Guest Post: Please Oppose a Salary Increase for the Montgomery County Board of Education

On Thursday, February 7th, 2013 at 4:30 P.M, the Montgomery County
Senate Delegation will meet to vote on a bill increasing the salary of
the Montgomery County Board of Education (MCPS). The following
senators should ALL be called AND e-mailed in opposition to any salary
increase. Please contact them today, February 6th (preferably), or
tomorrow morning, February7th:

Senator Jamie Raskin; jamie.raskin@senate.state.md.us, 301-858-3634 /
410-841-3634 Senator Jennie Forehand 301-858-3134 /410-841-3134;
jennie.forehand@senate.state.md.us;  Senator Brian Frosh 301-858-3124
/ 410-841-3124; brian.frosh@senate.state.md.us; Senator Rob Garagiola
301-858-3169/410-841-3169;  rob.garagiola@senate.state.md.us; Senator
Nancy King 301-858-3686/410-841-3686;  nancy.king@senate.state.md.us;
Senator Richard Madaleno 301-858-3137 / 410-841-3137;
richard.madaleno@senate.state.md.us; Senator Roger Manno
301-858-3151/410-841-3151; roger.manno@senate.state.md.us; Senator
Karen Montgomery,  301-858-3625 / 410-841-3625;
karen.montgomery@senate.state.md.us;

Reasons why this is a terrible idea include the following:  In this
tanked economy with tight budgetary constraints, no elected officials
should receive an increase in salary or compensation of any kind.

No government entity with the tarnished track record the MCPS Board
has should be rewarded until there is a change in how the MCPS Board
conducts its business and priorities reflect the best interests of and
benefits to students and taxpayers.

Problems include numerous violations of the open meetings law,
back-door secret deals trading a wonderful organic farm for another
soccer field (surely the schools have more important uses for that
money), and spending an exorbitant amount of money to expose MCPS
students to a host of toxins in artificial turf versus a less
expensive and safe and natural/organic sod purchased locally.

The lack of leadership on the Board has also thwarted concerted
efforts of students (The Young Activists Club in Takoma Park) and
their parents to have a school garden and farm fresh food prepared
onsite in the school kitchen. As a direct result of the Board’s
ignorance, at least one high school principal has destroyed class
gardens four years in a row; and another principal resisted efforts
for almost two years to permit students to plant a rain garden the
school was not even paying for.

Shame on any Montgomery County legislator who thinks a salary increase
is economically defensible for any appointed or elected official in
this economy and for such an ethically challenged Board.

Alyce Ortuzar, District 14

Starr could be put in jail

Gazette:  Montgomery teacher evaluations fail on state test

Pearson previews education materials developed with Montgomery County schools

Global education and textbook company Pearson previewed its new line of instructional products for K-5 classrooms developed with Montgomery County Public Schools at conference in Florida on Wednesday.
The material and curriculum called “Pearson Forward” has been designed to meet the more challenging demands of new education standards that least 45 states have adopted in an attempt to make U.S. students more competitive than international peers. It will be marketed with the Montgomery County Public Schools brand and sold nationally.
“Forward integrates instruction across reading, writing, mathematics, science and social studies, focusing on the rigors of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), with a strong emphasis on critical thinking, creativity and academic success skills,” according to Pearson’s news release.
The news release also features Erick Lang, Montgomery County Public Schools associate superintendent for curriculum and instructional programs: “The integrated curriculum renews focus on the whole child and nurtures skills that build confidence and success.”...

Read the entire article at The Washington Post.

Montgomery County residents to review school system’s proposed budget for ‘book club’

By Lynh Bui

It’s not exactly light reading, but the Montgomery County Public Schools budget will be the featured tome at a “Book Club” meeting Wednesday night.

The Montgomery County Civic Federation, Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County and the Montgomery County Taxpayers Leagueare hosting “MCPS Budgetpalooza!” with plans to review the school system’s operating budget chapter by chapter. There are 11 chapters and nearly 550 pages, not including summary data and appendices, in the budget.

Superintendent Joshua P. Starr has recommended a $2.2 billion operating budget for fiscal year 2014. The school system’s budget is more than half of the total budget for the entire county and has been controversial in recent, tight budget years as other government agencies compete for the funds.

continues at The Washington Post:  Maryland Schools Insider

Council Approves Lead & Zinc Infused Plastic Grass for Wootton High School

As expected, the Montgomery County Council approved the installation of 120 tons of ground up rubber waste and a football sized sheet of plastic grass for the Wootton High School field.

This time, however, there was one dissenter on the Council.  Councilmember Marc Elrich voted against this project.  Councilmember Elrich cited concerns about the known zinc run off from artificial turf fields, known PAH levels that vaporize, lack of storm water testing, and the fact that during the storm last year the University of Maryland moved a game from UM artificial turf to the natural grass field at the Soccer Plex.

The Council did not discuss the continuing failure of MCPS to follow Maryland Education Act Procurement law. As usual, MCPS is not putting out an RFP for this project, is not taking competitive bids, and is grossly overpaying for a product.  In this case, however, the parties getting hosed are a private club and the Wootton parents as this field is not being paid for out of tax revenues.

Zinc for Dummies

Occurrence of Bromine, Lead, and Zinc in Synthetic Turf Components
Philip Dickey, Staff Scientist, Washington Toxics Coalition
...

Zinc
Zinc was detected at 6.75% and 6.81% in two tests of the Forever Green infill material
(Figure 4b) and at 9.33% in the Motz infill (spectrum not shown). It was also detected at
between 4.03% and 6.97% in the SprinTurf samples (e.g. Figure 4f), which were turf and
infill mixed. Zinc was also detected at lower levels in the ARMS ProPlay shock pad
(Figure 4c). It was not detected in the ARMS infill material (Figure 4d). Note that the
ARMS infill material is coated silica sand rather than rubber. Our non-detects for zinc
and lead in this material are consistent with testing commissioned by the manufacturer
(Pb <1 .5="" 0.425="" p="" ppm="" zn="">Zinc oxide or zinc stearate are used as activators in rubber used in car tires. (12)
The concentrations we measured in infill material are higher than the percentages implied by
Wik and Goran (2-5% zinc oxide + fatty acid or zinc stearate). A typical MSDS for
crumb rubber lists the following zinc components: zinc oxide fume <3 and="" oxide="" p="" zinc="">total dust <3 p=""> It also lists approximately 20% naphthenic/aromatic oil. Another MSDS
cryogenic rubber lists zinc oxide at 1-5%.(14)
Zinc is a necessary human nutrient that has relatively low toxicity to humans but is more
toxic to aquatic life. A recent study for the Norwegian government used data from
laboratory measurements of zinc leachate from artificial turf fibers and rubber infill to9
calculate total zinc leached from a hypothetical turf pitch. A measured leachate
concentration of 3290 ppb lead to a prediction of 18.95 grams of zinc leached per year,
assuming a field of 7200 m2 and annual rainfall of 800 mm (31.5 inches). (15)
 The authors concluded that “the concentration of zinc poses a significant local risk of environmental effects in surface water which receives runoff from artificial turf pitches.”
...

Lead for Dummies

Occurrence of Bromine, Lead, and Zinc in Synthetic Turf Components
Philip Dickey, Staff Scientist, Washington Toxics Coalition
...


Lead
Lead was found at 1952 to 1993 ppm in two measurements of the Motz 24/7 PE/nylon
turf/backing sample when X-rayed from the turf side (e.g. Figure 4e). The reading
dropped to 974 ppm when X -rayed from the backing side, indicating that the lead is
probably in the turf rather than the backing. This particular turf has a nylon fiber threaded
through the polyethylene yarn. The Motz PE turf (without the nylon) did not show any
lead.
Lead was also found at 534 and 692 ppm in duplicate tests of the ARMS ProPlay pad
when X -rayed from the backing side (spectrum not shown). When x-rayed from the
aggregate side, lead readings were 34.5, however, that because of the heterogenous character of this material, the tests are not true
replicates because the X-ray beam was seeing different parts of the sample in each. This
test does suggest, however, that most of the lead detected is in the backing material rather
than the aggregate itself.
Lead contamination is of particular concern because lead has no useful function in the
body but it harms children’s intelligence at quite low concentrations in the body. Since
1973, the action level of lead in children’s blood (the point at which exposure reduction is8
recommended) has been lowered from 40 to 10 ug/deciliter, and the argument has been
made that it should be lowered even further to 2 ug/deciliter.(5)Toxicologist Steven Gilbert
notes, “Currently, there appears to be no safe level of lead exposure for the developing
child.”(6)
 Lead is listed as a carcinogen and developmental toxicant by the State of
California.
Ideally, lead exposure would be zero, but lead is present in soils at background levels,
usually lower than 50 ppm, although ambient concentrations, especially in urban areas,
can be much higher. A reasonable level of concern can be estimated by comparing to
allowed levels of lead in soil amendments such as compost and to cleanup levels required
for hazardous waste sites. Table 3 summarizes these reference concentrations.
Table 3. Standards and Guidelines for Lead
Source Medium/location Level (ppm)
EPA Soil/children’s play areas 400
7
EPA Soil/rest of yard 1200
7
WA Soil/residential cleanup standard 250
8
EPA Biosolids (Class A/high quality) 300
9
40 CFR Part 503
Biosolids (ceiling) 850
9
EPA Compost products 150
10
From a risk perspective, if the lead is inaccessible the risk is negligible. Therefore the
presence of lead in padding or other layers below the turf may not be a concern for users
of the turf. However, a precautionary principle approach to purchasing would seek to
avoid products containing lead.
...

http://www.sf-recpark.org/ftp/uploadedfiles/wcm_recpark/SPTF/rptsyntheticturftesting1007.pdf

Lead Level Up 8 Times in New FieldTurf Artificial Turf

Today, the Montgomery County Council will unanimously approve another 120 tons of ground up rubber waste and a football sized sheet of plastic to be installed at Wootton High School.   Yes, the vote will be unanimous. Why not?  Congratulations to the Wootton High School neighbors and the folks downstream from the 120 tons of ground up rubber.  Look for little rubber pellets in your streams soon! (FieldTurf swears  the little rubber pellets never leave the field. But, we know the truth.)

In 2011, Councilmember Hans Riemer asked MCPS' James Song for the lead levels in the MCPS artificial turf that was already installed.  Now, you may think that when a Councilmember asks a question they get a response.  You would be wrong.  It's now 2013 and MCPS has never released any lead testing for it's 4 artificial turf football fields.

However, M-NCPPC has tested two of its artificial turf football fields, Blair High School (it's on park land) and the new Wheaton plastic field. 

Here's what we know:

Blair High School - Testing done by  EMSL Analytical in Westmont, New Jersey in 2009

What was tested:
Plastic Grass 

Wheaton Sports Pavillion - Testing done by Analytical Industrial Research Laboratories in Cleveland, Tennessee (no date)

What was tested:
Plastic grass
Ground up rubber infill (Nike Grind)
Underlayment
Backing

To date, M-NCPPC has only released the lead content information for the following:

Blair - Plastic grass

Wheaton - Ground up rubber infill (Nike Grind)

Therefore, we cannot compare the total lead levels of the fields.  

All we know is that the lead level for the Nike Grind ground up rubber is 8 times the lead level of the Blair plastic grass.  The lead level in FieldTurf artificial turf has gone up, not down! And, it is certainly not lead-free as one Councilmember thinks is required in California. 

What we need is the TOTAL lead in all of the components of EACH field. Especially now that the CDC has lowered what is considered a dangerous level of lead in children.  The CDC now says there is no level of lead exposure that is considered safe for children. 

Odds of ever getting the information on the total lead level in each of the MCPS and M-NCPPC plastic football fields? 

1.1 million to 1

Theme Songs for MCPS

by Joseph Hawkins

I thought I would revisit my love of music and somehow relate it to the Montgomery County Public Schools and its current fascination with all-things social justice. And so here’s a shot at a list of four social justice warrior-like songs that might provide MCPS with some theme music as it does battle with "da man":..

 http://rockville.patch.com/blog_posts/theme-songs-for-mcps

Maryland public records ruling could let more sunshine in

Maryland public records ruling could let more sunshine in

MCPS Funding Plan for Artificial Turf Fails

Let's go in the way back machine for a moment, back to January of 2008.  Remember this memo from Superintendent Jerry Weast to the Board of Education on how MCPS would pay for all 24 high schools to have artificial turf football fields? The plan was to use rental fees from the Richard Montgomery High School artificial turf field to "help offset costs for artificial turf fields at the other county high schools."

http://www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/content/council/pdf/agenda/cm/2008/080219/20080219_ED03.pdf

Well, here we are in 2013!  And, how much revenue are the 5 artificial turf football fields that are currently installed at MCPS high schools generating? 

$40,000 a year.* 

Wow. 

At $1.1 million per artificial turf field, how many years will it take to pay for 1 artificial turf field from these revenues?  Someone call the Math Dude.  This plan may not work out. 

* Source:  MCPS Budget Question #27

Budget Comment: NOT ONE CENT OVER MOE

FY 2014 Budget Comment

 

To:       County Executive Ike Leggett

Cc:       County Council, Board of Education, MCEA, MCCPTA, Delegation

From:    Frederick Stichnoth, fred.stichnoth@yahoo.com

Date:    January 29, 2013

 

            For the following reasons, please limit the County’s budget allocation to Montgomery County Public Schools to the minimum Maintenance of Effort requirement.

 

            1. MCPS’ lack of budget transparency and targeting. Dr. Starr’s Transition Team noted parent “concerns…as to how the equitable allocation of resources is being determined and assessed;” and recommended “an examination of the district’s current practice of allocating resources to students and schools to ensure that funds are equitably distributed to provide all students, in all schools, with the resources necessary to achieve success.”  MCPS Core Values commit MCPS to “Distribute resources as necessary to provide extra supports and interventions so all students can achieve.” Maryland ’s Thornton Commission found that “systems would need an additional $9,165 [in 2002] for each student eligible for free and reduced price meals, 1.39 times the base cost figure….” (In other words, the cost of providing an equal educational outcome to a low-income student equals 239 percent of the cost of producing the same outcome in a student who is not low-income. MCPS’ attempt to accomplish that objective in an underfunded school environment siphons base level support away from non-FARMS students, leaving everyone in the school at a relative disadvantage.) The forthcoming County Council Office of Legislative Oversight report is expected to show insufficient progress in closing the achievement gap, particularly in the poorer southeast portion of the County. This undermines not only the life opportunities of these students, but also their neighborhoods (as evidenced by the flight of white and middle class students over the last decade) and the social and economic stability of the County as a whole. MCPS has not be accounted transparently for the subsidy (positive or negative) to these down- and east-county schools, and lacks the political will to fund them appropriately. It’s wasting our money.

 

            2. Preempting County budget discretion. The County must prioritize service provision to accomplish short- and long-term strategic objectives. The required MOE minimum preempts County discretion over a full half of its budget. While education is important to me, to the Superintendent and to the County, its strategic priority within the portfolio of County services must be determined by elected representatives with overall responsibility—the Executive and Council.

 

            3. MCPS cabal wags the MoCo dog. The Superintendent’s budget request, a mere $10 million (0.4 percent) above the MOE minimum requirement, appears to be a test and provocation. This affront complements the Board’s lawsuit against the County, enactment of the MOE amendments and the FY 2013 MCPS salary increases. MCPS’ budget tactics are determined by the Superintendent and the union officials. MCPS is immune from political check, because its Board is selected by the unions and subordinated to the Superintendent: it is a puppet. By contrast, the Executive and Council are invested by the voters with political authority; they must exercise it—not abandon it before the Superintendent-union cabal. 

Meet and read the county budget with the Parent Coalition Book Club

The Parents’ Coalition will hold its first Book Club meeting: Budgetpalooza from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6 at Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville. The meeting, co-sponsored with the Montgomery County Taxpayers’ League and the Montgomery County Civic Federation, will be an open conversation about the proposed Montgomery County Public Schools/Board of Education Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 budget of $2.2 billion. To read the budget proposal visit www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/fy2014/superintendent

http://www.gazette.net/article/20130130/NEWS/130139976/1144/meet-and-read-the-county-budget-with-the-parent-coalition-book-club&template=gazette

Fairness for Special Needs Families

Help Maryland’s Special Needs Children and Their Families


Support Burden of Proof on School Districts in IDEA Due Process

SUPPORT SB 691

(Please share far and wide)


Senator Karen Montgomery has introduced SB 691 in the Maryland General Assembly. If passed, SB 691 would place the burden of proof on school districts in Individualized Education Program (IEP) due process hearings under the IDEA. SB 691 has been introduced to create a fairer due process system and allow Maryland to join the other states that have already recognized fairness in due process means the burden of proof belongs on school districts, not parents. As it is, parents of special needs children are already carrying the weight of meeting their children’s educational and emotional needs. Asking them to navigate a due process hearing and bear the burden of proof is too much and unfair.

Why Fairness Requires Burden of Proof on the School Districts in Due Process. In due process, parents typically lack resources, expertise, and legal skills. In contrast, the school districts know what placements and accommodations are available and how different children have fared at them. They employ the people, such as teachers and principals, on whom the parents rely for testimony (but parents may be told not to contact the schools once due process has been filed). School districts also have money for attorneys, which most parents do not. Asking parents to carry the burden of proof in the face of all this is unfair.

Finally, shifting BOP will also stop the practice of school districts winning cases against unrepresented parents (parents who cannot afford to hire an attorney), while putting on little or no evidence supporting the IEP. Burden of proof asks that schools always be willing to stand up for the IEP in due process, and explain it to the hearing officer, no matter what the parent’s circumstances, or ability to afford an attorney. After all, due process exists to allow a hearing officer to ensure, when there is a dispute, that the IEP provides the child with the special education services he or she needs to access the curriculum.

We are asking you to contact your representatives in Annapolis and ask them to support putting the burden of proof on school districts. Please feel free to share any personal experiences or thoughts you have, but you may also send the email below. When you do email, it is critical to include your full name, address and telephone number.

This is the link to the page with the contact information for the Maryland General Assembly Senators and Delegates (you may need to copy and paste it):

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmmain.aspx?pid=legisrpage&tab=subject6


If you don’t know who your representatives are, the page has a link up and to the right called “Who represents me”- you can click on that and find your delegates and senator. There is no need to email Senator Karen Montgomery, because she is the sponsor of this bill.

SB 691 has been assigned to the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee. Please contact the members of this committee - especially the Education Subcommittee - and ask them to support the bill. Here is a link to the list of members where you can access their contact information (you may need to copy and paste it):

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=ehe&tab=subject3&ys=2013RS


Thank you for your support.

Jeanne Taylor

MCCPTA Special Education Committee Chair

Julie Reiley

MCCPTA Special Education Committee Member

Karen Smith

MCCPTA Special Education Committee Member

BEGIN SAMPLE EMAIL TEXT:


Dear [Name]:

I am writing to ask you to support SB 691. SB 691 would place the burden of proof on school districts in Individualized Education Program (IEP) due process hearings under the IDEA. I am asking you to support this bill because fairness dictates that school districts, not parents, carry the burden of proof in due process. As it is, parents of special needs children are already carrying the weight of meeting their children’s educational and emotional needs. Asking them to navigate a due process hearing and bear the burden of proof against an entire school district is too much and unfair.

Thank you for your support.

Very truly yours,


NAME

ADDRESS

TELEPHONE NUMBER

EMAIL

Breaking News: Montgomery, Frederick teacher evaluation systems rejected by state

Gazette:  Teachers will be judged more on state test scores if defaulting to state model

Teachers in Montgomery and Frederick counties will be judged on how well their students do on state test scores next year, despite how hard their districts fought against the changes in the last few years.
The Maryland State Department of Education rejected proposals from the school systems this week that laid out how the systems would change its teacher and principal evaluations to meet requirements under new state and federal laws.
This comes as a blow to both school systems, which were the only two systems in Maryland not to sign onto Race to the Top, a federal program intended to raise teacher effectiveness and student performance by giving districts money if they complied to standards.
The districts stated the changes would compromise the integrity of their evaluations, which they believe to be effective.
In turn, they missed out on millions of dollars that would have helped them make the changes; Montgomery stood to receive $12 million, and Frederick $2.2 million.

continues here. 

Maryland gets D+ in teacher preparation

Maryland gets D+ in teacher preparation

Take Your Child to the Library Day This Saturday!

The second annual Take Your Child to the Library Day will be held on Saturday, February 2, 2013. Created by Connecticut children’s librarians Nadine Lipman and Caitlin Augusta, this has now become a nationwide campaign dedicated to bringing more children into their local libraries. With over 120 libraries and 15,000 attendees participating nationally, the grassroots movement was a tremendous success. More than twice as many libraries are participating in this year's event.

Your family can participate too! 

Breaking News! BOE to pay $4,142,500 for NW Cluster Elem. Land!

Great news! The Board of Education found $4,142,500!  Are they going to use it to restore full-time counselors at all schools and decrease the counselor to student ratio which is the worst in the state?  No!  They are going to spend that found money on 12.7 acres of land that they decided they "had" to have. (They already have shoes to match.)

Did the BOE have a choice?  Absolutely!  They had a choice of 7 properties. But, they picked the one that was going to be the most expensive to obtain.  They would first have to have the property condemned in a legal proceeding.  And, then, they would have to pay the owner for the property. Of the 7 properties reviewed, this property was rated as the most expensive.

The BOE offered $2,300,000 for the property.

But, they had to pay $4,142,500 to get the land through condemnation.

Fortunately, the BOE has lots of cash sitting around.  No worries.  No extra counselors, but no worries on buying land.

Md. is flagged for Race to the Top delays

Md. is flagged for Race to the Top delays

By Erica L. GreenThe Baltimore Sun

12:05 a.m. EST, February 1, 2013

Maryland is among three states flagged by the U.S. Department of Education for significant delays in implementing federal Race to the Top programs in the last two years, namely in overhauling its evaluation system to tie educator effectiveness to student achievement.

In state-specific progress reports to be released Friday, officials examined the progress of 12 states that won a large infusion of cash in exchange for committing to drastic and innovative reforms to raise achievement. The federal Race to the Top competition was a trademark of President Barack Obama's education package in his first term.

In a conference call with reporters, USDE officials said that year-two progress reports not only looked at whether states are sticking to their committed time-frame — Maryland is about three months behind — but the quality of the reforms being implemented. States were only measured against commitments outlined in their own applications and were not ranked.

"Maryland has taken some key steps to overcome barriers to implementing their comprehensive reform plans, and we remain committed to supporting their engagement in this hard work," U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan said in a statement. "However, we need all states to show results, and the slow pace of Maryland’s progress needs to dramatically accelerate over the second half of the grant."

Maryland has not moved into "high-risk" status for losing its grant like Georgia has. But officials said they were heavily monitoring Maryland, Georgia and Washington, D.C., which all needed to make significant strides to catch up.

In its first two years, Maryland saw the most significant delays in launching its new evaluation system for principals and teachers — which will have student test scores and other achievement measures account for 50 percent of a rating.

The state also experienced challenges with technology for new instructional support programs, and in developing new state tests.

The planning for field tests of the evaluations fell behind schedule, officials said, and after the evaluations were piloted in seven districts last year, officials said the state was not able to collect consistent data. Officials also said they "didn't have a good sense of what was being implemented" due to a lack of leadership at the state level.

Full implementation of the new evaluation system is slated for the 2013-2014 school year.

USDE officials said that with the appointment of new State Superintendent Lillian Lowery — who started her post in July — they were hopeful the state would catch up.

"The new team knows they have to move things pretty dramatically," a department official said, adding that the state has very quickly gotten back on track.

Officials also noted that the state has seen significant success in the last two years on areas such as transitioning to the common core standards, building better data systems, targeting interventions at its lowest-performing schools, enhancing its science, technology, engineering and mathematics curriculum, and working toward greater accountability for charter schools.

"Maryland’s primary goal with Race to the Top has been improved student learning, and we are starting to see the fruits of this labor," Lowery said in a statement. "This is a mid-term report, and the fact is our project is well into Year 3 at this point. We have made further strides since this report was completed."

The Montgomery County Public Schools' Fudge Factor: Record SAT scores

A 21st Century Union:

Fudging data is now the culture of schools across the United States.   It is not a conspiracy theory.  It is the way that districts and the principals within those districts that "honor" the data, attempt to make themselves look great.   And as a general rule of thumb, the greater the fudging data is now the culture of schools across the United States.   It is not a conspiracy theory.  It is the way that districts and the principals within those districts that "honor" the data, attempt to make themselves look great.   And as a general rule of thumb, the greater the fudging data is now the culture of schools across the United States.   It is not a conspiracy theory.  It is the way that districts and the principals within those districts that "honor" the data, attempt to make themselves look great.   And as a general rule of thumb, the greater the fudger, the greater the reputation that comes with it.  Let's just take former superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, Jerry Weast, for example, the man Jay Matthews once called one of the top ten superintendents in the country.  In 2010, the year he retired, he claimed as one of his top ten achievements as a superintendent, record SAT scores.   Of course, these SAT scores were accompanied by record drops in SAT participation.   Think this was just  an accident?   Or could this be a similar but more sophisticated version of what occurred in 2003, when a Montgomery County Public School's newspaper, Blair High School's SilverChips, reported that principals were actually told by Weast to contrive their SAT scores through participation rates:

At an Oct 2 meeting with high school principals, Weast suggested, according to Principal Phillip Gainous,that students who could not help out SAT scores [for MCPS] and were not ready to take the SATs should be discouraged from taking them," said Gainous.  

Both Principal Daniel Shea of Quince Orchard High School and Principal Michael Durso of Springbrook High School corroborated this statement. According to Shea, Weast wanted schools to *examine the level of students taking the SATs to appropriately limit exposure." The superintendent*s message was clear, said Gainous: *We were told to do it. And the expectation was that we would all go back and do it. 

Elimination of low-scoring students from the general test-taking pool will automatically boost average SAT scores, explained Durso. If we have a certain number of students not take the SATs, then we*ll be on Sixty Minutes because of our [high] scores," he claimed.  

"It's morally wrong. It's illegal," said Blair PTSA President Valerie Ervin, who works for the County Council, regarding Weast*s suggestion.

In 2010, the media picked up the the story and touted  Montgomery County's record, just the way Jerry Weast knew they would. But perhaps the record was not quite what it appeared to be on first glance.   Perhaps we were closer to what Valerie Ervin concluded- something morally wrong.

Posted by Mike McCabe   the greater the reputation that comes with it.  Let's just take former superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, Jerry Weast, for example, the man Jay Matthews once called one of the top ten superintendents in the country.  In 2010, the year he retired, he claimed as one of his top ten achievements as a superintendent, record SAT scores.   Of course, these SAT scores were accompanied by record drops in SAT participation.   Think this was just  an accident?   Or could this be a similar but more sophisticated version of what occurred in 2003, when a Montgomery County Public School's newspaper, Blair High School's SilverChips, reported that principals were actually told by Weast to contrive their SAT scores through participation rates:

At an Oct 2 meeting with high school principals, Weast suggested, according to Principal Phillip Gainous,that students who could not help out SAT scores [for MCPS] and were not ready to take the SATs should be discouraged from taking them," said Gainous.  

Both Principal Daniel Shea of Quince Orchard High School and Principal Michael Durso of Springbrook High School corroborated this statement. According to Shea, Weast wanted schools to *examine the level of students taking the SATs to appropriately limit exposure." The superintendent*s message was clear, said Gainous: *We were told to do it. And the expectation was that we would all go back and do it. 

Elimination of low-scoring students from the general test-taking pool will automatically boost average SAT scores, explained Durso. If we have a certain number of students not take the SATs, then we*ll be on Sixty Minutes because of our [high] scores," he claimed.  

"It's morally wrong. It's illegal," said Blair PTSA President Valerie Ervin, who works for the County Council, regarding Weast*s suggestion.

In 2010, the media picked up the the story and touted  Montgomery County's record, just the way Jerry Weast knew they would. But perhaps the record was not quite what it appeared to be on first glance.   Perhaps we were closer to what Valerie Ervin concluded- something morally wrong.

Posted by Mike McCabe   the greater the reputation that comes with it.  Let's just take former superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools, Jerry Weast, for example, the man Jay Matthews once called one of the top ten superintendents in the country.  In 2010, the year he retired, he claimed as one of his top ten achievements as a superintendent, record SAT scores.   Of course, these SAT scores were accompanied by record drops in SAT participation.   Think this was just  an accident?   Or could this be a similar but more sophisticated version of what occurred in 2003, when a Montgomery County Public School's newspaper, Blair High School's SilverChips, reported that principals were actually told by Weast to contrive their SAT scores through participation rates:

At an Oct 2 meeting with high school principals, Weast suggested, according to Principal Phillip Gainous,that students who could not help out SAT scores [for MCPS] and were not ready to take the SATs should be discouraged from taking them," said Gainous.  

Both Principal Daniel Shea of Quince Orchard High School and Principal Michael Durso of Springbrook High School corroborated this statement. According to Shea, Weast wanted schools to *examine the level of students taking the SATs to appropriately limit exposure." The superintendent*s message was clear, said Gainous: *We were told to do it. And the expectation was that we would all go back and do it. 

Elimination of low-scoring students from the general test-taking pool will automatically boost average SAT scores, explained Durso. If we have a certain number of students not take the SATs, then we*ll be on Sixty Minutes because of our [high] scores," he claimed.  

"It's morally wrong. It's illegal," said Blair PTSA President Valerie Ervin, who works for the County Council, regarding Weast*s suggestion.

In 2010, the media picked up the the story and touted  Montgomery County's record, just the way Jerry Weast knew they would. But perhaps the record was not quite what it appeared to be on first glance.   Perhaps we were closer to what Valerie Ervin concluded- something morally wrong.