Board of Education Elects Officers; Hears Presentation on Proposed Budget

December 13, 2013

The Montgomery County Board of Education met on Thursday, December 12, 2013, at the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive in Rockville. Among other items, the Board elected its officers and made committee appointments; heard a presentation from Superintendent Starr on his Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Operating Budget recommendation; and approved the development of various pilot courses. 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. This meeting was rescheduled from December 10, 2013 due to emergency weather conditions.

Election of Board of Education Officers, Committee Appointments
The Board selected Phil Kauffman as President and Patricia O’Neill as Vice President for the next year. Mr. Kauffman, who was elected to a second four-year term last November, most recently served as Vice President of the Board and chair of the Board’s Fiscal Management committee. Mrs. O’Neill was first elected to the Board in 1998 and most recently served as the chair of the Board’s Policy Committee. She has previously served as Board president and vice president four times, each. Read the press release.

The Board also appointed members to its committees. Membership of the committees is listed below:

Fiscal Management: Michael Durso (Chair), Christopher Barclay, and Rebecca Smondrowski
Strategic Planning: Shirley Brandman (Chair), Christopher Barclay, and Judith Docca
Policy Management: Patricia O’Neill (Chair), Philip Kauffman, Rebecca Smondrowski, and Justin Kim
Special Populations: Rebecca Smondrowski (Chair), Shirley Brandman, and Judith Docca

Proposed Fiscal Year 2015 Operating Budget
The Board received a presentation from Superintendent Joshua P. Starr on his recommended Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Operating Budget. Dr. Starr is proposing a $2.28 billion budget for FY 15, which is a $56.4 million increase over FY 2014—about 2.5 percent. The superintendent’s budget is about 1 percent over the minimum county funding floor mandated by state law. Dr. Starr’s budget proposal is a part of multiyear strategy that will allow Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) to manage growth, narrow achievement gaps, and invest in the future. The budget recommendation was developed in partnership with the Montgomery County Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (MCCPTA) and the three MCPS employee associations—the Montgomery County Education Association; the Service Employees International Union, Local 500; and the Montgomery County Association of Administrators and Principals. The Board of Education will hold public hearings on the budget on Thursday, January 9, and Thursday, January 16. The Board will then hold work sessions on the budget on Tuesday, January 21, and Thursday, January 23, before approving a final budget request on Tuesday, February 11. The budget will then be submitted to the Montgomery County Executive and County Council for consideration. For more information, visit the FY 2015 Budget Web site.

Approval of Pilot Courses
The Board of Education approved the development of pilot courses and designated as active or restricted courses those that have completed the pilot process successfully. The Board approved the development of six new high school pilot courses. The Board also approved one course that has gone through the pilot process as restricted at specific high schools. Read the memo to the Board and the list of courses.

Calendar for the Election of the Student Member of the Board
The Board of Education approved the calendar of major events for the election of the 37th Student Member of the Board of Education as proposed by the Montgomery County Region of the Maryland Association of Student Councils. See the calendar of major events for the election.

Administrative Appointments

The Board of Education approved the following administrative appointments:

-John A. McDaniel, currently chief information officer, McKinney Independent School District, McKinney, Texas, as director, Accountability Initiatives, Office of Shared Accountability

-Emily B. Rachlin, currently temporary, part-time attorney, Legal Services, Office of Special Education and Student Services, as assistant attorney, Legal Services, Office of Special Education and Student Services

-Sean P. McGee, currently principal, Damascus Elementary School, as principal, Clarksburg Cluster Elementary School

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

-Approved preliminary plans for the Wheaton Woods Elementary School Revitalization/Expansion Project

Resolution: The Board approved the following resolution:

-A resolution declaring December 2-6, 2013, as National Inclusive Schools Week

Future Meetings

The Board of Education (Board) will hold a hearing on Superintendent Starr’s recommended FY 2015 Operating Budget on Thursday, January 9. Beginning on Monday, December 16, 2013, at 9:00 a.m., individuals wishing to testify at the hearing must register by calling 301-279-3617. The Board’s next regular business meeting will be held Tuesday, January 14, 2014, with public items beginning at 10 a.m.

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

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