MCPS Budget 2017-18

The Montgomery County Board of Education has approved the Superintendent's proposed MCPS budget for 2017-18 (pdf) with certain modifications (mymcmedia.org), and the budget includes proposed cuts to MCPS Special Programs. At this time, the proposed cuts are not expected to affect the Magnet Program. The Magnet Foundation is continuing to monitor the situation, and you can still help to protect the Magnet from future cuts by contacting your representatives and making your voice heard.

Budget Background:

The Blair Magnet is currently allocated 4.0 FTE to cover the additional teaching time for 9th period and to offer certain specialty electives with smaller class sizes. An FTE is a Full-Time Equivalent allocation of teaching staff, which covers the salary/benefits for one teacher with a load of 5 classes. A decade ago, this allocation was 9.0 FTE, and as the MCPS budget has been cut, retiring teachers have not been replaced with new hires, and each Magnet teacher is now teaching more classes than they did before the cuts. A few elective classes have also been cut from the curriculum, and some retired teachers have been helping out as substitutes or volunteers to pick up the slack.

Over the past ten years, the countywide budget for High School Special Programs Teachers has been cut by 50%, along with the teaching allocation for the Blair Magnet:

MCPS Budget Archive: http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/archive.aspx

* Prior to FY2009, the line item in the budget was labeled "Special Program Support."

** Proposed FY2018 Budget (pdf), Chapter 1-31

*** Expected allocation based on MCPS reccommendations

MCPS has indicated that the proposed cut to Special Programs is directed to programs who are using FTE for teacher release periods, and the Magnet is no longer regularly giving its teachers any release or planning periods. Accordingly, the cuts should not affect the Magnet. Nevertheless, there may be a collateral effect on the Magnet if release periods for other special programs are cut. As the budget becomes tighter year after year, the burdens on the Magnet add up over time.

How You Can Help:

Make your voice heard: MCPS provides information on how to make your voice heard in the budget process, and you can provide feedback directly through this online form. In your advocacy, please emphasize these points:

• High School Special Programs have been cut by more than 50% over the past 10 years.

• These cuts have reduced the number of teachers in the Blair Magnet and increased the workload for the remaining teachers.

• Teachers in the Blair Magnet are no longer taking release periods, and any cuts to release periods should not affect the Magnet.

  • Remind them of the many awards won by Magnet students and the accomplishments of distinguished alumni.

You can read examples of past advocacy for the Magnet by the Foundation, parents, students, and alumni.

Contact the County Council: The Montgomery County Council will holding hearings in the spring to consider the overall County budget, including the MCPS budget (see Budget Updates). Please contact your County Councilmember (see map) or e-mail the entire council (county.council@montgomerycountymd.gov) and tell them to fund MCPS and its Special Programs. In addition to your own representative (or if you don't live in Montgomery County), you can contact:

• Craig Rice (Councilmember.Rice@montgomerycountymd.gov, 240-777-7955), Chair of the Council's Education Committee and an alumnus of the Blair Magnet program; or

  • Tom Hucker (Councilmember.Hucker@montgomerycountymd.gov, 240-777-7960), Councilman for District 5, which includes Blair.

Contact MCPS Officials: If cuts are made to the budget, they will be implemented by MCPS officials. Contact MCPS administrators and tell them that the Blair Magnet's budget should not be cut because our teachers are not using release periods, and any cuts would result in canceled classes for students.

• Dr. Jack Smith (Jack_Smith@mcpsmd.org, 301-279-3381), is the Superintendent of MCPS.

• Dr. Andrew Zuckerman (Andrew_Zuckerman@mcpsmd.org, 301-279-3627), is the Chief Operating Officer of MCPS.

• Mrs. Nicky Diamond (Nicola_Diamond@mcpsmd.org, 301-279-3463), is the Executive Director of MCPS.

  • Dr. Erick Lang (Erick_J_Lang@mcpsmd.org, 301-279-3411) is the Associate Superintendent for Curricular and Instructional Programs.

  • Meredith Casper (Meredith_Casper@mcpsmd.org, 301-279-3163) is the Director of Accelerated and Enriched Instruction.

  • Scott Murphy (Scott_W_Murphy@mcpsmd.org, 301-279-3350) is the Director of Secondary Curriculum and Districtwide Programs.

Contact the Board of Education: Although the Board of Education has already voted on a proposed budget that includes cuts to MCPS Special Programs, you can contact them to remind them that you support funding for the Blair Magnet:

• Montgomery County Board of Education, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland 20850

• E-mail: boe@mcpsmd.org, or specific Board members (see list):

  • Rebecca Smondrowski (rebecca_k_smondrowski@mcpsmd.org, 301-279-3617), Chair of the Special Populations Committee; or

  • Shebra Evans (Shebra_L_Evans@mcpsmd.org, 301-279-3617), Board Member for District 4, which includes Blair; or

  • Judy Docca (Judy_Docca@mcpsmd.org, 301-670-3234), VP of the BOE, member of the Special Populations Committee and former Assistant Principal at Blair.

Contact Maryland State Representatives: Part of the budget issues that MCPS has been experiencing are the result of policies in Annapolis, so to advocate at the state level, you can contact:

• • Governor Larry Hogan (web form, 410-974-3901)

  • The Montgomery County delegation in the Maryland General Assembly (house@montgomerycountydelegation.com, 301-858-3010)

    • State Senator William Smith (Will.Smith@house.state.md.us, 410-841-3634) of District 20, which includes Blair

    • State Delegate Sheila Hixson (sheila.hixson@house.state.md.us, 410-841-3469) of District 20

    • State Delegate David Moon (David.Moon@house.state.md.us, 410-841-3474) of District 20

    • State Delegate Jheanelle Wilkins (jheanelle.wilkins@house.state.md.us, 410-841-3493) of District 20

Please contact board@mbhsmagnet.org if you want help or guidance in your advocacy. If you would like to share your testimony as part of a group submission from the Magnet Foundation, please submit the form below: