Montgomery County Public Schools

Gather a group and choose a location

Everyone is invited to host a Neighbor to Neighbor discussion. It can take place during a PTA meeting; a brown bag lunch at a local business or nonprofit; or in the home of a neighbor or family member. The group size is up to the host, but make sure everyone has a chance to participate.

Choose a location that, preferably, has internet access so those in attendance can view the Budget 101 website and online budget documents that are part of this toolkit. If an internet-ready site isn’t available, print the information in advance and make copies.

Visit the Budget 101 website and review documents

The Budget 101 website will give you an overview of what’s in the MCPS operating budget. The site, which includes a video, will show you where the funding comes from, how it’s spent, and how we staff individual schools to ensure we are meeting the needs of every student. The Budget 101 website, combined with the information below about the FY 2017 recommended operating budget, should provide a foundation for your discussion. If you have any budget-related questions, email pio@mcpsmd.org and we will try to get you an answer as quickly as possible.

Have your conversation

It’s time to begin your discussion. Below are a few questions to get the conversation started but this Neighbor to Neighbor conversation should focus on the areas of the budget that matter most to you and those in your group. Make sure to appoint a discussion leader and a note taker, and take a few pictures of your discussion to share with the MCPS community.

Conversation starter questions:

• With limited funding, what do you believe are the most important areas that MCPS should be investing in?
• Since 2008, budget increases for MCPS schools have been minimal due to limited resources. How have these challenging budget years impacted our schools and our students?
• What are some ways that parents and community members can share their views about the importance of funding the MCPS budget with our elected officials?

Share your thoughts

Please email your notes and any pictures you want to share to pio@mcpsmd.org. You do not have to provide the names of everyone in your group, but the name and contact information for the host would be helpful. Please do not mention the names of specific children in your notes.

All notes will be shared with the Board of Education and the Superintendent. Pictures may be posted on the Neighbor to Neighbor website and other MCPS resources.