The Montgomery County Board of Education met on Tuesday, June 16, 2015, at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. Among other items, the Board approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Operating Budget; received an update on the redesign of Interim Instructional Services; discussed and approved efforts with Montgomery College to implement the College and Career Readiness and Completion Act of 2013; and made several administrative appointments. The agenda for the meeting, with links to related materials, can be viewed on the Board of Education website. You can also watch the video of the meeting by clicking here.

Fiscal Year 2016 Operating Budget
The Board of Education approved a $2.32 billion Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 operating budget for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). The budget, funded at the minimum level required by state law, is $53 million less than what the Board had requested. In order to meet the budget passed by the Montgomery County Council in May, the Board approved the elimination of more than 380 staff and teaching positions and reductions to the budgets for the technology initiative, professional development, textbooks, and many other areas.

The Board expressed dismay at Governor Larry Hogan’s decision not to restore a reduction to state aid, even though the General Assembly identified the funds he could have used to do so. The governor has underfunded the Geographic Cost of Education Index, which provides additional funds to districts where it is more expensive to provide an education. The decision cost MCPS $17 million that could have been used to address the budget shortfall.

Amendments to Existing Association Agreements
Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers worked with representatives from the three MCPS employee associations, the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 500, and the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals (MCAAP), to develop recommendations for closing the budget shortfall. MCPS employees will receive compensation increases that were agreed to in their contracts. However, implementation of these increases will be delayed by one pay period, from October 3, 2015, to October 17, 2015, saving more than $3 million in FY 2016. The associations ratified the change to the contracts earlier this month, and the Board approved the amended agreements at its June 16, 2015, business meeting.

Read the Board Memo

Read the Press Release

Interim Instructional Services
The Board of Education heard a presentation from MCPS staff and held a discussion on the redesign of Interim Instructional Services (IIS), formerly known as Home and Hospital Teaching. The name of the unit was changed to IIS in July 2014 to more accurately reflect the instructional and social emotional learning needs of the spectrum of students receiving these services. The first phase of the IIS strategic plan was initiated in the 2014-2015 school year with three focus areas—initial implementation of personalized learning for MCPS students, development of professional standards, and strengthening partnerships to provide essential supports for the newly developed structures. IIS staff members collaborated across schools and offices to achieve specific redesign goals for 2014-2015, including:

• redesign the intake process to improve efficiency;
• develop and implement an online application process to support prompt responses;
• enhance communication among schools, offices, and families;
• provide ongoing professional development for teachers; and
• expand online and blended learning options aligned with the unique needs of students.

A variety of stakeholder groups gave positive feedback in response to the initial program changes this school year and generated ideas to inform final redesign plans for IIS. The next phase of the redesign of IIS will begin this summer. IIS will move from the Office of Special Education and Student Services to the Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs (OCIP), effective July 1, 2015. Priorities for the 2015–2016 school year include implementing the comprehensive case management model and expanding online learning options for students.

Read the Board memo

College and Career Readiness and College Completion Action of 2013
The Board held a discussion and voted to authorize Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers to continue to work with Montgomery College to fulfill the district’s obligations and responsibilities under the College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013.

In May 2013, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley signed the College and Career Readiness and College Completion Act of 2013 (CCRCCA), establishing policies designed to assist more Maryland students to earn credit toward postsecondary degrees. At that time, staff members from MCPS and Montgomery College collaborated on an initial agreement to begin implementing the CCRCCA during the 2013–2014 school year. In accordance with CCRCCA, Montgomery College is required to offer courses to dually enrolled students at a reduced tuition rate. MCPS must pay tuition for current high school students who meet specific eligibility requirements to take courses for college credit at Montgomery College. MCPS staff members will continue to collaborate with representatives from Montgomery College to improve CCRCCA implementation, clarifying respective responsibilities of Montgomery College and MCPS for dually enrolled students.

Read the Board Memo

Board Appointments
The Board appointed the following individuals to each serve a three-term on the Ethics Panel, beginning July 1, 2015:   Cynthia C. Jean-Philippe, Eric Scott Lammers, and Elizabeth Treubert Simon.

The Board appointment the following people to a one-year term on the Montgomery County Collaboration Board for Career and Technology Education, beginning July 1, 2015, subject to the agreement of the Montgomery College Board of Trustees:

The proposed 2015–2016 president of the Engineering, Scientific Research, and Manufacturing Technologies Career Cluster Advisory Board will be presented to the Board of Education in fall 2015.

Administrative Appointments
The Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments:

Andrew M. Zuckerman, currently acting chief operating officer, as chief operating officer

Benjamin T. OuYang, currently principal, Parkland Middle School, as director, Department of Career Readiness and Innovative Programs, Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs

Tamisha L. Sampson, currently principal, Sargent Shriver Elementary School, as supervisor, Elementary Integrated Curriculum Team, Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs

Verna L. Washington, currently instructional specialist, Division of Early Childhood Programs and Services, as supervisor, Division of Title I and Early Childhood Programs and Services, Office of Curriculum and Instructional Programs

Jeffrey T. Brown, currently principal intern, Thomas S. Wootton High School, as principal, Roberto W. Clemente Middle School

Cary D. Dimmick, currently assistant principal, Lakelands Park Middle School, as principal, Sligo Middle School

Ann B. Dolan Rindner, currently assistant principal, Silver Spring International Middle School, as principal, Gaithersburg Middle School

Jewel A. Sanders, currently principal intern, Rosa M. Parks Middle School, as principal, Rosa M. Parks Middle School

Christopher A. Wynne, currently principal, Dr. Sally K. Ride Elementary School, as principal, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School

Sandra S. Reece, currently principal, Bradley Hills Elementary School, as principal, Cold Spring Elementary School

Patricia R. Swanson, currently legislative aide, Office of Senate President, Thomas V. “Mike” Miller, Jr. Maryland State Senate, as legislative aide, Office of the Board of Education

New Business
Board member Christopher S. Barclay introduced a new business item asking that the Board of Education receive an annual report on the Thomas Edison High School of Technology, including recruitment efforts and enrollment trends and demographics. The report would be provided to the Board starting with the 2014-2015 school year and for at least two more school years. As a new business item, the proposal was placed on the table and will be discussed at a future Board meeting.

Facilities and School Construction
The Board approved the following items related to school construction projects and facilities:

-Appointed an architectural firm for the Neelsville Middle School addition project feasibility study

-Appointed an architectural firm for the Parkland Middle School addition project feasibility study

Recognitions
The Board approved the following resolutions:

-A resolution recognizing the Distinguished Hispanic Scholars
-A resolution recognizing recipients of the Leadership Montgomery Youth Community Leadership Awards
-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

Future Meetings
The Board will hold its next regular business meeting on Monday, June 29, 2015. Please check the Board of Education meeting calendar for further information.

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: Mrs. Patricia O’Neill, president; Mr. Michael Durso, vice president. Members: Mr. Christopher Barclay, Dr. Judy Docca, Mr. Philip Kauffman, Ms. Jill Ortman-Fouse, Mrs. Rebecca Smondrowski, and Ms. Dahlia Huh, student member. Mr. Larry A. Bowers, interim superintendent and secretary-treasurer. Office of the Board: 301-279-3617.