Board of Education Approves FY 2014 Operating Budget; Takes Action on Policies; Sets Fees for the Food and Nutrition Services Program

June 14, 2013

The Montgomery County Board of Education met on Thursday, June 13, 2013, at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. Among other items, the Board approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 operating budget for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), took action on several policies, and approved FY 2014 Fees for the Food and Nutrition Services Program. The agenda for the meeting, with links to related materials, can be viewed on the Board of Education website. You can also watch video of the meeting by clicking here.

Fiscal Year 2014 Operating Budget

The Board of Education approved a $2.23 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 operating budget for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The budget represents a $57.1 million—or 2.6 percent—increase over the current year and is funded at the minimum level required by state law. The budget will allow MCPS to keep up with its continued growth, while investing funds to re-energize efforts to narrow the achievement gap and prepare staff and students for the future. The budget also will allow the district to invest in key areas, such as mathematics instruction, middle schools, professional learning for staff and the strategic restoration of positions that have been eliminated over the past several years.

Read the Board Memo
Read the Press Release

Board Policy JEE, Student Transfers (Tentative Action)

The Board tentatively approved changes to Policy JEE, Student Transfers, and will now seek input from the public throughout the summer. The policy explains the limited circumstances under which students may be granted a transfer, referred to as a Change of School Assignment (COSA), to attend a school other than their home school or the school assigned in accordance with their Individualized Education Program (IEP). One of the proposed changes is that students who attend a middle school under a COSA would not automatically be placed in the high school to which that middle school articulates. Public comment will be solicited throughout the summer and the comments will be considered by the Board’s Policy Committee this fall before the full Board takes final action. Written comments can be sent to the Office of the Superintendent of Schools, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850 or to the Board of Education at boe@mcpsmd.org. More information about the policy will be available on the MCPS website by June 21, 2013.

See the proposed changes in the policy

Board Policy ABA, Community Involvement (Final Action)

The Board of Education approved changes to Policy ABA, Community Involvement. On March 12, 2013, the Board tentatively approved these changes and sent the revised policy out for public comment. This policy reflects the Board’s commitment to fostering and supporting community interest and involvement in MCPS. Updates to the policy include increasing public participation through expanded use of technology and utilizing appropriate methods of input, such as focus groups, task forces, work groups, advisory groups, or public forums. The revisions were developed after consideration of past MCPS practices concerning advisory committees and the feasibility of using Policy ABA as a governing policy for obtaining community input.

See the revised policy

Board Policy IGN, Preventing Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse (Final Action)

The Board also approved changes to Policy IGN, Combating Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse. On March 12, 2013, the Board tentatively approved these changes and sent the revised policy out for public comment. Policy IGN provides a framework for creating and maintaining a safe environment for teaching, learning, and working within MCPS that is free of tobacco, drugs, alcohol and other intoxicants. Updates to the policy include working with community partners to increase access to prevention or treatment services. The policy was renamed Policy IGN, Preventing Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse in Montgomery County Public Schools, to more accurately describe the contents of the updated policy.

See the revised policy

Fees for Food and Nutrition Services Program

The Board approved fees for school meals for the 2013-2014 school year. The fees are unchanged from the 2012-2013 school year. Breakfast will cost $1.30, lunch in elementary schools will cost $2.50 and lunch in secondary schools will cost $2.75. For students that received reduced-price meals, breakfast is free and lunch is 40 cents. MCPS has not changed the price of school meals in four years, but in that time has made significant improvements to the nutritional quality and variety of its meals.

Read the Board memo

Appointment to the Ethics Panel

The Board appointed Arielle Grill to serve a three-year term on the Ethics Panel, effective July 1, 2013. Among the responsibilities of the five-member panel are interpreting the Board of Education’s Ethics Policy and issuing advisory opinions concerning its application; conducting hearings on complaints filed regarding an alleged violation; and approving financial disclosure forms.

Administrative Appointments

The Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments:

-Ruth P. Green, currently director, High School Instruction and Achievement, as director, Department of Enriched and Innovative Programs, Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs

-Robert B. Grundy, currently principal, Brookhaven Elementary School, as director, Performance Evaluation and Compliance Unit, Office of Human Resources and Development

-Monique T. Felder, currently director, Division of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction, as director, Interventions, Office of Teaching, Learning, and Programs

-Andrew W. Miller, currently supervisor, Student Online Learning, as executive assistant to the deputy superintendent, Office of Teaching, Learning, and Programs

-Siobhan M. Alexander, currently instructional specialist, Elementary School Instruction and Achievement, as supervisor, Elementary Integrated Curriculum Team, Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs

-Joanne C. Hoffman, currently supervisor, Department of Special Education Services, as supervisor, Placement and Assessment Services Unit, Department of Special Education Services, Office of Special Education and Student Services

-Françoise Vandenplas, currently Pre-K-12 content specialist, French, World Languages, as supervisor, Curriculum, Pre-K-12 World Languages, Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs

-Heather L. Dublinske, currently acting coordinator, Human Resources Compliance Specialist, as coordinator, Human Resources Compliance Specialist, Performance Evaluation and Compliance Unit, Office of Human Resources and Development

-Myriam A. Rogers, currently principal, Francis Scott Key Middle School, as principal, Paint Branch High School

-Jennifer L. Webster, currently principal, Thomas W. Pyle Middle School, as principal, Damascus High School

-Raushann Austin, currently principal intern, Rock Creek Valley Elementary School, as principal, William Tyler Page Elementary School

-LaTricia D. Thomas, currently principal intern, Bells Mill Elementary School, as principal, Judith A. Resnik Elementary School

-Royce A. Wallace, currently resource counselor, Seneca Valley High School, as magnet coordinator, A. Mario Loiederman Middle School

Other Action: The Board also took action on several items, including:

-Appointed an architectural firm for the new Northwest ES #8 feasibility study

-Awarded contracts for the Rock Creek Forest ES modernization

Resolutions: The Board unanimously approved the following:

- A resolution recognizing the Distinguished Hispanic Scholars

- A resolution recognizing the Leadership Montgomery Youth Community Leadership Awards

- A resolution recognizing the Gates Millennium Scholars Program Scholarship Recipients

-A resolution recognizing the Montgomery County Alliance of Black School Educators Scholarship Recipients

-A resolution recognizing the George B. Thomas Sr. Learning Academy, Inc. High Achievement Scholarship Recipients

About the Board of Education

The Montgomery County Board of Education is the official educational policymaking body in the county. The Board is responsible for the direction and operation of the public school system. The Board consists of seven county residents elected by voters for a four-year term and a student elected by secondary school students for a one-year term. Board members are elected countywide but run at-large or from the Board district in which they reside.

Montgomery County Board of Education: Mr. Christopher Barclay, president; Mr. Philip Kauffman, vice president. Members: Ms. Shirley Brandman, Dr. Judy Docca, Mr. Michael Durso, Mrs. Patricia O’Neill, Mrs. Rebecca Smondrowski, and Mr. John Mannes, student member. Dr. Joshua P. Starr, superintendent and secretary-treasurer. Office of the Board: 301-279-3617.

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