Full Menu
Operating Budget → Question and Answer Archive
What is the trend data for the number of central office employees (non-school based staff) from before the recession until now?
With the significant gaps in performance between our recently arrived, older Latino students and white and Asian peers, the results from this program as a comprehensive intervention strategy appear impressive. Knowing that our schools that have the highest numbers of students from this population are in greatest need of supplemental, unique, social emotional as well as academic resources to close those gaps, I would like to know the status of similar supports or other models at other highly impacted schools (Gaithersburg, Watkins Mill, Northwood, et al). If they don't have this level of afterschool intervention, is it possible with this budget to expand this support to these schools? It appears that 21st Century federal funding is being used for this programming. Knowing that our ESOL numbers have gone down, perhaps the dollars that have been saved on staffing can go to this expansion. How many total students do we have in this category? Are we reaching as many of them as we can? How can we reach more of them? As we know, very sadly, too many of these students who have fallen through the cracks have ended up in dangerous and dire circumstancesI would also like to know if this program supports non-Latino students who may be in similarly fragile circumstances that are barriers to their reaching their potential. As our stated commitment is to closing gaps in achievement, it seems our greatest priority with funding should be addressing the widest gaps with the strategies that have been evaluated and appear to be the most effective. As we are also striving to not isolate our students during the school day, afterschool support/interventions (which seem to be one of the biggest differences between well-resourced households and those in poverty) would appear to make the most sense.
Please provide information to the Board of Education on the status of the Rolling Terrace Elementary School immersion program. How will we proceed with the current decision, as well as future program assignments?
How will AEI students be supported, and MCPS ensure that needs and services are met, as a result of the elimination of the 1.0 director position?
What is the budget for band (musical instrument) equipment and how are funds equitably provided to schools?
What are the protocols in place to ensure support and information sharing for new students; especially ESOL students?
Describe the reduction in ESOL that impacts the Multidisciplinary Education, Training, and Support (METS) program and how services will be impacted for METS student? How will the functions handled by this position be provided and who will provide these services?
What would be the total cost of a Middle Years Program for grades 9 and 10 at Seneca Valley High School? What is the total cost of adding the career IB program to Seneca Valley?
What do the resources for extra-curricular minority achievement programs support? Please provide a list of programs by school.
Please provide information whether other Boards of Education have an independent budget analyst reporting directly to the Board to assist them with budget reviews.
Please provide information on the evaluation of the ACES program
What is the cost of 16 FTE psychologist positions over the next five years? In prior budget years, there was a plan to add more psychologists to the budget over several years. Please provide that information.
With the elimination of the Linkages to Learning supervisor position, how will the program be coordinated?
Provide updated information on our translation and interpretation services; how many requests are received, amount of time used, and costs. Also, please provide information on the language line usage and contract changes.
Is there a need for funding for headphones for translation services at meetings such as the Budget hearings; what would the cost be of this purchase?
Do we recruit current college students for interpretation services to work part-time in our schools? Where do we recruit for these services and are there any challenges in identifying candidates for these services?
What is the cost to change the counseling ratio to 1 to 250 in elementary schools?
How are English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students provided counseling services? How do we ensure that students who speak other languages are provided access to counselors who speak their language? How are the ESOL counselors and ESOL transition counselor positions allocated to support students? (Is there a ratio)?
Please summarize the proposal to reorganize the Accelerated and Enriched Instruction (AEI) office and explain how it will meet the needs of students and programs.
How are we improving math instruction for all students?
How are Assistant Principals (AP) and Assistant School Administrator (ASA) positions allocated to high schools? Why do some schools have an AP where another school has an ASA? What is the cost of changing all ASAs (middle and high) to APs? What is the difference between the AP and ASA?
How will we address enrollment for the recovery education programs to meet the needs of students?
Please provide information on the status of allowing free internet and chromebook access to students.
How will we support special education students with the proposed reduction of cluster supervisors?
What is the student to school administrator ratio compared to other districts?
Please provide an update for plant operation positions in the FY 2019 Recommended Operating Budget compared to previous years
What is the cost to provide a full time resource teacher for each school to support signature and special programs?
What is the cost to provide a 1.0 counselor instead of .5 allocations so that students have full time counselors?
What is the cost to provide a .5 fiscal support position to each Title I school with 600 or more students? What is the cost to have two counselors at the same school instead of 1.5?
Please provide information on how schools are selected to receive the extended day program.
Please provide the total cost to implement a Primary Years International Baccalaureate (IB) program at the new Richard Montgomery Elementary School #5. Are there any issues with implementation of IB and immersion at the school?
What is the plan for Twinbrook Elementary School as it relates to Mrs. Ashton’s testimony at the January 16, 2018, public hearing compared to other elementary schools?
Please provide data for the number of employees who contact or call into the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for support. Please include the category of request and service provided in response to request. (Provide list of training offered and auxiliary supports provided as a separate list.)
What is the historical information regarding the realignment of Parent Community Coordinator positions (PCCs) and what is the transition of services?
What is the cost to restore each of the specialist positions realigned or cut in the budget?
What is the total cost of swimming as part of physical education at Gaithersburg? What is the amount of the grant the school currently has and what expenses does it cover?
How are we reaching out to communities regarding Signature Programs and opportunities for students? How are we ensuring that needs are being met by Signature Programs in schools? How do you identify what additional dollars to budget for a program?
Please provide information about a high school communication plan for principals regarding Alternative Programs opportunities.
Please provide a list of schools with kindergarten classes greater than BOE guidelines of 25 students.
How are reading initiative teachers used in each elementary school?
Will there be changes in class sizes for reading initiative for FY 2019?
How many of current Title I schools have special education emotional disabilities programs? Are there other discrete special education programs in Title I schools?
Provide a list of graduation rates for English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) versus non-ESOL students.
Please provide disaggregated graduation data by English speakers vs speakers of other languages?
Concerning the status of the Employee Assistance Program, what is our rationale for changes that now appear cost-neutral to a nearly 40-year program that seems to have had no problems in the quantity and quality of previous services?
With the elimination of the instructional specialist position that coordinates the new educator orientation, how will those services be handled in the 2018–2019 school year?
How will the Interim Instructional Services (formerly known as Home and Hospital Teaching) program and services be staffed and handled in the FY 2019 Operating Budget?
How will support in classrooms differ when going from full-time to part-time content specialists for fine arts/theater courses?
Describe the reorganization of parent community coordinators (PCCs), as well as an assessment regarding how the reorganization is working.
Please describe the role of the ESOL counselors and how counseling support for ESOL students is provided. Where are these positions in the budget? Describe which position were moved and which position was reduced by .5 in the budget. Provide an overview of how all counseling positions and other positions in schools are used to support ESOL students and families.
How will MCPS partner with outside sources in order to provide technologies to disadvantaged students?
Please provide detail on the proposed hybrid Employee Assistance Program (EAP) model. Will there be expectations for response times? What will the costs be for implementation? Will insurance providers participate in the implementation?
What is the cost of having consulting teachers? Do we need more consulting teachers next year? With changes to enrollment and our current budget for next year will the caseloads for consulting teachers go up, go down or remain the same for next year?
There have been questions from the community about reductions in physical education. What are the reductions?
How much would it cost to add 5 additional ESOL counselors?