What is the cost to provide additional stipends to support an assistant drama director and a dance coordinator at secondary schools?

Question#: 15

ANSWER:

The current Extracurricular Activities Programs (ECA) guidelines and contract with the Montgomery County Education Association outlines the following Class III stipends (offered at each middle and high school) for drama or dance, offered at all schools:

      Middle School                                                                  High School

      Drama Director (one production) $1,995                           Drama Director $5,055
      Drama Director (two productions) $3,990                         Music Theatre Director $975
      Stage Director $750                                                          Stage Director $4,995

      Other examples of ECA stipends that support the fine arts include:

            Instrumental Music Director (Middle)              $1,275
            Instrumental Music Director (High)                 $2,550
            Jazz Ensemble Director (Middle)                    $1,050
            Competitive Marching/Pep Band (High)          $2,475
            Marching/Pep Band Director (High)                $1,650
            Pep Band Director (High)                                $   900
            Choral Director (Middle)                                  $1,500
            Choral Director (High)                                     $4,500

Additional funds are available to schools via ECA Class I activity funds to be used at the school’s discretion to support specific needs and interests of students.  Examples of these currently include choreography and play directors.

The average cost for an assistant to an ECA head stipend is approximately 91.2% of the cost of the head stipend. Very few ECA head stipends have assistant stipends – high school football, high school track and field, high school cross country, and high school indoor track.The cost of a high school drama director is $5,055 per school. If MCPS provides each high school with an assistant drama director stipend, the approximate cost per school will be $4,605. The approximate total cost to provide this stipend in all high schools will be $115,125 (25 schools x $4,605). The cost of a middle school drama director leading two productions is $3,990 per school. If MCPS provides each middle school with an assistant drama director (two productions) stipend, the approximate cost per school will be $3,645. The approximate total cost to provide this stipend in all middle schools will be $145,800 (40 schools x $3,645). Once the assistant drama director stipend descriptions of activities are determined, that will drive the final costs of the stipends.

An ECA stipend activity that may be similar to a proposed dance team stipend activity is the gymnastics stipend. The sponsor for gymnastics is paid for the time it takes for preseason planning and preparation, contest preparation, transportation, practices, regular season meets, and an end-of-season meet. Using this similar gymnastic stipend, if MCPS provides each high school with a dance team stipend for one production, the approximate cost per school will be $1,965. The approximate total cost to provide this stipend in all high schools will be $49,125 (25 schools x $1,965). Once the dance team stipend description of activity is determined, that will drive the final cost of the stipend.