!

Apply now (search supervisor budget) and you too can be considered to SUPERVISE the Department of Management and Budget.  Maybe you can help MCPS build more schools, or tell the BOE members to stop using credit cards.  The possibilities are endless.

And the most telling part- look at the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities section - its blank.  We always knew that the person(s) who held this job in the past did not have any particular skill or ability, and now we have it in print.

Supervisor, Management Budget Operations

Job Specific Information:  Please attach a resume and a letter of interest detailing how your educaiton and experiences have prepared you for this position. In addition, include three letters of reference. 

MCPS Official Job Description

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION:
Under general direction, the supervisor oversees daily operations of the Department of Management and Budget. Responsible for planning, budgeting, financial monitoring and operational and management analysis functions for a defined segment of MCPS. Analyzes and reviews unit goals, multiyear plans, budget requests, functions and operations. Monitors expenditure patterns and management practices. Provides training to new employees. Has chief responsibility for production of the printed budgets. Provides support to budget analysts for the more difficult and complex assignments and exercises considerable independent judgment and initiative in recommending to unit heads planning, budgetary, financial, or management strategies to improve efficiency and effectiveness. May represent the director at meetings as needed. Assists with the creation of the department's strategic plan.KNOWLEDGE ABILITIES AND SKILLSThorough knowledge of public administration principles and practices, with emphasis on budget concepts and organizational systems, practices and procedures and their application to various organizations and function. Thorough knowledge of statistical and other management analysis techniques. Considerable knowledge of Maryland school laws and regulations governing budgets and expenditures. Understands MCPS organization, operations, goals and priorities. Able to work effectively with other MCPS units and stakeholders. Good user knowledge of computerized information systems. Excellent communications and interpersonal skills. Ability to analyze complex organizational procedures and recommend solutions to budgetary or management problems.

CERTIFICATE LICENSE:
None 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:


EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE:
Graduation from an a accredited college or university with a major in public or business administration or related field; courses or experience in, accounting, auditing, budgeting or other fiscal areas. Master's degree in public or business administration or related field highly desirable. Experience in supervision preferred. Considerable, progressively responsible staff work in public sector planning, budget preparation and administration, and management analysis. Other combinations of applicable education, training, and experience which provide the knowledge, abilities, and skills necessary to perform effectively in the position may be considered. 

Job

:  Administrators  

Job Grade:  O 

Organization

:  Offices  

Primary Location

:  Rockville

Schedule

:  Full-time | 1.000 (80 hours bi-weekly)

Working Months:  12

Shift

:  Day Job

Job Posting

:  Sep 1, 2015, 12:09:29 PM - Sep 18, 2015, 11:59:00 PM

When does spending less really mean spending more?

Answer:  When your kids go back to school.

According to the New York Times, parents are spending less on certain school items - like clothing, because money is tight.  Sound familiar?  Its not just in our own Montgomery County Public School District.

However, one expense has increased - and that is school supplies.  When money is tight, schools try to do more with less, and often items we took for granted when we were in school - like scissors, paper, and glue - are in short supply, so parents are asked to chip in.

Montgomery County is not alone in facing more students who can't afford school supplies.  Is this a factor at your school?

The NYTimes notes:

 Of the more than one million K-12 students enrolled in New York City public schools last year, 74 percent came from “economically disadvantaged” households, meaning that they qualified for free or reduced-price lunches and other assistance programs, according to data from the education department.

About 84,000 homeless students attended school in New York City during the 2013 school year, up 25 percent since 2010, according to the Institute for Children, Poverty and Homelessness. A majority of those students do not live in shelters, which means they often miss the benefits of backpack drives and other fund-raisers aimed at low-income families, said Linda Bazerjian, a spokeswoman for the group.

. . . 

The gap between rich and poor, private school and public school, can be evident in lists for school supplies, and who comes prepared. Mr. Schulist says that one of his school lists requires students to bring 100 pencils, which helps compensate for children whose families can afford no pencils at all.

Underfunded schools are a problem nationwide.   Think about what your school provides, and whether all children are able to come to school prepared to learn.  And whether the gap just gets bigger instead of smaller with each new school year.

School System Approves Addition Project for Fast-Growing Bethesda Middle School - Bethesda Beat - Bethesda, MD

School System Approves Addition Project for Fast-Growing Bethesda Middle School - Bethesda Beat - Bethesda, MD

Found Cash to Defy Resolution: $45,410 for Somerset Elementary School's Artificial Turf Field Consultant #perks #surplus

UPDATE 9/8/2015 at 3:00 PM:  The Board of Education will approve this spending despite their earlier resolution "because" the parents at Somerset Elementary School want to start the project before they have finished raising the total funds needed for the project.  

In addition, MCPS' Director of Construction claims that the $45,410 will be included in the funds raised by Somerset ES parents, even though MCPS does not know what type of field will actually be put down or the actual final cost.  Usual pie in the sky planning by MCPS administrators that leaves taxpayers on the hook for the final bill.  See Wootton High School artificial turf purchase for proof that MCPS spends without a plan and taxpayers pick up the excess tab in the end.  

---------------------------

Isn't it great when Larry Bowers "finds" cash in a drawer?

Once again, Larry Bowers has found cash to pay for a perk for a Green Zone school.  This time he found $45,410 for a no bid "consultant" for the artificial turf field that is going in at Somerset Elementary School.

Now, the actual resolution that the Board of Education voted on back in May of this year stated that no "design and construction activities" would begin until the funds had actually been raised. But, who pays attention to Board of Education resolutions anyway?

Let's be clear on this cash, this consulting fee is over and above the cost of the artificial turf field.  Supposedly, the Somerset Elementary School parents are going to raise $550,000 to pay for the plastic grass, but that money doesn't cover the consultant's fee of $45,410.

And, we remember how that Wootton High School fundraiser for plastic grass went, the taxpayers ended up paying for part of that plastic field.   

Meanwhile, no one needs any classroom teachers in MCPS, right?  Good thing, because there goes the salary for another teacher, off to pay an outside, no bid consultant for a perk at one school.  They do not call it the Green Zone for nothing! 

   Consult Appt Civil Eng Servcs Somerset ES Turf by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

Today: What MCPS School(s) is/are Getting New Plastic for their Field?

From today's Board of Education Agenda we see the expenditure of $550,000 for an "athletic surface system."  Since the Board of Education intentionally hides these purchases, it is impossible to tell what this $550,000 will pay for and what school or schools will receive this construction on their playground or athletic field.  Stay tuned!


5-13

Athletic Surfacing Systems Maintenance and Construction**

Awardee

American Tennis Courts, Inc.

$550,000

Highland View ES: Help us obtain reading instruction materials

Mrs. Tiemann and Mrs. Seaman of Highland View Elementary School in Silver Spring are requesting funding for materials to help teach reading.

"Nestled against a green hillside, Highland View Elementary School has been a neighborhood school since 1953 and was modernized in 1994."

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is matching each contribution to Mrs. Tiemann's projects.

Click here for details about the requests from Highland View Elementary School

Surprise! MCPS 4th-graders and middle-schoolers get Chromebooks after all.

...in June, school officials in Montgomery County decided they could not afford the computers and delayed the second phase of a major technology initiative that ranks among the nation’s largest school laptop programs. Then, shortly before school started, the district said it had found money to purchase 20,000 new Chromebooks...

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/surprise-fourth-graders-and-middle-schoolers-get-chromebooks-after-all/2015/09/07/e6d1ecd0-51a1-11e5-8c19-0b6825aa4a3a_story.html

Would Thornton Put a Cell Tower on a Bethesda High School Roof?

Cell tower on roof of Baltimore City school.

Baltimore City Superintendent Gregory Thornton used to work for MCPS and back in 2011 his was one of the names being circulated to replace Superintendent Jerry Weast.

  

Thornton is currently the superintendent of the Baltimore City Public Schools and busy putting cell towers on the roofs of public school buildings.

  

If Thornton had become the MCPS superintendent in 2011, or becomes the superintendent in the future, will he be putting a cell tower on Whitman High School's roof?  

OPEN LETTER TO Superintendent Gregory Thornton and the Baltimore City Board of Education regarding his plan to put a cell tower on the roof of another public high school in Maryland:

Honorable Members of the Baltimore City Public Schools Board and CEO Gregory Thornton,

Please DENY the request before you today, which asks your approval for Wireless Communication Lease Agreement with Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless for the City School site known as Digital Harbor High School #416 (1100 Covington Street, 21230). The action requested would not be consistent with your trust obligations under Section 4-114 of the Maryland Education Article, and would therefore be illegal.

If you doubt our warnings, then please table the matter to seek the Maryland Attorney General’s opinion. Consistent with several previously issued Maryland Attorney General’s opinions and advisories, we are confident that you will receive guidance that your entering into the Cellco/Verizon lease agreement would be illegal.

Maryland Coalition to Halt Cell Towers at Schools 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~


For background on Digital Harbor High School, take a look at the Maryland Report Card information.  Digital Harbor High School is a Strand 4 school in Maryland (Strand 1 is the top of the strand rating scale, Strand 4 is not good news).  Scroll down for more information on Digital Harbor High School.


~~~~~~~~~~~~

From the Baltimore City Public Schools Board Agenda for Tuesday, September 8, 2015:

Meeting

Sep 08, 2015 - Public Board Meeting

Category

PROCUREMENT - CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Subject

Cellco Partnership - Verizon Wireless Telecommunication Lease Agreement - The Chief Operating Officer requests the Board’s approval of a Wireless Communication Lease Agreement with Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless for the City School site known as Digital Harbor High School #416, located at 1100 Covington Street, 21230.

Type

Action

Cellco Partnership - Verizon Wireless

Telecommunication Lease Agreement

Request of the Board

The Chief Operating Officer requests the Board’s approval of a Wireless Communication Lease Agreement with Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless for the City School site known as Digital Harbor High School #416, located at 1100 Covington Street, 21230.

This Lease provides for Verizon Wireless to operate 12 wireless communication antenna panels and associated equipment on the rooftop of Digital Harbor High School, to accommodate increased wireless voice and data demand for those residents living in the Harbor East, Federal Hill and Key Highway sections of Baltimore City. 

Annual rent for the first year will be $35,138.40, with annual increases of 4% thereafter throughout the original and renewal terms.

Community notifications in support of this proposed lease were submitted to the following neighborhood groups: Federal Hill Neighborhood Association, Key Highway Community Association, Riverside Neighborhood Association, the Federal Hill South Neighborhood Association and Friends of Federal Hill Park, without any negative feedback received from any community group.

The Baltimore City Board of Municipal & Zoning Appeals, after providing public notice, reviewing the zoning records and holding a public hearing on February 11, 2014, by unanimous consent of the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals, approved Verizon’s request to install a new telecommunications facility consisting of 12 antennas and equipment on the rooftop of Digital Harbor High School.  The Resolution of approval was granted on February 24^th, 2014.

FCC compliance testing for RF Frequency Exposure has also taken place and the Pre-Installation Assessment shows that the equipment is compliant with FCC and OSHA standards and regulations.

Feedback from the school Principal was also requested, with no negative feedback coming from the Principal of Digital Harbor High School.  

Selection Methodology

Contract Types:          Wireless Communication Lease Agreement

Contract Term:            5 years, commencing upon School Board approval                         

Renewal Term:            3 renewal periods of five (5) years each       

Vendor & Amount:       Cellco Partnership (d/b/a Verizon Wireless)

Funding Source:         N/A

Solicitation Process:   N/A

MBE/ WBE Results:   N/A

Evidence of Effectiveness

Approval of this Lease Agreement will provide for increased wireless coverage to accommodate increased digital demand for those residents [Editor note: NOT FOR BENEFIT OF STUDENTS!] living in the areas of Harbor East, Federal Hill and Key Highway.  Baltimore City Schools benefits from the additional lease revenue that it receives from Verizon Wireless throughout the term of the lease

 Author: Paul Turner

   416 DigitalHarbor Profile by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

Preparing for the first day

Ms. C, who teaches grades 3 to 5 at Maryvale Elementary School in Rockville, writes:

My students need protecto contact paper to write on their desks. They need nameplates they can also use as a math tool. They also need 3 chalkboard erasers, a chalk holder, a pencil sharpener, 3 pairs of bookends, and 4 magnet clips.

My Project

These materials will help my student in the fluency of the day. You can't write on a board with broken erasers. The bookshelf would become a mess without bookends. Lastly, what is a student expected to do if they can't do something as simple as sharpen their pencil. Many of these items are not directly tied to students learning, but they help the classroom run smoothly and enable students to focus on the larger tasks at hand.

A child should not be expected to use broken, disorganized materials in school.

That is why we need things like erasers and pencil sharpeners to maintain an environment suitable for learning. These items will help maintain a functioning classroom for students learning.

Click here to help Ms. C's students

Local first year teacher looking for classroom donations

Hello everyone!

My dreams came true when I was hired as a Kindergarten teacher. I work in an extremely low income area [Georgian Forest Elementary School in Silver Spring, MD] and a large percentage of the students receive free and reduced lunch. I am loving my new job and all of my students. I want to make sure my students have the materials they need to be successful. I have spent a significant amount of [my own] money on classroom materials but still need more supplies. I'm hoping some of you are willing to help out. I have set up a page on donors choose and my project is halfway to being completed! If you chip in to help my students, you'll get awesome photos and our heartfelt thanks. This means the world to me and I appreciate donations of any amount! Thank you!

P.S. If you know anyone who may want to help my classroom, please pass this along. 

Help Kindergartners Learn To Read!, a project from Ms. Simmons

County and MCPS Find $250,000 to give Brandman Busy Work #paybacks #perks

The County’s Fiscal Year 2016 operating budget includes $250,000 for the Children’s Opportunity Fund, with the Department of Health and Human Services and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) each contributing $125,000, which will be leveraged by the fund to attract additional private investment. The fund is a public/private effort to provide services and supports for children at risk of not succeeding in school, and their families. Early partners in the effort include MCPS; County agencies such as Health and Human Services and Recreation; the Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families and the Community Foundation for Montgomery County. Brandman will be responsible for developing the framework for this effort and supporting the policy leaders in setting its strategic direction, according to a news release.

http://www.mymcmedia.org/former-school-board-member-named-interim-director-for-childrens-opportunity-fund/

Standardized Testing Chipping Away at Teaching

According to the Maryland Reporter, a growing number of educators worry that standardized tests "chip away at education", limit teacher autonomy, cause lost time in the class room, stress students and teachers, and limit valuable learning experiences such as field trips and access to computer labs during testing. The negative impact of standardized tests such as PARCC was discussed yesterday at a meeting sponsored by the Maryland State Education Association with participation by two state delegates, teachers, administrators and parents at Roland Park Elementary and Middle School in Baltimore. The discussion will be broadcast Friday, Sept. 4, 2015 at 10 a.m. on The Marc Steiner Show on WEAA-FM. A second town hall will be held on Nov. 4, 2015 in Montgomery County. http://marylandreporter.com/2015/09/03/testing-chipping-away-at-teaching-educators-say/