Dr. Weast's FY 2011 Budget Proposal Ends MCPS's Reign as a World Class School System

December may bring thoughts of holidays and snow, but here in Montgomery County Maryland, it's time again for the annual budget attack on the "special programs" in the public schools.

In the Superintendent's newly released FY 2011 Operating Budget Proposal, Dr. Weast once again sends his spear to the heart of the special programs. Dr. Weast's FY 2011 Operating Budget puts the Blair Blazers back on the cutting block, cuts the ignition for RM's Rockets, and clips the wings off the Poolesville Falcons.

Yes, the school system's special programs are in jeopardy again.

Included in Dr. Weast's recommended cuts are the following:

• 20 percent cut in teacing positions for in the immersion, IB, signature and other special program teachers
• Elimination of transportation outside "normal" attendance zones for all special programs, including magnet, immersion, IB, high school consortia
• Elimination of additional staffing to middle school consortia special course offerings at Loiederman, Argyle, and Parkland 
• Elimination of extracurricular activities including athletics through a reduction in staff stipends.
  

What's left?  Not much, and certainly not a "world class" school system.  

Read about the budget on the school system's website and plan to participate. 

Budget Calendar

Dec. 23, 2009	Sign-up begins for BOE Operating Budget hearings
Jan. 13, 2010 7 p.m.	BOE Operating Budget hearing
Jan. 20, 2010 7 p.m.	BOE Operating Budget hearing
Jan. 27 & 28 2010 6 p.m.	BOE Operating Budget work sessions
Feb. 9, 2010	BOE Operating Budget action/adoption
March 1, 2010	Presentation to the Montgomery County Executive and County Council
April 2010	County Council budget hearings (exact dates to be determined)
May 20, 2010	County Council approves Operating Budget
June 8, 2010	Final BOE action on the FY 2011 Operating Budget

Get ready for liftoff.  

 

 

Weast Budget Drama: Year 10 - No Change

Here is today's Washington Post headline: Budget Scenario Bleak for Montgomery Schools, Weast List of Potential Cuts, Class sizes, teachers among targets.

As could have been predicted, Superintendent Jerry Weast once again threatens to cut classroom teachers from the MCPS Operating Budget without addressing any of the serious spending issues that have taken place under his leadership.

For example, did Superintendent Weast suggest cutting up the 1,400 MCPS credit cards that are now floating around MCPS? The Parents' Coalition has already documented that these cards are used for non-classroom and non-supply uses. Yes, everyone likes to eat out, but that doesn't mean the Montgomery County taxpayers need to be paying for MCPS staff to eat out as part of the school systems budget.

The Parents' Coalition has only sampled a very small number of these credit cards and documented their use. What we have learned is that in a number of cases the use of these cards wasn't even documented until we ASKED for the documentation. Clearly, the oversight of these cards is very lax. Total cost to taxpayers? Unknown.

For today's second example, let's take a look at the $107,000 (as of 2006)  MCPS staff position whose job is to "supervise" the Student Member of the Board of Education among other student government related tasks. That position is not a classroom position, not an instructional position, not maintenance, and not transportation related.

The red line on the MCPS organization chart to the left shows how the Student Member of the Board of Education is "supervised" by a MCPS staffer.


Exactly, WHY do student leaders need a "supervisor" and why is a Board of Education member reporting to a MCPS staff person? Conflict of interest? 

Yet, this position remains in the "bare bones" (to quote Board President Pat O'Neill in today's Post article) MCPS budget. And oh, yes, the position comes with a MCPS credit card.

Stay tuned for more Parents' Coalition cost savings solutions for the MCPS budget that spare classrooms.

MCPS Teacher: "The disparity between the two facilities is shocking"

In a letter published in today's Gazette, MCPS teacher Robin Hudspeth writes about the disparity between Wheaton High School and Bethesda - Chevy Chase High School.

From her published letter:

... I am an art teacher at Wheaton High School. I also happen to teach at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. The disparity between the two facilities is shocking. It's hard to believe that both schools are funded by the same taxpayers. Am I wrong? Don't all Montgomery County high schools share resources equally? Don't the Wheaton students deserve a learning environment as safe, modern, and aesthetically pleasing as the B-CC students enjoy? Both schools have talented, hard-working, and emotionally invested teachers, counselors, support staff, and administrators. However, I see firsthand how school pride positively impacts my B-CC students' motivation to learn and achieve. I see the shame in my Wheaton students' eyes as they describe theirs as a "poor" school.

Will This Board Retreat Comply with Law?

The MCPS Board of Education Calendar shows that a Board Retreat has been scheduled for December 15th at 9:00 AM.  No information is given as to the agenda or location for this retreat. 

On October 27, 2009, the Open Meetings Compliance Board cited the MCPS Board of Education for violating the Open Meetings Act with regard to Board retreats held over a 3 year period under Board Presidents Nancy Navarro and Shirley Brandman.  The decision is below.  This is the second time this year that the Board has been cited for an Open Meetings Act violation.

Will the December 15th retreat comply with the Open Meetings Act, or will the Board of Education continue their past practice of not producing minutes of retreats, and taking up public business outside the public view? 

6omch187 Open Meeting Act O... by on Scribd

O'Neill new Pres, Barclay new VP of Board

At today's MCPS Board of Education Patricia O'Neill was unanimously elected President, and Christopher Barclay was unanimously elected vice-president.

DIY SmartBoard: A Smart Idea!

No Promethean board in your classroom? No money? No problem!

Lisa Olsson, a resourceful AP Biology teacher at the Bay Ridge Prep School in Brooklyn NYC, suggests an inexpensive alternative to the very costly Promethean boards that Jerry Weast has illegally forced upon us. Here's what she has to say (posted with her permission):

"I came across this lecture [Feb. 2008] on the TED site and I thought some of you might be interested.

Johnny Lee has come up with a way to use a Wii-mote (the controller for Nintendo Wii) to make any projector into a smartboard. My school doesn't have the money for SmartBoards so I built this one. It cost me $42.60 to buy all the parts to built the LED marker and about 35 minutes of set-up and it works perfectly!"

Of course, the 16th largest district in the nation could make bulk purchases in a way that is surely not available to one school going at it alone. I bet you we can beat Lisa's price!

Central Office, are you listening?

In the classrooms, kids are waiting!

A beautiful sight, with so many smiles,

Learning in a classroom.... Wonderful!

Gone away are the fat years

Here to stay are the lean years
The budget is tight
Gotta face that plight...
Learning in a classroom... Wonderful!

In the classroom we can build a SmartBoard
Then pretend it's a Promethean!
Some say: But will it work?
Kids say, Sure, man!
And we can do the job...
...Can the school board?"

This is Money online magazine: Promethean founder eyes float bonanza

Promethean is going public, according to an article in thisismoney online magazine in London.

From the article:

The British businessman behind one of the world's biggest makers of classroom whiteboards is set to be elevated into the ranks of the super-rich.

Tony Cann, an entrepreneur in his early 70s, is in line for a windfall of more than £200m [$328 million] when Blackburn-based Promethean is floated on the stock exchange next year.

MCPS has installed thousands of Promethean Boards in secondary schools throughout Montgomery County, as well as in some of the elementary schools.

The Answer Sheet VALERIE STRAUSS

The Answer Sheet VALERIE STRAUSS


Blogging at washingtonpost.com/answersheet
 
Posts from The Answer Sheet this week:

In the category of "It makes you wonder," the student newspaper at Montgomery Blair High School reports that bathrooms on the second and third floors are being locked during lunch. Why? The school has a security guard shortage and couldn't figure out a better way to deal with it...

Maryland students make the grade on AP exams - wtop.com

Maryland students make the grade on AP exams - wtop.com

Howard County tops in state.

...In Howard County, 83 percent of all exams taken by 3,758 public school students received a score of at least a three in 2009. Twenty-three percent of
all high school students in the county completed AP exams, up 4 percent in as many years...
...In Howard County, 69.2 percent of black students passed their exams with at least a three, up from 57.8 percent last year...

Md. regents pass tougher math requirements -- baltimoresun.com

Md. regents pass tougher math requirements -- baltimoresun.com

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BOE Member Durso: I'm going to take the classroom teacher every time

Today's Washington Examiner includes a story about how school systems should prioritize in lean times.

From the article:

Spend enough time with principals and they probably will tell you that central office "support" isn't always as critical to achievement as the central office seems to believe. "I'll be very honest," said Mike Durso, a former high school principal and current school board member in Montgomery County, "if it boils down to a staff person assigned to a school, or assigned in another capacity that might have impact, but not assigned to the school, I'm going to take the classroom teacher every time." It's not that there aren't great managers and mentors at the central office level, Durso said, "but we may be entering a period of time where some of that is a luxury."

Rotting, leaking, and neglected in the BOE president's backyard

Are these pictures of a neglected school in a disadvantaged community? Perhaps an aging school in a district that has run out of funds?

Actually, these are photos taken by a parent just last week at the crown jewel of high schools in Montgomery County, Walt Whitman. Only 17 years old, Whitman's roof leaks so badly in spots that buckets have to be placed in the auxiliary gym during storms. Exterior water damage is also extensive and can easily be seen in the photo above. The basketball court hasn't been restriped in years, and the nets are obviously in need of replacement.

Why are even the newest MCPS buildings in such poor condition? MCPS has announced plans to fund construction of many new schools over the next decade, but will MCPS adequately fund maintainance of existing buildings?

SMOB asks constituents: What do you want?

During his campaign, Student Member of the Board (SMOB) Tim Hwang used a Facebook discussion page to ask his constituents a simple question:  "What do you want?"  The discussion page is still up and students can continue to post their comments on the page.  (Update 3:55 p.m. 12/6/09:  The entire SMOB 2.0 Facebook page has disappeared from public view but continues to be accessible to people selected by the SMOB.)

What are the top issues for students, according to the replies on Hwang's page?  (Student names and faces have been obscured for privacy.)

Which of the issues that students listed above are being addressed by Hwang?  None, it appears.  So far, the only issue that has received attention by Hwang is a proposal for the SMOB to be able to vote on budgetary matters and boundary changes.

Why is the SMOB's main goal to give future SMOBs the ability to vote on budgetary and boundary matters, even though his constituents have clearly told him that bathrooms, open lunches, and lower parking permit fees are what really matter to them?

Bathrooms locked at White House?

Montgomery Blair High School's Silver Chips Online interjects a little humor into a snowy Saturday.


International leaders hold emergency snoWatch meeting


Snow on Saturday sparks heated (or not) debate


Deepa Chellappa, Online Editor-in-Chief and David Tao, Online Editor-in-Chief

...Conversation among the leaders resumed only to come to a grinding halt when Prime Minister Leterme announced an urgent need to visit the restroom. Much to his chagrin, he found that the bathrooms on five of the six floors of the White House were locked (the bathrooms on the first floor, however, did not have doors). When questioned, the director of the U.S. Secret Service cited a need to keep leaders in check by restricting their peeing privileges...

SMOB Endorses Illegal MCPS Practice

Here is a recent webposting from Tim Hwang, Student Member of the MoCo Public School Board of Education concerning a student poll on curricular fees.

 

http://mocosmob.blogspot.com/2009/12/curricular-fees-poll.html

My questions for Tim:

Are you in favor of the previous MCPS policy charging fees?

Do you realize that the prior MCPS policy charging curricular fees is illegal?  Do you also know that the "fees" did not always go for the purpose intended (eg, clothing for teachers at Richard Montgomery and Churchill high schools, and staff retreats at Blair HS)?

Did you know that fees were collected for books sold to students, but not used in classes?  I have a large selection from Blair HS and RM to show you.

You are aware that Dr. Weast doesn't spend the full amount allocated each year on textbooks and declares the amount surplus?  Dr. Weast even provided you and the other BOE members with a memo on the subject, and you approved the action.  In September 2009, the County Council approved of the BOE and Dr. Weast's finding that $4.6 million in MCPS Textbook & Instructional Funds for the 2008-09 school year were surplus and could be allocated to other MCPS needs.  

Seems as if you have several options if you are interested in actions that benefit the students:

1. Direct that MCPS spend more money on textbooks.

2.  See that moneys allocated to textbooks are really used on textbooks.

3. Work on legislation at the state level if you want ot allow curricular fees, since it's part of the state constitution to provide a free public education. 

So - what is your action plan while you are on the BOE?

***********************************************************************

Friday, December 4, 2009

Curricular Fees Poll

As many you may have noticed, your schools have now stopped charging fees for school classes. Recently, MCPS has made strong attempts to eliminate curricular fees at the county-level. While this is true, the blunt of the effects will now be felt by the students of Montgomery County. At a recent December 3, 2009 SMOB 2.0 Policy Meeting, students spoke to the issues of curricular fees in schools and had a long discussion about its impacts. In general, students understood the need for a free, public education but also understood the opportunities that the curricular fees brought them. Many schools are now cutting back on supplemental labs, art supplies, music equipment, work books, and even assignment books which are now being considered "extra".

In cases such a foreign language, art, music, etc. where materials are needed, the elimination of these fees have forced MCPS, the county, and the state to cut back on the services to these program in these times of economic and budgetary crisis. One student at Montgomery Blair High School replied with an email stating, "The poorest students in MCPS [are] feeling the blunt of the consequences academically because [they] do not have the money or the resources to afford expensive tutors, prep books, and instruments rather than buying the subsidized cost of the materials in [their] schools".

Polling in MCPS Schools by our SMOB 2.0 Staff among high school students in MCPS shows that students have varying opinions on the issue. When asked the question: "Do you think the elimination of fees was detrimental to your academic learning?", county-wide (N=297), 58% of students were against the elimination of the fees, 31% of students were for the elimination of the fees, and 11% were ambivalent about the issue. Specifically at Red Zone high schools, the numbers (N=108) are at about 52% of students against, 30% support, and 18% ambivalent. However, there doesn't seem to be much passion behind this issue. For many students, the issue isn't about fees; rather its about getting every opportunity to learn, regardless of the cost - which is why many of their parents moved to this high cost of living area in the first place.

Despite all this, MCPS continues to be at the top of the country, as one of the best education systems in the nation as we can see in the recent increase in the number of passing AP Exams. So, are the fees good, are they bad? I'll leave that up to you.

Posted by Tim Hwang at 2:03 AM

Blair Students Caged

Montgomery Blair's award winning student news publication, Silver Chips is reporting, that in addition to all of the 2nd and 3rd floor bathrooms being locked during significant portions of the school day, a barricade has been erected at the base of the main stairway. The online article also has a picture of the barricade. 

But remember, more security cameras means LESS SECURITY STAFF! That is the multi-million dollar innovation that leading educational expert Superintendent Jerry Weast has brought to Montgomery County Public Schools.  This is the model for schools worldwide; lots of security cameras, locked bathrooms and barricades.

Blair Bathrooms to Stay Locked

PTA President justifies decision to lock bathrooms at Blair High School in message sent to Blair parents on PTA listserv and forwarded to Parents' Coalition.  What this message tells us is that Superintendent Jerry Weast SUPPORTS the locking of bathrooms during the school day. How do we know that? Because when Jerry Weast doesn't support a principal's action he intervenes (see minute 3:32 in video at link where Weast states "full backing" of administration staff in overturning principal's action). 

Please note that last year Blair had 2,788 students. Closing off 2 floors of bathrooms means that 2,788 students must use only the first floor bathrooms, assuming they can physically access them when needed.

There has been no concern expressed by any MCPS adults, Board of Education members (including the Student Member), or Superintendent Jerry Weast for the students that may have physical limitations that prevent them from accessing bathrooms two floors away.   

~~~~~~~~

December 3, 2009

The unfortunate situation that we have with locked bathrooms during
lunch has resulted from a combination of ongoing vandalism of the

upstairs bathrooms, and a short term problem of a shortage of security

personnel due to illness and retirement.



Blair security was aware that there was a problem in the upstairs

bathrooms during lunch, including destructive vandalism and extensive

graffitti. This problem was compounded when staffing dropped by two

because of one illness and one retirement, and left them with defaced

and non-functional bathrooms, and an inability to effectively monitor

the upstairs bathrooms during lunch. This is not a situation that

should continue for very long. Substitute security staff and new hires

are both being sought to cover the staffing shortfall, and building

services is working on restoring the appearance and functionality of the

damaged, defaced bathrooms.



When you hear from your student about bathroom conditions, shortages of

paper supplies, non-functioning sinks or toilets, or worse, please pass

those reports immediately to Blair's building services manager, Yak

Agbonselobho, Yakubu_I_Agbonselobho@... Any behavioral issues in the

school, such as reports of fights or other out of line activities should

be forwarded to Blairs Security Team Leader,

Cedric Boatman, Cedric_L_Boatman@...



I will stay in touch with the administration, and let you all know when

conditions return to normal, and whether there is anything else that

parents can do to help the situation.

Pete Lafen

PTSA Co-President

Piney Branch Young Activists respond with facts

The Piney Branch Young Activist Club has responded to the Board of Education's request for a Feasibility Study for their pilot project to rid their school of styrofoam lunch trays.  The Feasibility Study is below and shows that the pilot project that the students have proposed could be accomplished for a lot less than the MCPS "estimate".  The Feasibility Study was presented to the Board of Education at their last meeting.

The next Board of Education meeting is December 8, 2009. Will the Board of Education take action on this proposal? Will the Student Member of the Board of Education speak on behalf of his constituency?

The Piney Branch Young Activist Club would like your support for their pilot project to rid their lunchroom of styrofoam trays. Please let the Board of Education and Superintendent Weast know you support the effort of these environmentally conscious students in following the nationwide trend of creating "green" school lunchrooms.

You can find contact information for the Board of Education and Superintendent Weast here.

Burke Tray Washer Feasibility Study PDF

Students go green with sugar trays

Students go green with sugar trays

"I think it's very important that we teach our children when they're young about the importance of being green and respecting the environment," he said. "These kids and their future kids are going to have to live with it and I think this young age is the best time to teach them."

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MCPS' secret stash of cash! Cell phone tower income!

See all those cell phone towers on Montgomery County Public School property?

Another cell tower is being proposed for Whitman High School in Bethesda. Where does the income from those towers go? As of a few years ago there was an estimated $900,000 in cell phone tower income coming into MCPS. How much cell phone tower income is coming into MCPS today?

Does the cell phone tower income go into the MCPS Operating Budget? Does it go before the County Council for appropriation? No, to both of those questions.

If the MCPS Operating Budget is REALLY tight, then shouldn't this income be used to fund teacher salaries instead of slush funds for local principals? Whitman's student newspaper reports on the proposal to put yet another cell phone tower on public school school property.  

Whitman's Black and White, Proposed cell tower sparks parent debate

...T-Mobile would pay a $2,000 rental fee per month, which would be split evenly among Whitman, the elementary school cluster and MCPS. Similar financial arrangements exist with cell service companies at other area schools, including Sherwood, Blake, Springbrook and Blair...