Do you want to know more about the Howard County PTA? Do you want to get more involved with the decisions the Board of Education makes? Then this is the page for you! The following are items of interest from the Howard County PTA:
April 18, 2012
Sine Die brought the Maryland
General Assembly regular 2012 session to a close having agreed on the expense
side of the budget but not the revenue side of the state’s operating budget for
fiscal year 2013. Without agreement on the revenue issues, the Governor and
Board of Public Works will be forced to cut the entire budget to match the
currently-projected revenue level. As we all know, education is a prominent
part of the State budget and the “dooms-day” scenario of the budget axe would
have a deleterious effect to the extent that it would significantly impact
every child in all public schools in the State through increased class sizes,
loss of teachers or teacher training and in some counties, a failure to meet
Maintenance of Effort requirements. For that
reason, we ask that you contact your local State Delegates and Senators,
Governor Martin O’Malley and Senate President Mike Miller and Speaker of the
House Michael Busch to ask that they reconvene for a special session of the
General Assembly to address the revenue issues. Ask that they reconvene
in a special session to address the unresolved revenue issues. Impart to them
that 200,000 Maryland PTA members ask that they make addressing public
education and assistance to counties their top priority.This is critical
because counties will soon finalize their local budget proposals, most of which
must be passed by the end of May. They all depend on state funding. Over the
last three years, the counties have lost much of their state aid, but they
still need to know the final figure what they will get. In most cases, more
than half of local budgets go to schools, and the school systems need to know
what they're getting. State agencies need to know if they must trim operating
expenses 8% come July.
Contact the President of the Senate:
(Thomas.V.Mike.Miller@senate.state.md.us)
Speaker of the House (Michael.Busch@house.state.md.us) and
Your local State Delegate and Senator (information can be found at: http://mlis.state.md.us/mgaweb/mail32.aspx)
Contact the Governor (http://www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/)
April 17, 2012
Dear PTACHC Colleagues:
As you’ve likely heard, the Maryland General Assembly ended its regular
2012 session inconclusively with regard to the state’s operating budget for
fiscal year 2013 (July 2012-June 2013). While the expense side of the budget
was generally agreed upon by both the House of Delegates and Senate, the
revenue side was not. At issue was a proposed increase in tax rates for those
with higher incomes (generally speaking above $100,000/year) and an expansion
of the state sales tax to cover motor fuels. Mixed into this was a proposal
to increase the number slots parlors allowed in the state by one (in Prince
George’s County) and a call for a referendum that would allow full gaming
(i.e., full-fledged casinos) at all approved slots sites.
Unless agreement can be reached on the revenue issues very soon, the
Governor and Board of Public Works will be forced, by law, to cut the entire
budget to match currently-projected revenue. Because public education is a
prominent part of the state budget, funding for local schools will be
dramatically affected, as will state aid to local counties. The impact of this
could be severe budget cuts for local schools throughout the state, including
Howard County.
Fortunately, this can all be quickly resolved by a brief (1-2 day) special
session of the General Assembly. The Governor has indicated that he is willing
to call such, provided that Assembly leaders can come to agreement on the broad
outlines of a revenue compromise ahead of time. Here’s what we need PTA
members and leaders to do now to resolve these issues:
a. Contact the President of the Senate (Thomas.V.Mike.Miller@senate.state.md.us) and Speaker
of the House (Michael.Busch@house.state.md.us) and urge them to
come to agreement as soon as possible on unresolved revenue issues that existed
when the General Assembly adjourned, thereby avoiding likely cuts to public
education and financial assistance to counties.
b. Contact the Governor (http://www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/) and urge him
to call a special session of the General Assembly as soon as possible to enact
changes to revenue plans that will support planned expenses in the
currently-existing budget.
c. Contact your state delegates and senators (information can be found
at: http://mlis.state.md.us/mgaweb/mail32.aspx) and urge
them to support a call for a special legislative session, and work to resolve
all outstanding budget issues promptly once the session is convened.
If you have any questions about all of this, please feel free to contact
PTACHC’s Legislative Committee at legislative@ptachc.org. Thank
you for your help with this!
March 16, 2012
The major issue(s) so far this session has been
ensuring that local schools receive sufficient financial support to provide
quality education to all children. A background paper from Maryland PTA on
school funding issues is attached. Education funding issues have been coming to
the fore via the Governor’s budget. The budget supports school construction at
a higher level than originally anticipated and continues support to local
districts to enhance equity in education (among other items). HOWEVER, there
are three budget issues that still need attention.
1. Under the “Bridge to Excellence”
(commonly known as the “Thornton Commission”) plan, an inflation-plus increase
in state education aid is to be added every year to gradually achieve over time
equity in education funding between local jurisdictions. During the past
several years this has actually been funded at a level below the rate of
inflation, and this year’s budget continues that practice. PTA members should
be speaking to Delegates and Senators to ensure that school construction funds
are maintained as proposed, and that state aid to education in fulfillment of
the Bridge to Excellence plan is increased above what has been
proposed.
2. The Governor’s proposal to shift
one-half of pension costs for education personnel (teachers, administrators,
community college staff, and public library staff) to local governments is the
other major education finance issue looming in the General Assembly. A number
education advocacy groups can appreciate the rationale for this (pension costs
that have been paid by the state are often a function of salary costs that are
established at the local level with no state control or input). Yet, if not
done carefully, the shifting of some pension costs to local governments could
have the effect of diminishing resources directed to education in the
classroom. The Maryland Association of Boards of Education and the Maryland
Association of Counties has, therefore, come out strongly against the proposal.
Maryland PTA is currently discussing this, and may come out with a position
later this month. In the meantime, when speaking with Delegates and Senators,
PTA members should highlight the concerns that have arisen around this issue,
and advocate for care in its consideration and (if enacted) implementing
language.
3. With increasing pressure on local
governments to reduce budgets, several state senators and delegates have
introduced legislation that would allow counties to to submit to the State
Department of Education requests for waivers from their "maintenance of effort"
requirements and, over time, adjust the way that maintenance of effort is
calculated such that the requirements would be reduced over time ("maintenance
of effort" is the per-pupil spending local jurisdictions devote to spending).
MD PTA opposes these bills as they would erode long-term investment in public
education. When speaking with legislators, please indicate your support for
keeping maintenance of effort requirements as they have been.
Thank you to all the various local PTAs
who discussed and gave input on the issue of whether Maryland PTA and PTACHC
should take a position on the marriage equality bill. We heard a variety of
perspectives on this issue. We appreciate that this is a challenging issue for
many local PTAs to discuss. As you may be aware, events around this proposal
have moved ahead, and a bill was signed into law by the governor earlier this
month. The law may be petitioned to referendum later this year. When discussing
this issue, the Executive Committee of Maryland PTA declined to take a position
on the bill, but encouraged discussion on the issue. In follow-up to that,
PTACHC’s legislative committee will be creating a guide to help local PTAs
continue dialogue. Please watch for that later this spring.
A current bill chart
(updated from the one we sent in February) is attached.
for every child, one voice,
Faenita Dilworth, Legislative
Committee Chair, and John Hannay, Vice-Chair
February 27, 2012
State Threatens to Shift Pension Costs to Counties
The Maryland General Assembly is considering a state budget for next year that includes a $17 million shift of annual teacher pension costs to Howard County. A total of $16.2 million of that amount would need to be
absorbed by the school system. This represents a dramatic shift of fiscal responsibility for the teachers' portion of the Maryland State Employee Pension and Retirement System from the state to local governments - an obligation that has rested solely with the state for 85 years. The budget plan calls for implementation of a 50/50 state/county split in pension costs next year, which would mean deep cuts in local services. While the proposed state budget includes some revenue increases and payment waivers to help the county defray the expense for 2013, this funding is short-term and does not come close to offsetting the total cost of the pension shift for next year or the years to
come.During the fiscal belt-tightening of the past several years, the school system has done its share by cutting
administrative positions, implementing efficiencies, improving operations and repurposing existing funds, all in ways that did not negatively affect
students. The Howard County Public School System cannot absorb a reduction of this size without a significant impact to our students.
The Board of Education will discuss the pension shift and its potential impact on the FY13 Operating Budget during its regularly scheduled meeting on Thur., Mar. 8. The meeting can be viewed on Verizon Channel 42 and Comcast 95 or online at HCPSSTV.com beginning at 4 p.m. If this issue is of concern to you, you may want to contact your elected representatives and/or participate in the lobbying day in Annapolis on Mon., Mar. 5.
Help support school improvement efforts by taking the Goal 2 survey! The survey is open to all parents of HCPSS students.
For
more information about the survey, call 410-313-6755 or -7475
February 26, 2012
Notice: The regularly scheduled general meeting of the PTA Council of
Howard County will not be held on March 5. Instead, please
plan to attend your PTACHC and League of Women Voters:
BOE Candidates Forum
March 5th 6 pm Dept. of Education, 10910 Route 108
If you can't make it to the Forum, you can view it on Comcast Channel 95 or Verizon Channel 42 on:
Monday, March 5 - Live at 6pm
The entire forum will also be livestreamed and available On Demand via
http://hcpsstv.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2 With rebroadcasts on:
Friday, March 9 - 7pm
Sunday, March 11 - 11 am and 7 pm
Friday, March 23 - 8pm
Sunday, March 25 – Noon
Get Out the Vote:The primary election will be on April 3 with early voting held March 24 – 29th at three early voting centers.For more information on voting,
registering to vote, or changing your party affiliation, go to: Howard County Board of Elections
February 17, 2012
PTA Council Report Board of Education Candidate's Forum will be held on Monday, March 5th at the Board of Ed Building in Board Rooms A&B at 6pm. This forum is sponsored by the League of Women Voters and The PTA Council of Howard County. This is an opportunity for parents and the community to "get to know" the 15 candidates who are running for the 3 open board of education positions. This Forum will replace our normally scheduled PTA Council General Meeting. We hope that people will plan to attend the forum to hear the questions posed to the candidates. If you can't make it, the forum will be televised on Comcast Channel 95 or Verizon Channel 42. You call also watch the forum online - http://hcpsstv.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2 Our goal is to insure that our parents go to the polls informed and educated about the candidates.
Please share the following with the parents:
- To learn more about the candidates and the role of the Board of Education go to - http://www.ptachc.org/?page_id=1031
- Tell them that we really need them to go to the polls on April 3rd to vote for their BOE candidates. Even if they are registered as an independent they can still go to the polls to vote for the BOE candidates. Our board is central to the education of our children so we hope that parents will take the time to learn more about the candidates who they think will serve our community best!
Budget Hearings are coming up and we hope that parents will take time to look at the budget which is available on HCPSS.org. We have some potentially tough times ahead as their is still the possibility that 16 million in pension payments will be pushed down to the counties and if this happens the impact on our educational funding could be huge. The majority of the education budget is focused on personnel which means that teachers could be affected by this. Again the BOE meetings can be watched online or on Comcast Channel 95 or Verizon Channel 42. During the meeting, BOE member, Brian Meshkin talked about ways to do more with less. He suggested that we might want to look at Distance Learning or replacing textbooks with ipads which are preloaded with educational content.
Middle School Curriculum proposal was passed with a vote of 5-3. Please go to http://hcpsstv.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=6&clip_id=788 to learn in more detail what led to the approval and to see your board of education in action.
Wellness Committee shared some information on a new partnership between HCPSS and Tri Columbia. (www.tricolumbia.org) to get more students involved in physical activities. They encourage biking, swimming and running in order to provide triathlon instruction. Currently there are 2 Elem, 2 Middle Schools, and 2 High Schools currently involved with Tri Columbia. They work with the Physical Education instructors to include running, biking and swimming into the Physical Education curriculum. TriColumbia will provide the bikes and they pay for the swimming fees as well. If you are interested in bringing this to your school and want to inspire your students to consider getting involved in a triathlon, you can contact anne@tricolumbia.org
February 13, 2012
Board Approves Changes to Middle School Reading
In a 5-3 vote, the Board of Education approved a proposal to restructure middle school reading instruction and adopt a consistent 7-period schedule across all middle schools beginning with the 2012-13 school year. The new Common Core Standards call for instruction to move beyond skill building in basic reading comprehension to teaching higher-level literacy skills in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. By 2013-14, schools need to be fully implementing the Common Core State Curriculum and the state will be field-testing new assessments.
The approved middle school program of studies specifies the following:
February 12, 2012
Click on the link below to see the Priority List for bills as of Feb. 9th before the Maryland Legislature and the position of PTACHC, MD PTA, and National PTA. Please stay tune for any updates as the legislators move forward on these bills. A call may go out to you all as representatives of your PTA membership to contact your legislator in support of a particular bill. This can be as simple as a quick emailor phone call to them (contact info for our legislators will be provided at that time).
Priority Bills 2012 MD General Assembly
January 23, 2012
Board of Education Candidate's Forum - Need Questions for the Candidates!
There are 15 Candidates running for the three Board of Education seats. The PTA Council will be co-sponsoring a Candidate's Forum with the League of Women Voters in March and we need your help developing the list of questions which we would like to pose to the candidates during the forum. Can you send via email a list of questions that you want to have answered by the candidates as our goal is to provide you with as much information as possible so that you can go to the polls armed with the information that you need to select the candidate who meets your expectations. Please email your questions to president@ptachc.org no later than January 25th. Thanks for your help with this effort.
Anti-Bullying Seminar - April 26th
PTA Council is very excited about the upcoming Anti-Bullying Seminar which we will be co-sponsoring with the school system. This will be an incredible opportunity for parents, students and teachers to walk away armed with tools to help them more effectively deal with and hopefully prevent bullying. The PTA Council Safety Committee Chair Carletta Sweeney would really like to invite those of you who are passionate about this topic to join her by helping to assist in the planning of this event. She would love to hear your thoughts and ideas about how you would like to see this evening seminar organized, and she would love to have some help. If you are interested in working on this event or simply want to help via phone and email with ideas
December 12, 2011
Board Decides Rising 5th Graders Will Have To Comply With Redistricting
The Board of Education voted that current 4th graders (also known as rising 5th graders), who live in a redistricted polygon, will not have the option to remain at their current school for their 5th grade year. You can watch a video of the meeting at http://hcpsstv.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=756. The discussion on rising 5th graders takes place about 5 hours and 49 minutes into the video.
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM OF STUDIES OVERVIEW:
Read the report at: http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/hcpssmd/Board.nsf/public
The transition to the Maryland Common Core State Curriculum is based on national standards that are more rigorous than the standards the state currently assesses and better reflect the skills students need to be prepared for college and career.
The next few years will bring many changes to instruction within HCPSS.
· By 2013-2014, the HCPSS must fully transition to the rigorous new Maryland Common Core State Curriculum.
· In 2012-2013, HCPSS will pilot new no-fault teacher and principal evaluation systems. Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has indicated that Maryland will be expected to implement revised evaluation systems in 2013-2014.
· In 2013-2014, the HCPSS will be engaged in state field-testing of the new Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments that must be fully implemented in 2014-2015.
The transition to the new standards has begun with the infusion of writing standards across the curricula, critical review and alignment of all elementary and secondary programs, and staff development around the new mathematics standards.
The 2012-2013 school year will mark the implementation of the new disciplinary literacy standards in all content areas and the introduction of additional MCCSC elements for English Language Arts and mathematics. Extensive professional development will be required across the system to ensure successful integration of the new standards in instruction and assessment for 2014-2015.
The shift in curricular emphasis from general reading comprehension to disciplinary literacy in all content areas will have the most significant impact on program and instructional resource alignment at the middle school level. In addition, recommendations for at least 90 days of physical education instruction in grades 6-8 and the introduction of world language offerings in the sixth grade, adjustments in the middle school student schedule are imperative. The proposed changes will allow HCPSS to provide all students with more customized schedules and provide additional instructional time for middle school students who need targeted support to master the reading comprehension and mathematical skills required by the new rigorous Maryland Common Core State Curriculum.
There will be a Public Hearing: January 12, 2012 and Board Action: January 26, 2012
December 7, 2011
Click here to see the BOE proposal for the restructuring of the HCPSS middle school program.
The Board of Education will meet December 8th when the proposal will be presented during the 4 pm meeting, You can watch online at http://hcpsstv.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=6 OR on cable comcast 95 or verizon 42 The report will be given at the 4 pm meeting (it will be about half way into the meeting). If you miss the live broadcast, it is available to watch any time on the internet (go to the link above) and on the cable channels it is rebroadcast periodically (check the schedule at: http://tvs.hcpss.org/pdf/DecCableGuide2011.pdf
December 5, 2011
Why is Howard County Having School on Jan. 2?
A number of parents have asked why schools will be open on Mon., Jan. 2. Although Jan. 2 is a federal holiday this year, it is not a required holiday for Maryland public schools. New Year's Day is a mandated holiday for schools when it falls on a weekday.
In approving the 2011-12 calendar, the Board of Education chose to open schools on Jan. 2 in order to end the school year as early as possible. The school system is honoring employee contracts by closing the system on Fri., Dec. 30, for the New Year holiday.
November 30, 2011
Recently, Dr. Sydney L. Cousin, Superintendent of the Howard County Public School System, announced his intention to retire as of June 30, 2012. The Board of Education recognizes that selecting a Superintendent is one of its most important functions. The Board has contracted the national search firm of Ray and Associates to assist with the search.
As part of the process, the Board is seeking input from constituents, elected officials, and staff of the school system before selecting the individual who will serve as our next superintendent. We invite you to complete a survey online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5B5WXYQ or attend one of the Community Open Forums scheduled from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 7, 2011, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
We have also scheduled two meetings for HCPSS students at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 7 in Board Room B at the Department of Education. Students may attend either session. Students are also welcome to attend the Community Forums or complete the online survey.
If you have any questions, please contact the Board Office at 410-313-7194 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-313-7194 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-313-7194 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-313-7194 end_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
November 21, 2011
Board Sets New Attendance Areas for 10 Elementary Schools
The Board of Education took action to move approximately 1200 elementary students to different schools next year. The decision shifts the student population from the southeast, where schools are at or over capacity, to schools with space in the south central part of the county. The moves also position the system for the opening of new elementary school #41 in 2013.
The elementary schools involved include Forest Ridge, which will send students to Bollman Bridge in order to receive students from Laurel Woods. Guilford will send students to Atholton and Hammond in order to receive students from Bollman Bridge. Atholton will also send students to Hammond. Fulton will send students to Pointers Run and Dayton Oaks in order to receive students from Gorman Crossing and Hammond.
Attendance area details are available at www.hcpss.org/boundarylines.
Board members requested staff to provide data on the number of current 4th graders who will be affected by the redistricting, so they could consider allowing rising 5th graders to remain in their current schools next year. That decision is scheduled for Dec.
November 16, 2011
The Board of Education is scheduled to take action on changes to elementary school attendance areas in the southeast part of the county on Thursday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m. The plan discussed at last evening's work session is now available on the school system's website at http://www.hcpss.org/boundarylines/.
Achievement Data
Attached are the slides and some general school data which Dr. Clarissa Evans emailed as part of the November General meeting follow-up. You can find the achievement results for your particular school by going to http://www.mdreportcard.org/ The most recent profile of the school system (2010-2011) A new one comes out in January. It indicates that Limited Proficient students are 3.5% of the student population.
"Yes, you can be a candidate for School Board!"
Are YOU interested? Do you know someone who might be interested? Then please come to the C.Vernon Gray Conference Room of the George Howard Building on Saturday, November 19 from 9 - 11 am. for a panel presentation followed by a brief discussion of required forms, important dates and fees. This free presentation will be helpful to all potential Howard County School Board candidates, campaign managers and treasurers. Handouts will be provided. For questions and to register, contact Betsy Grater at 410-730-0142 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-730-0142 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-730-0142 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-730-0142 end_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting
PTA Council of Howard County Needs a few good men and women to join our committees! If you are looking for ways to work with the school system to advocate for change in areas like wellness, curriculum, safety, family involvement and legislation then joining one of our PTA Council committees is a perfect next step for you. The PTA Council does all of its work through our committees. We work with key stakeholders in the school system to develop strategies and solutions which will help us to accomplish some of the goals which the PTA Council has identified as short and long term goals for the organization. For example:
Safety Committee - will be working on two specific goals this year 1) Bus Monitoring: it has come to our attention that there is a real need for bus monitors on our school buses; 2) We are planning to sponsor an April 2012 Symposium for parents which will serve as a Step by Step Guide to Fighting against Bullying, Cyber bullying, and Harassment. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please email Carletta Sweeney at safety@ptachc.org
Wellness Committee - will be working to make sure that wellness initiatives are a priority in our schools. The wellness committee will be sponsoring a spring wellness forum and they want to share ideas and programs which have been successfully implemented at other schools. The wellness committee will be addressing food and nutrition concerns, importance of recess, physical education and much more. If this committee is of interest to you, contact Andrea LeWinter at wellness@ptachc.org
Curriculum Committee - Are you concerned about the integration of technology in the classroom? Do you feel that the math and science curriculum should be taught together vs as separate content areas and do you have specific interests in the special education curriculum and Gifted and Talented offerings then this might be the right committee for you. We need lots of members on this committee as we are planning a technology fair this spring and need ideas and suggestions for ways in which we can make this a success. Please contact Mary Chambers at curriculum@ptachc.org if you are interested.
Family Involvement - This committee has traditionally handled our coat drive, and helped to coordinate our Backpack for Success Drive but we also feel that one of our primary goals needs to be finding ways to increase the level of parental involvement at school and on the PTAs. This year we want to work with various community groups to find ways to partner with them on goals and initiatives which we share in common. We also want to increase the involvement of Dads and our international family groups so that we can foster a greater sense of community in our schools. If you are interested please email familyinvolvement@ptachc.org
Legislative Committee - This committee work on legislative issues at the state and local level which have a direct impact on our children. Our role is to advocate on behalf of our children and if you have a keen interest in advocacy and politics, this is a perfect committee for your talents. Please contact Faenita Dilworth at legislative@ptachc.org
For more information on our committees go to www.ptachc.org
April 18, 2012
Sine Die brought the Maryland
General Assembly regular 2012 session to a close having agreed on the expense
side of the budget but not the revenue side of the state’s operating budget for
fiscal year 2013. Without agreement on the revenue issues, the Governor and
Board of Public Works will be forced to cut the entire budget to match the
currently-projected revenue level. As we all know, education is a prominent
part of the State budget and the “dooms-day” scenario of the budget axe would
have a deleterious effect to the extent that it would significantly impact
every child in all public schools in the State through increased class sizes,
loss of teachers or teacher training and in some counties, a failure to meet
Maintenance of Effort requirements. For that
reason, we ask that you contact your local State Delegates and Senators,
Governor Martin O’Malley and Senate President Mike Miller and Speaker of the
House Michael Busch to ask that they reconvene for a special session of the
General Assembly to address the revenue issues. Ask that they reconvene
in a special session to address the unresolved revenue issues. Impart to them
that 200,000 Maryland PTA members ask that they make addressing public
education and assistance to counties their top priority.This is critical
because counties will soon finalize their local budget proposals, most of which
must be passed by the end of May. They all depend on state funding. Over the
last three years, the counties have lost much of their state aid, but they
still need to know the final figure what they will get. In most cases, more
than half of local budgets go to schools, and the school systems need to know
what they're getting. State agencies need to know if they must trim operating
expenses 8% come July.
Contact the President of the Senate:
(Thomas.V.Mike.Miller@senate.state.md.us)
Speaker of the House (Michael.Busch@house.state.md.us) and
Your local State Delegate and Senator (information can be found at: http://mlis.state.md.us/mgaweb/mail32.aspx)
Contact the Governor (http://www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/)
April 17, 2012
Dear PTACHC Colleagues:
As you’ve likely heard, the Maryland General Assembly ended its regular
2012 session inconclusively with regard to the state’s operating budget for
fiscal year 2013 (July 2012-June 2013). While the expense side of the budget
was generally agreed upon by both the House of Delegates and Senate, the
revenue side was not. At issue was a proposed increase in tax rates for those
with higher incomes (generally speaking above $100,000/year) and an expansion
of the state sales tax to cover motor fuels. Mixed into this was a proposal
to increase the number slots parlors allowed in the state by one (in Prince
George’s County) and a call for a referendum that would allow full gaming
(i.e., full-fledged casinos) at all approved slots sites.
Unless agreement can be reached on the revenue issues very soon, the
Governor and Board of Public Works will be forced, by law, to cut the entire
budget to match currently-projected revenue. Because public education is a
prominent part of the state budget, funding for local schools will be
dramatically affected, as will state aid to local counties. The impact of this
could be severe budget cuts for local schools throughout the state, including
Howard County.
Fortunately, this can all be quickly resolved by a brief (1-2 day) special
session of the General Assembly. The Governor has indicated that he is willing
to call such, provided that Assembly leaders can come to agreement on the broad
outlines of a revenue compromise ahead of time. Here’s what we need PTA
members and leaders to do now to resolve these issues:
a. Contact the President of the Senate (Thomas.V.Mike.Miller@senate.state.md.us) and Speaker
of the House (Michael.Busch@house.state.md.us) and urge them to
come to agreement as soon as possible on unresolved revenue issues that existed
when the General Assembly adjourned, thereby avoiding likely cuts to public
education and financial assistance to counties.
b. Contact the Governor (http://www.governor.maryland.gov/mail/) and urge him
to call a special session of the General Assembly as soon as possible to enact
changes to revenue plans that will support planned expenses in the
currently-existing budget.
c. Contact your state delegates and senators (information can be found
at: http://mlis.state.md.us/mgaweb/mail32.aspx) and urge
them to support a call for a special legislative session, and work to resolve
all outstanding budget issues promptly once the session is convened.
If you have any questions about all of this, please feel free to contact
PTACHC’s Legislative Committee at legislative@ptachc.org. Thank
you for your help with this!
March 16, 2012
The major issue(s) so far this session has been
ensuring that local schools receive sufficient financial support to provide
quality education to all children. A background paper from Maryland PTA on
school funding issues is attached. Education funding issues have been coming to
the fore via the Governor’s budget. The budget supports school construction at
a higher level than originally anticipated and continues support to local
districts to enhance equity in education (among other items). HOWEVER, there
are three budget issues that still need attention.
1. Under the “Bridge to Excellence”
(commonly known as the “Thornton Commission”) plan, an inflation-plus increase
in state education aid is to be added every year to gradually achieve over time
equity in education funding between local jurisdictions. During the past
several years this has actually been funded at a level below the rate of
inflation, and this year’s budget continues that practice. PTA members should
be speaking to Delegates and Senators to ensure that school construction funds
are maintained as proposed, and that state aid to education in fulfillment of
the Bridge to Excellence plan is increased above what has been
proposed.
2. The Governor’s proposal to shift
one-half of pension costs for education personnel (teachers, administrators,
community college staff, and public library staff) to local governments is the
other major education finance issue looming in the General Assembly. A number
education advocacy groups can appreciate the rationale for this (pension costs
that have been paid by the state are often a function of salary costs that are
established at the local level with no state control or input). Yet, if not
done carefully, the shifting of some pension costs to local governments could
have the effect of diminishing resources directed to education in the
classroom. The Maryland Association of Boards of Education and the Maryland
Association of Counties has, therefore, come out strongly against the proposal.
Maryland PTA is currently discussing this, and may come out with a position
later this month. In the meantime, when speaking with Delegates and Senators,
PTA members should highlight the concerns that have arisen around this issue,
and advocate for care in its consideration and (if enacted) implementing
language.
3. With increasing pressure on local
governments to reduce budgets, several state senators and delegates have
introduced legislation that would allow counties to to submit to the State
Department of Education requests for waivers from their "maintenance of effort"
requirements and, over time, adjust the way that maintenance of effort is
calculated such that the requirements would be reduced over time ("maintenance
of effort" is the per-pupil spending local jurisdictions devote to spending).
MD PTA opposes these bills as they would erode long-term investment in public
education. When speaking with legislators, please indicate your support for
keeping maintenance of effort requirements as they have been.
Thank you to all the various local PTAs
who discussed and gave input on the issue of whether Maryland PTA and PTACHC
should take a position on the marriage equality bill. We heard a variety of
perspectives on this issue. We appreciate that this is a challenging issue for
many local PTAs to discuss. As you may be aware, events around this proposal
have moved ahead, and a bill was signed into law by the governor earlier this
month. The law may be petitioned to referendum later this year. When discussing
this issue, the Executive Committee of Maryland PTA declined to take a position
on the bill, but encouraged discussion on the issue. In follow-up to that,
PTACHC’s legislative committee will be creating a guide to help local PTAs
continue dialogue. Please watch for that later this spring.
A current bill chart
(updated from the one we sent in February) is attached.
for every child, one voice,
Faenita Dilworth, Legislative
Committee Chair, and John Hannay, Vice-Chair
February 27, 2012
State Threatens to Shift Pension Costs to Counties
The Maryland General Assembly is considering a state budget for next year that includes a $17 million shift of annual teacher pension costs to Howard County. A total of $16.2 million of that amount would need to be
absorbed by the school system. This represents a dramatic shift of fiscal responsibility for the teachers' portion of the Maryland State Employee Pension and Retirement System from the state to local governments - an obligation that has rested solely with the state for 85 years. The budget plan calls for implementation of a 50/50 state/county split in pension costs next year, which would mean deep cuts in local services. While the proposed state budget includes some revenue increases and payment waivers to help the county defray the expense for 2013, this funding is short-term and does not come close to offsetting the total cost of the pension shift for next year or the years to
come.During the fiscal belt-tightening of the past several years, the school system has done its share by cutting
administrative positions, implementing efficiencies, improving operations and repurposing existing funds, all in ways that did not negatively affect
students. The Howard County Public School System cannot absorb a reduction of this size without a significant impact to our students.
The Board of Education will discuss the pension shift and its potential impact on the FY13 Operating Budget during its regularly scheduled meeting on Thur., Mar. 8. The meeting can be viewed on Verizon Channel 42 and Comcast 95 or online at HCPSSTV.com beginning at 4 p.m. If this issue is of concern to you, you may want to contact your elected representatives and/or participate in the lobbying day in Annapolis on Mon., Mar. 5.
- Delegate Gail Bates:
gail.bates@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Elizabeth Bobo:
elizabeth.bobo@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Steven DeBoy:
steven.deboy@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Guy Guzzone:
guy.guzzone@house.state.md.us
- Delegate James Malone:
james.malone@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Warren Miller:
warren.miller@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Shane
Pendergrass: shane.pendergrass@house.state.md.us
- Delegate Frank Turner:
frank.turner@house.state.md.us
- Senator Edward
Kasemeyer: edward.kasemeyer@senate.state.md.us
- Senator Allan Kittleman:
allan.kittleman@senate.state.md.us
- Senator James Robey:
james.robey@senate.state.md.us
Help support school improvement efforts by taking the Goal 2 survey! The survey is open to all parents of HCPSS students.
For
more information about the survey, call 410-313-6755 or -7475
February 26, 2012
Notice: The regularly scheduled general meeting of the PTA Council of
Howard County will not be held on March 5. Instead, please
plan to attend your PTACHC and League of Women Voters:
BOE Candidates Forum
March 5th 6 pm Dept. of Education, 10910 Route 108
If you can't make it to the Forum, you can view it on Comcast Channel 95 or Verizon Channel 42 on:
Monday, March 5 - Live at 6pm
The entire forum will also be livestreamed and available On Demand via
http://hcpsstv.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2 With rebroadcasts on:
Friday, March 9 - 7pm
Sunday, March 11 - 11 am and 7 pm
Friday, March 23 - 8pm
Sunday, March 25 – Noon
Get Out the Vote:The primary election will be on April 3 with early voting held March 24 – 29th at three early voting centers.For more information on voting,
registering to vote, or changing your party affiliation, go to: Howard County Board of Elections
February 17, 2012
PTA Council Report Board of Education Candidate's Forum will be held on Monday, March 5th at the Board of Ed Building in Board Rooms A&B at 6pm. This forum is sponsored by the League of Women Voters and The PTA Council of Howard County. This is an opportunity for parents and the community to "get to know" the 15 candidates who are running for the 3 open board of education positions. This Forum will replace our normally scheduled PTA Council General Meeting. We hope that people will plan to attend the forum to hear the questions posed to the candidates. If you can't make it, the forum will be televised on Comcast Channel 95 or Verizon Channel 42. You call also watch the forum online - http://hcpsstv.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2 Our goal is to insure that our parents go to the polls informed and educated about the candidates.
Please share the following with the parents:
- To learn more about the candidates and the role of the Board of Education go to - http://www.ptachc.org/?page_id=1031
- Tell them that we really need them to go to the polls on April 3rd to vote for their BOE candidates. Even if they are registered as an independent they can still go to the polls to vote for the BOE candidates. Our board is central to the education of our children so we hope that parents will take the time to learn more about the candidates who they think will serve our community best!
Budget Hearings are coming up and we hope that parents will take time to look at the budget which is available on HCPSS.org. We have some potentially tough times ahead as their is still the possibility that 16 million in pension payments will be pushed down to the counties and if this happens the impact on our educational funding could be huge. The majority of the education budget is focused on personnel which means that teachers could be affected by this. Again the BOE meetings can be watched online or on Comcast Channel 95 or Verizon Channel 42. During the meeting, BOE member, Brian Meshkin talked about ways to do more with less. He suggested that we might want to look at Distance Learning or replacing textbooks with ipads which are preloaded with educational content.
Middle School Curriculum proposal was passed with a vote of 5-3. Please go to http://hcpsstv.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=6&clip_id=788 to learn in more detail what led to the approval and to see your board of education in action.
Wellness Committee shared some information on a new partnership between HCPSS and Tri Columbia. (www.tricolumbia.org) to get more students involved in physical activities. They encourage biking, swimming and running in order to provide triathlon instruction. Currently there are 2 Elem, 2 Middle Schools, and 2 High Schools currently involved with Tri Columbia. They work with the Physical Education instructors to include running, biking and swimming into the Physical Education curriculum. TriColumbia will provide the bikes and they pay for the swimming fees as well. If you are interested in bringing this to your school and want to inspire your students to consider getting involved in a triathlon, you can contact anne@tricolumbia.org
February 13, 2012
Board Approves Changes to Middle School Reading
In a 5-3 vote, the Board of Education approved a proposal to restructure middle school reading instruction and adopt a consistent 7-period schedule across all middle schools beginning with the 2012-13 school year. The new Common Core Standards call for instruction to move beyond skill building in basic reading comprehension to teaching higher-level literacy skills in history/social studies, science, and technical subjects. By 2013-14, schools need to be fully implementing the Common Core State Curriculum and the state will be field-testing new assessments.
The approved middle school program of studies specifies the following:
- The middle school schedule at all schools will include seven, 50-minute periods each day.
- All students will receive daily instruction in mathematics, science, social studies and English language arts, and these courses will include a focus on literacy instruction.
- Students who need additional reading instruction will be enrolled in English language arts seminars or reading interventions.
- Common Core State Standards for English language arts and literacy in history/social studies and technical subjects will be infused into all middle school courses.
- All middle school teachers will teach 5 periods.
- All middle school teachers will have one program implementation period per day in addition to their daily planning period.
- World Language Instruction will take place every other day in Grades 6 and 7, and daily in Grade 8.
February 12, 2012
Click on the link below to see the Priority List for bills as of Feb. 9th before the Maryland Legislature and the position of PTACHC, MD PTA, and National PTA. Please stay tune for any updates as the legislators move forward on these bills. A call may go out to you all as representatives of your PTA membership to contact your legislator in support of a particular bill. This can be as simple as a quick emailor phone call to them (contact info for our legislators will be provided at that time).
Priority Bills 2012 MD General Assembly
January 23, 2012
Board of Education Candidate's Forum - Need Questions for the Candidates!
There are 15 Candidates running for the three Board of Education seats. The PTA Council will be co-sponsoring a Candidate's Forum with the League of Women Voters in March and we need your help developing the list of questions which we would like to pose to the candidates during the forum. Can you send via email a list of questions that you want to have answered by the candidates as our goal is to provide you with as much information as possible so that you can go to the polls armed with the information that you need to select the candidate who meets your expectations. Please email your questions to president@ptachc.org no later than January 25th. Thanks for your help with this effort.
Anti-Bullying Seminar - April 26th
PTA Council is very excited about the upcoming Anti-Bullying Seminar which we will be co-sponsoring with the school system. This will be an incredible opportunity for parents, students and teachers to walk away armed with tools to help them more effectively deal with and hopefully prevent bullying. The PTA Council Safety Committee Chair Carletta Sweeney would really like to invite those of you who are passionate about this topic to join her by helping to assist in the planning of this event. She would love to hear your thoughts and ideas about how you would like to see this evening seminar organized, and she would love to have some help. If you are interested in working on this event or simply want to help via phone and email with ideas
December 12, 2011
Board Decides Rising 5th Graders Will Have To Comply With Redistricting
The Board of Education voted that current 4th graders (also known as rising 5th graders), who live in a redistricted polygon, will not have the option to remain at their current school for their 5th grade year. You can watch a video of the meeting at http://hcpsstv.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=756. The discussion on rising 5th graders takes place about 5 hours and 49 minutes into the video.
MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM OF STUDIES OVERVIEW:
Read the report at: http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/hcpssmd/Board.nsf/public
The transition to the Maryland Common Core State Curriculum is based on national standards that are more rigorous than the standards the state currently assesses and better reflect the skills students need to be prepared for college and career.
The next few years will bring many changes to instruction within HCPSS.
· By 2013-2014, the HCPSS must fully transition to the rigorous new Maryland Common Core State Curriculum.
· In 2012-2013, HCPSS will pilot new no-fault teacher and principal evaluation systems. Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has indicated that Maryland will be expected to implement revised evaluation systems in 2013-2014.
· In 2013-2014, the HCPSS will be engaged in state field-testing of the new Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) assessments that must be fully implemented in 2014-2015.
The transition to the new standards has begun with the infusion of writing standards across the curricula, critical review and alignment of all elementary and secondary programs, and staff development around the new mathematics standards.
The 2012-2013 school year will mark the implementation of the new disciplinary literacy standards in all content areas and the introduction of additional MCCSC elements for English Language Arts and mathematics. Extensive professional development will be required across the system to ensure successful integration of the new standards in instruction and assessment for 2014-2015.
The shift in curricular emphasis from general reading comprehension to disciplinary literacy in all content areas will have the most significant impact on program and instructional resource alignment at the middle school level. In addition, recommendations for at least 90 days of physical education instruction in grades 6-8 and the introduction of world language offerings in the sixth grade, adjustments in the middle school student schedule are imperative. The proposed changes will allow HCPSS to provide all students with more customized schedules and provide additional instructional time for middle school students who need targeted support to master the reading comprehension and mathematical skills required by the new rigorous Maryland Common Core State Curriculum.
There will be a Public Hearing: January 12, 2012 and Board Action: January 26, 2012
December 7, 2011
Click here to see the BOE proposal for the restructuring of the HCPSS middle school program.
The Board of Education will meet December 8th when the proposal will be presented during the 4 pm meeting, You can watch online at http://hcpsstv.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=6 OR on cable comcast 95 or verizon 42 The report will be given at the 4 pm meeting (it will be about half way into the meeting). If you miss the live broadcast, it is available to watch any time on the internet (go to the link above) and on the cable channels it is rebroadcast periodically (check the schedule at: http://tvs.hcpss.org/pdf/DecCableGuide2011.pdf
December 5, 2011
Why is Howard County Having School on Jan. 2?
A number of parents have asked why schools will be open on Mon., Jan. 2. Although Jan. 2 is a federal holiday this year, it is not a required holiday for Maryland public schools. New Year's Day is a mandated holiday for schools when it falls on a weekday.
In approving the 2011-12 calendar, the Board of Education chose to open schools on Jan. 2 in order to end the school year as early as possible. The school system is honoring employee contracts by closing the system on Fri., Dec. 30, for the New Year holiday.
November 30, 2011
Recently, Dr. Sydney L. Cousin, Superintendent of the Howard County Public School System, announced his intention to retire as of June 30, 2012. The Board of Education recognizes that selecting a Superintendent is one of its most important functions. The Board has contracted the national search firm of Ray and Associates to assist with the search.
As part of the process, the Board is seeking input from constituents, elected officials, and staff of the school system before selecting the individual who will serve as our next superintendent. We invite you to complete a survey online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5B5WXYQ or attend one of the Community Open Forums scheduled from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 7, 2011, in the Board Room at the Department of Education, 10910 Route 108 in Ellicott City.
We have also scheduled two meetings for HCPSS students at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 6 and Wednesday, December 7 in Board Room B at the Department of Education. Students may attend either session. Students are also welcome to attend the Community Forums or complete the online survey.
If you have any questions, please contact the Board Office at 410-313-7194 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-313-7194 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-313-7194 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-313-7194 end_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
November 21, 2011
Board Sets New Attendance Areas for 10 Elementary Schools
The Board of Education took action to move approximately 1200 elementary students to different schools next year. The decision shifts the student population from the southeast, where schools are at or over capacity, to schools with space in the south central part of the county. The moves also position the system for the opening of new elementary school #41 in 2013.
The elementary schools involved include Forest Ridge, which will send students to Bollman Bridge in order to receive students from Laurel Woods. Guilford will send students to Atholton and Hammond in order to receive students from Bollman Bridge. Atholton will also send students to Hammond. Fulton will send students to Pointers Run and Dayton Oaks in order to receive students from Gorman Crossing and Hammond.
Attendance area details are available at www.hcpss.org/boundarylines.
Board members requested staff to provide data on the number of current 4th graders who will be affected by the redistricting, so they could consider allowing rising 5th graders to remain in their current schools next year. That decision is scheduled for Dec.
November 16, 2011
The Board of Education is scheduled to take action on changes to elementary school attendance areas in the southeast part of the county on Thursday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m. The plan discussed at last evening's work session is now available on the school system's website at http://www.hcpss.org/boundarylines/.
Achievement Data
Attached are the slides and some general school data which Dr. Clarissa Evans emailed as part of the November General meeting follow-up. You can find the achievement results for your particular school by going to http://www.mdreportcard.org/ The most recent profile of the school system (2010-2011) A new one comes out in January. It indicates that Limited Proficient students are 3.5% of the student population.
"Yes, you can be a candidate for School Board!"
Are YOU interested? Do you know someone who might be interested? Then please come to the C.Vernon Gray Conference Room of the George Howard Building on Saturday, November 19 from 9 - 11 am. for a panel presentation followed by a brief discussion of required forms, important dates and fees. This free presentation will be helpful to all potential Howard County School Board candidates, campaign managers and treasurers. Handouts will be provided. For questions and to register, contact Betsy Grater at 410-730-0142 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-730-0142 end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-730-0142 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 410-730-0142 end_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting
PTA Council of Howard County Needs a few good men and women to join our committees! If you are looking for ways to work with the school system to advocate for change in areas like wellness, curriculum, safety, family involvement and legislation then joining one of our PTA Council committees is a perfect next step for you. The PTA Council does all of its work through our committees. We work with key stakeholders in the school system to develop strategies and solutions which will help us to accomplish some of the goals which the PTA Council has identified as short and long term goals for the organization. For example:
Safety Committee - will be working on two specific goals this year 1) Bus Monitoring: it has come to our attention that there is a real need for bus monitors on our school buses; 2) We are planning to sponsor an April 2012 Symposium for parents which will serve as a Step by Step Guide to Fighting against Bullying, Cyber bullying, and Harassment. If you are interested in serving on this committee, please email Carletta Sweeney at safety@ptachc.org
Wellness Committee - will be working to make sure that wellness initiatives are a priority in our schools. The wellness committee will be sponsoring a spring wellness forum and they want to share ideas and programs which have been successfully implemented at other schools. The wellness committee will be addressing food and nutrition concerns, importance of recess, physical education and much more. If this committee is of interest to you, contact Andrea LeWinter at wellness@ptachc.org
Curriculum Committee - Are you concerned about the integration of technology in the classroom? Do you feel that the math and science curriculum should be taught together vs as separate content areas and do you have specific interests in the special education curriculum and Gifted and Talented offerings then this might be the right committee for you. We need lots of members on this committee as we are planning a technology fair this spring and need ideas and suggestions for ways in which we can make this a success. Please contact Mary Chambers at curriculum@ptachc.org if you are interested.
Family Involvement - This committee has traditionally handled our coat drive, and helped to coordinate our Backpack for Success Drive but we also feel that one of our primary goals needs to be finding ways to increase the level of parental involvement at school and on the PTAs. This year we want to work with various community groups to find ways to partner with them on goals and initiatives which we share in common. We also want to increase the involvement of Dads and our international family groups so that we can foster a greater sense of community in our schools. If you are interested please email familyinvolvement@ptachc.org
Legislative Committee - This committee work on legislative issues at the state and local level which have a direct impact on our children. Our role is to advocate on behalf of our children and if you have a keen interest in advocacy and politics, this is a perfect committee for your talents. Please contact Faenita Dilworth at legislative@ptachc.org
For more information on our committees go to www.ptachc.org
