Operating Budget → Question and Answer Archive

Budget Question and Answer Archive

Q1

What is the cost to add hours-based staffing at the remaining seven middle schools?

Q2

Please clarify why the Early Intervening Services charts on pages 1-10 and 1-11 have no FY 2012 or FY 2013 information.

Q3

On page 1-16 it states that there is a realignment of $483,262 from the middle school-after school activities budget to the Department of Transportation. Similarly, page 1-23 states that there is a realignment of $294,538 from high school after-school activities budget to the Department of Transportation budget. Please explain. What impact this will have on after-school offerings?

Q4

On page 1-16 (Enrollment Changes) it states that there is a decrease of 1.6 classroom teacher positions due to a projected decrease in enrollment of 36 middle school students. By contrast, on page 1-23, it states that there is a reduction of .1 classroom teacher position due to a projected decrease in enrollment of 60 high school students. Please explain the reason for the difference in number of reduced positions given that there is a greater decrease in high school enrollment.

Q5

Page 1-24 indicates that our projected FY 13 student/counselor ratio is 251:1 whereas our goal is a ratio of 250:1. How many additional counselors (at what cost) would it take to meet our goal in FY 2013?

Q6

Provide information on the backlog for maintenance work orders and how work is prioritized and addressed.

Q7

Are there any budgetary barriers to putting Curriculum 2.0 for Kindergarten and Grade 1 online for parents to access?

Q8

What is the cost to add a Middle Schools IB Programme at Watkins Mill cluster middle schools?

Q9

What is the cost to add Middle School Reform courses at non-Middle School Reform schools?

Q10

List the ten schools that have the highest number of copier service calls and days out-of-service

Q11

What is the cost to provide a refrigerator for Flower Hill Elementary school? Provide information on the Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMA) program including whether or not having a refrigerator impacts participation in the MMA program.

Q12

How are Alternative Level 1 staffing allocations determined?

Q13

Provide information about the Title I program and how have Title I funds been used over the past five years?

Q14

What formulas do other Maryland counties use to allocate psychologists?

Q15

Please explain the role of the central office teacher? How will this impact instructional capacity within Alternative Programs?

Q16

Staff has advised the BOE that MCPS would undertake a comprehensive look at various 12-month positions to determine which, if any, should be reduced to 10-month positions. Is this specific proposed reduction being recommended in the context of this budget review? What is the status of that larger review?

Q17

On page 1-31 there is a reference to projections for “decreased revenue” for Neglected and Delinquent Youth that necessitate a reduction in professional part-time salaries. Please explain.

Q18

The budget on Page 1-23 identifies a reduction to the High School Plus program. Please provide the cost of the program and enrollment numbers for High School Plus over the past two years and explain how the reduction will impact the number of students we can serve. Is data available on what the cost was for the last year that night school operated?

Q19

A reduction to the Bridge to Academic Validation program is noted on the budget on page 4-13. Are these reductions based on anticipated decreases in student enrollment? Are we expecting a decrease in Bridge program projects due to the elimination of the Government HSA requirement?

Q20

On page 4-42 there is reference to a reduction for the Perkins Vocational and Technical Education grant. Please explain the nature of the reduction and describe the likely impact

Q21

On page 5–29 there are reductions indicated for teacher and paraeducator positions at Rock Terrace and RICA. Please explain the enrollment projections upon which these reductions are based and offer an assessment of the likely impact on our ability to provide services.

Q22

The budget chart of page 5-31 indicates an increase of 7.4 special education itinerant paraeducators. Please discuss this proposed increase and address whether there is a parallel need to increase itinerant teachers. Please explain the rationale in determining how to allocate any increases between paraeducators and teachers.

Q23

On page 6-9 of the budget there is a reference in part-time salaries related to the Kennedy Cluster program. Please discuss the likely impact by updating the current status of the Kennedy Cluster work.

Q24

The Program Budget on page 266-68 discusses the Services for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders. On page 268 it indicates an increase of 11.8 special education teachers and 19.25 paraeducators. Please provide additional information as to how these positions will be allocated. Are these teachers being dedicated to autism program and if so, at what level (ES, MS, HS)?

Q25

Given that we are opening a new school and that we have rising increases in the number of students eligible for FARMS and receiving meals in school, please discuss the proposed reduction in Chapter 6 on pages 121-122 (reducing two cafeteria worker positions by .5 FTE). Is there a cafeteria worker position allocated for the DCES #29?

Q26

In Chapter 8-22, the budget recommendation is for a reduction of $761,524 in university partnership tuition due to a decrease in candidate enrollment. Please share some information about this trend. Is the decrease in any particular program (such as our partnership to develop special education teachers) and what are the implications for our hiring practices if any?

Q27

How many PPWs are budgeted for FY 2013? How does that number compare to each of the last five years?

Q28

What is the total cost for consulting principals, their supervisors, and any existing support staff?

Q29

How many MCPS staff are allocated vehicles and at what cost?

Q30

How many bus route supervisor positions are there and what is the cost?

Table Of Contents(TOC)

Academic Intervention and Focus Teachers - duties and responsibilities 35
Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Program - Twinbrook Elementary School 37
A
After-School Activities Realignment to Department of Transportation 3
Alternative Level 1 Program Staffing 12
Alternative Programs Position Changes from 12-month to 10-month 15
Application Program at Wheaton High School 33
Autism Spectrum Disorders - school allocations 24
B
Blair Cluster Testimony - disappearance of data from website 34
Bridge to Academic Validation Program Reductions 19
Budget Cuts - Elementary, Middle, High Schools - three years of data 42
Bus Route Supervisor Positions 30
C
Cafeteria Worker Position Reductions 25
Central Office Teacher - Alternative Programs 15
Consulting Principals - cost for positions and other staff 28
Copier Services - service calls and days out of service 10
Counselor to Student Ratio 5
Curriculum 2.0 for Kindergarten and Grade 1 Online 7
E
Early Intervening Services 2
Enrollment Changes and Position Reductions - middle and high schools 4
F
Focus and Academic Intervention Teachers - duties and responsibilities 35
G
Gallup Staff Engagement Survey 43
H
High School Plus Program 18
Hours-based Staffing 1
I
Instrumental Music Program Staffing Comparison 40
Instrumental Music Teachers - cuts and cost to restore 36
K
Kennedy Cluster Program 23
M
Maintenance Work Orders 6
Maryland Meals for Achievement Program 11
Middle and High Schools Enrollment and Position Reductions 4
Middle School Reform - cost to add classes at non-middle school reform schools 9
Middle Schools IB Programme at Watkins Mill Cluster 8
Montgomery Blair High School Staffing 41
N
Neglected and Delinquent Youth Program 17
O
Overhire Positions 31
P
Pearson Partnership i3 Funds 44
Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Grant Reduction 20
Poolesville Cluster Transfer Policy 32
Promethean Boards at Elementary Schools 39
Psychologist Allocations 14
Pupil Personnel Worker (PPW) Positions 27
R
Refrigerator at Flower Hill Elementary School 11
Rock Terrace and RICA Enrollment Projections 21
S
Services to Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders - school allocations 24
Special Education Itinerant Paraeducators 22
Staffing Assumptions - Application Program at Wheaton High School 33
T
Textbooks and Instructional Materials 38
Title I Program 13
Twelve (12)-month Positions to Ten (10)-month - review 16
U
University Partnership Tuition 26
V
Vehicles for Staff 29