WHEREAS, The Board of Education of Montgomery County is authorized by the Education Article and General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland to conduct certain meetings or portions of its meetings in closed sessions; now therefore be it

Resolved, That  the  Board  of  Education  of  Montgomery  County  conduct  a closed session on February 10, 2015, in Room 120 of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland,  from  8:30 a.m. to approximately 9:30 a.m. and from 12:00 p.m. to approximately 1:00 p.m.; and be it further

Resolved, That the Board receive legal advice as the Board adjudicates appeals, which is a quasi-judicial function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act and as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(7) of the General Provisions Article; and be it further

Resolved, That the superintendent of schools brief the Board on the Human Resources Monthly Report, which is an administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act, and to the extent any individual employee is discussed, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(1) of the General Provisions Article; and be it further

Resolved, That the superintendent of schools brief the Board on the Quarterly Sexual Harassment Report, which is an administrative function and outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act, and to the extent any individual employee is discussed, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(1) of the General Provisions Article; and be it further

Resolved, That the superintendent of schools brief the Board on operating and capital budget strategy, which is an administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act; and be it further

  Resolved, That the meeting continue in closed session until the completion of        business.

WHEREAS, Montgomery County Public Schools and national educational organizations have proclaimed February 2015 as Career and Technology Education Month; and

WHEREAS, Profound economic and technological changes in our society rapidly are reflected
in the structure and nature of work, thereby placing new and additional responsibilities on our educational system; and

WHEREAS, Career and technology education programs in Montgomery County Public Schools are rigorous, innovative, and vital components of the educational system, which is committed to providing students with rewarding opportunities to learn valuable career, academic, problem- solving, and life skills; and

WHEREAS, Career and technology education programs in Montgomery County Public Schools are aligned with domestic and international business and industry partners’ practices to ensure that students are equipped with the communication, global awareness, time management, team building, and leadership skills required for lifelong career success; and

WHEREAS, Career and technology education programs in Montgomery County Public Schools are continually providing students with opportunities to gain invaluable hands-on experience through job shadowing, internships, and site-based work experiences; and

WHEREAS, Career and technology education programs in Montgomery County Public Schools have operated with a strong commitment to preparing students for postsecondary success by providing opportunities to earn industry certifications, explore individual career options, and earn college credit; and

WHEREAS, We are committed to recruiting highly qualified, focused educators for our career and technology education programs in Montgomery County Public Schools who are dedicated
to ensuring that our students are career and college ready; and

WHEREAS, The ever-increasing cooperative business partnerships and program advisory committees of career and technology educators and business/industry professionals support and enhance the preparation of our graduates for career fields forecast to experience the largest
and fastest growth in the next decade; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Montgomery County Board of Education and the superintendent of schools hereby declare February 2015, to be observed as Career and Technology Education Month
in Montgomery County Public Schools.

WHEREAS, Mr. James H. Daugherty, former member of the Montgomery County Board of Education from 1970 to 1974, passed away on Tuesday, January 20, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Daugherty was the first elected black school board member in Maryland, as well as Montgomery County’s first black school board member and countywide elected black official; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Daugherty was an advocate for the school board to start giving serious thought to having a student voice on the board; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Daugherty believed in a humanistic approach to education where children had a sense of belonging and a feeling of security when they came to school, which was essential to allow all children to achieve; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Montgomery County Board of Education honors the life of Mr. James H. Daugherty for his service to the children of Montgomery County; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the family of Mr. James H. Daugherty.

The Board of Education (Board) received a report on options for changing school bell times, Bell Times—Analysis of Additional Options on January 6, 2015.  This report responded to the Board’s June 17, 2014, request to the superintendent of schools to review low-cost options, not to exceed $10 million, for changing the start times for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) and identify the implications of these options.  The Board also requested that the superintendent of schools present these options to the Board in time for consideration during the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Operating Budget request.  The Board discussed the report with staff at its January 13, 2015, meeting.  The analysis addressed the challenges and advantages for each option as well as the estimated cost.

The Board added an alternative for consideration by the public of adjusting the start times of elementary schools by 10 minutes less than the adjustment for middle schools and high schools.  For example, in my recommended option to delay start times by 20 minutes, the start time for elementary schools would be delayed by only 10 minutes, but it would end 20 minutes later, extending the elementary school day by 10 minutes.

Given the cost implications and the outlook for the FY 2016 Operating Budget and challenges presented by each of the options discussed in the report, I recommended on January 13, 2015, that the Board adopt the option that starts and ends high schools and middle schools 20 minutes later. I also believe that the Board’s alternative to start elementary schools 10 minutes later and end the elementary school day 20 minutes later, which will extend the elementary school day by 10 minutes, is an acceptable option.  Although 20 minutes may not be ideal for extending sleep time for all high school students, it is a move in the right direction, and it will allow the potential for some additional sleep for all involved. 

The current starting and ending bell times for MCPS are:

The recommended starting and ending bell times for MCPS are:

Cost of Recommendation

The length of the transportation window is the major factor in determining the cost of any option.  It is possible to reduce the need for additional school buses and bus operators by lengthening the window of operations, which is the amount of time between the first trip of the morning and the last and likewise for the afternoon.  The January 13, 2015, report identified the costs for each option.  The shift of start and end times for all schools by 20 or 35 minutes had no cost implications because the length of the transportation window does not change. 

The Board’s alternative, which would adjust the start time for elementary schools by 10 minutes instead of 20 minutes, would shorten the length of the transportation window and reduce costs by approximately $1.3 million.  The MCPS Department of Transportation (DOT) staff has reviewed all bus routes to determine whether any additional buses would be needed if the transportation window were shortened.  As a result of this analysis, it was determined that no additional regular education or special education runs will be needed for this option. In addition, the Board indicated when it approved the alternative that the 10 minutes added to the elementary school day would be used to adjust the length of lunch or recess.  Therefore, 37.7 additional lunch hour aide positions would be required at a cost of $1,077,775. Thus, there are no additional costs. I am recommending we reduce the costs in transportation by the same amount as the increase in the elementary school budget for lunch hour aide positions to ensure we do not create a deficit in the DOT budget. This would make this option cost neutral.

Public Input 

Following the bell times report release on January 6, 2015, a concentrated effort has been under way to ensure the public is aware of new options being considered by the Board. The Office of Communications created and translated a summary of the bell times options into six languages and broadly distributed the documents across the community.  The summary of bell times options was shared with the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Parents’ Council, and other community organizations such as Identity, Inc.  Parent outreach staff in the Office of Community Engagement and Partnerships and the Division of English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)/Bilingual Programs also is sharing information with parent groups and gathering feedback for the Board’s consideration.

In a focused effort to solicit feedback from the Hispanic community, the Office of Communications, in partnership with Univision Washington, held a telephone call-in session on January 28, 2015.  A MCPS staff member appeared on the morning, early evening, and late evening Univision Washington newscasts to provide information about the bell times options, and invited viewers to contact the MCPS Call Center and provide feedback.  A total of 133 calls was received during the three call-in periods (6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.; 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.; and 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.), exceeding the expectations of MCPS and Univision Washington staff. Interestingly, 55 callers were in favor of adjusting bell times, 76 callers were opposed (many citing difficulty in adjusting work schedules), and 2 were neutral on the issue.

Two public hearings were held at the Carver Educational Services Center on January 22, 2015, and 80 individuals presented testimony to the Board.  The testimony was overwhelmingly in support of changing high school bell times.  Many of the speakers stressed the need to start high schools no earlier than 8:30 a.m.  There was not a great deal of testimony shared about the impact of starting elementary schools or middle schools as early as 7:30 a.m. or as late as 9:45 a.m., or ending elementary schools or middle schools as late as 4:25 p.m. I am cognizant that most of the individuals who testified represented only one segment of the community, and we did not receive much testimony from our elementary schools, staff, or the working class and diverse families whom we serve.

In addition to supplying testimony at the public hearing, the public has forwarded more than 2,000     e-mail messages to the bell times e-mail dropbox. All of the public input was compiled by the Office of Shared Accountability and was shared with the Board on February 6, 2015.

Study of Safe and Healthy School Hours for Maryland Public Schools

In my January 13, 2015, memorandum to the Board, I shared that the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DHMH) released a report on December 22, 2014, Study of Safe and Healthy School Hours for Maryland Public Schools, to the Maryland General Assembly and former Governor Martin O’Malley. The study was conducted pursuant to Chapter 620 of the Acts of 2014 that required DHMH  to “review the science on the sleep needs of children and adolescents, including the effects of sleep deprivation on academic performance and benefits of sufficient sleep; review and study how other school systems have implemented alternative school day starting times and how various activities in those school systems were impacted and scheduled around the changes; and make recommendations regarding whether public schools should implement a starting time of no earlier than 8:00 a.m.”

Both DHMH and the Maryland State Department of Education endorsed a recommendation to “encourage the Maryland State Board of Education use its authority (specified in Md. Code Ann., Ed. § 2-205) to advise local school systems of the benefits of a later school start time policies, and to encourage them to conduct feasibility studies regarding the implementation of school starting times of 8:00 a.m. or later.”

Although my recommendation does not achieve the 8:00 a.m. start time for high schools, we are able to make progress without adding funding requirements to the operating budget. In addition, the 20-minute delay will give high school students, parents, and staff time to adjust work schedules and morning routines with minimal negative unintended consequencesAlthough my recommendation does not achieve the 8:00 a.m. start time for high schools, we are able to make progress without adding funding requirements to the operating budget. In addition, the 20-minute delay will give high school students, parents, and staff time to adjust work schedules and morning routines with minimal negative unintended consequences.

Superintendent’s Recommendation

I have been consistent in my support of and my belief that bell times is important to student success and well-being, but it must be viewed in the context of other priorities that impact students as well as staff, families, and the broader community.  Whenever there is change, it will impact many. Should the Board decide to move forward with my recommendation to shift start times by 20 minutes, we must be ready to work with our communities and schools that we serve. Therefore, I am recommending that the Board adopts the following resolutions:

WHEREAS, On June 17, 2014, the Board of Education received a report that included stakeholder input and the cost implications of changing school bell times by shifting high school start times 50 minutes later, starting middle schools 10 minutes earlier, and extending the elementary school day by 30 minutes; and

WHEREAS, The superintendent of schools did not recommend this option because the cost of this model was prohibitive; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Education requested the superintendent of schools to review low-cost options, not to exceed $10 million, for changing the start times for Montgomery County Public Schools and identify the implications of these options; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Education requested the superintendent of schools to present a report to the Board of Education in time for consideration during the Fiscal Year 2016 Operating Budget request; and

WHEREAS, On January 13, 2015, the superintendent of schools recommended that the Board of Education considers the option to start and end all schools 20 minutes later; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Education added an alternative to adjust the start times of elementary schools by 10 minutes less than the start times for middle and high schools; and

WHEREAS, Extensive public input has been received regarding the possibility of changing bell times to start high schools later; and

WHEREAS, Given the cost implications and the outlook for the Fiscal Year 2016 Operating Budget, no-cost options are the most appropriate to consider at this time; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education adjusts the start and end times for high schools and middle schools by 20 minutes; and be it further

Resolved, That the Board of Education adjusts the start times for elementary schools by 10 minutes and the end times by 20 minutes; and be it further

Resolved, That these changes take effect for the 2015–2016 school year.

A document regarding the adoption of FY 2016 operating budget is attached for review.

Executive Summary

This summer, we again will provide revenue-based programs for intervention, enrichment, and acceleration of academic instruction for students in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) through two elementary regional centers, four high school regional centers, and local school programs.  We will continue to implement learning opportunities that are relevant to the targeted needs and interests of local school communities.  To maximize available staff and fiscal resources, schools may choose to collaborate in the design of cluster-based programs rather than offer separate programs at each school site.  By coordinating and collocating programs, schools may combine their revenue from course fees to attain services, such as clerical support, security staff members, transportation, and food services that might not be financially feasible for individual summer school programs.  Additional summer courses are offered through the minimal fee-based program.

Attachment A, Course Enrollment and Revenue, compares regional summer school data from Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 and FY 2015.  Attachment B, Program and Fee Overview, summarizes the fee proposal for FY 2016. 

Summary of Recommendations

I am recommending that all full and reduced fees be maintained at the FY 2015 rates for summer school revenue-based and minimal fee-based programs in FY 2016. I also am recommending that the family income guidelines used to qualify for the reduced fees or waivers that are set to match as closely as possible the income eligibility guidelines for a household size of four for Free and Reduced-Price Meals System services be as follows:

• $0–$30,866 qualifies for the reduced fee of $85
• $­­­­30,867–$44,123 qualifies for the reduced fee of $120

Summer School:  Revenue-based Programs

Summer school is an integral part of the MCPS Strategic Planning Framework.  Programs that extend beyond the school year need to apply the same standards of achievement as those applied during the regular school year.  Whether a student is making up a course and needs individualized and focused instruction or is taking additional classes to increase his/her high school credits, instruction must be of the highest quality.  The agreement with the Montgomery County Education Association supports high quality instruction by maintaining teacher pay rates to attract the most qualified staff members.

With the loss of the specific contribution to cover the difference between the full fee and the reduced fee paid by qualifying families, the Summer School Program was removed from the enterprise fund beginning in FY 2005 and now is funded through the general fund. Fees continue to be based on a break-even analysis if all families paid the full fee.  In light of the difficult economic times faced by many families and with only small increases expected in salary costs, I am recommending that fees for the Summer School Revenue-based Programs remain the same as in FY 2015 as illustrated in the following table.

Summer School Revenue-based Programs

Fee Schedule

The Summer School Program sets the course to provide the necessary flexibility for schools to develop summer programs to address the needs of students in their local school or cluster.  While the same fee will be charged for credit courses for all programs, fees for intervention and enrichment courses will be established at the local school level, according to the courses offered.  These fees will be determined by the length of the course, the salary costs to pay the teachers, and the infrastructure requirements for the individual school program.

In addition to the local school programs and the regional summer school course offerings, MCPS will offer student online courses again this summer.  The student online summer course offerings will be Comprehensive Health Education and Foundations of Technology.  The tuition fee of $310 per half credit for these online courses is recommended to remain the same.

Reduced fees are offered to low-income families.  I recommend that the summer school revenue-based reduced fees remain the same for total family annual incomes within the following guidelines for FY 2016:

Summer School Revenue-based Programs

Reduced Fee Schedule

Summer School:  Minimal Fee-based Programs

Certain summer school programs, because of their relationship to systemwide priorities and mandates, were never intended to be self-supporting.  A minimal fee is charged to help offset
a portion of the expenditures and fees are waived for those students whose family’s income meets the eligibility requirements.  I recommend maintaining the current fee structure for the minimal fee-based summer school programs, as described below.

Summer School Minimal Fee-based Programs

Fee Schedule

Tuition waivers are offered to families with incomes below $44,123 for FY 2016.

For your consideration, a resolution is provided below:

WHEREAS, The Board of Education approves tuition fees each year for summer school; and

WHEREAS, Summer School Revenue-based Program costs are projected to rise only slightly; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Summer School Revenue-based Program full fees be maintained at
the current Fiscal Year 2015 rate ($335 for elementary school courses; $300 for high school courses; and $310 for student online courses); and be it further

Resolved, That the Summer School Revenue-based Program reduced fees be maintained at the current FY 2015 rate ($85 and $120, respectively, depending upon family income); and be it further

Resolved, That the total annual family income guidelines for qualifying for reduced fees and waivers be  $0–$30,866 for the lowest reduced fee; $30,867–$44,123 for the higher reduced fee; and below $44,123 for waivers; and be it further

Resolved, That the Summer School Minimal Fee-based Program course fees be maintained.

This item will provide you with information regarding proposed legislation that could impact Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Each bill has been analyzed to determine any impact on MCPS, as well as whether or not it is consistent with the legislative platform that was adopted by the Board on November 11, 2014. Attachment A provides recommended positions on bills that are not covered by the platform. Attachment B provides, for your information, a summary of bills that are consistent with the Board’s platform and for which no action is needed.

The bills before you today are listed below, including the web site where you can find the full text of each bill.

Bills with Recommended Positions (Attachment A)

Board of Education

HB0176   Montgomery County Board of Education - Special Election to Fill a Vacancy

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0176F.pdf

Records

HB0022   Education - Privacy of Education Records and Personal Information of Students

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0022F.pdf

Safety and Security

HB0028   Primary and Secondary Education - Security - School Resource Officers

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0028F.pdf

Special Education

HB0044   Special Education - Translations of Individualized Education Programs or Individualized Family

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0044F.pdf

HB0159   Special Education - Standards and Workload Guidelines for Teachers and Related Services Providers

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0159F.pdf

Task Force

SB0015   Task Force to Study the Implementation of a Dyslexia Education Program

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/sb/sb0015F.pdf

Bills Consistent with Platform  (Attachment B)

Construction/Maintenance

SB0228   Supplemental Public School Construction Matching Fund Program

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015rs/bills/sb/sb0228f.pdf

Curriculum

HB0034   Education - Implementation of the Common Core State Standards - Prohibition

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/hb/hb0034F.pdf

Fiscal

SB0183   Education - Geographic Cost of Education - Requirement

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2015RS/bills/sb/sb0183F.pdf

WHEREAS, The Montgomery County Board of Education (Board) desires to conduct a nationwide search for a superintendent of schools; and

WHEREAS, It is advisable that the Board appoint an executive search firm to provide consultant services in the superintendent search and selection process; and

WHEREAS, The search firm Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates is a national executive search firm used by many large school districts across the country, including being used by Fairfax County Public Schools, as well as Montgomery County Public Schools to conduct superintendent searches in 1999 and 2011; and

WHEREAS, At the request of the Board president, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates submitted a proposal to provide consultant services for a superintendent search; and

WHEREAS, Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates has an understanding of the challenges faced by today’s superintendents as they provide district-wide leadership focused on embracing the district’s core values, with a comprehensive understanding of competencies while developing strong and effective relationships; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Montgomery County Board of Education enter into a contractual agreement with Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates to provide professional consultant services for the superintendent search and selection process based upon its proposal for a fee of $35,000, plus expenses as appropriate, and with the option for additional services as requested by the Board.

WHEREAS, The Board of Education of Montgomery County is authorized by the Education Article and General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland to conduct certain meetings or portions of its meetings in closed sessions; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education of Montgomery County conduct a closed session on February 23, 2015, from 5:30 p.m. to approximately 6:00 p.m. in Room 120 of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland; and be it further

Resolved, That the Board of Education anticipates that the closed session will include a discussion of personnel matters, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(1) of the General Provisions Article and Section 4-107(d) of the Education Article; the review and adjudication of appeals in its quasi-judicial capacity; consultation with counsel to obtain legal advice on those appeals, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(7) of the General Provisions Article; a discussion of matters constituting an administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act (Section 3-103(a) of the General Provisions Article); and the Board will publish more detailed Resolutions for Closed Session when particular topics for discussion are identified; and be it further

Resolved, That this meeting shall continue in closed session until the completion of business.

REVISED

MEMORANDUM

To:              Members of the Board of Education

From:          Joshua P. Starr, Superintendent of Schools

Subject:       Report of Previous Closed Sessions: 

        January 13, 2015; January 23, 2015; January 28, 2015; and February 3, 2015 

January 13, 2015, Closed Session               

On January 13, 2015, the Board of Education voted unanimously among those present to conduct a closed session, as permitted under the Education Article Section 4-107(d) and General Provisions Article Section 3-305(b) et seq., of the Annotated Code of Maryland. 

The Board of Education of Montgomery County met in closed session on January 13, 2015, from 8:37 a.m. to 9:56 a.m. and from 1:25 p.m. to 2:06 p.m. in Room 120 of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland, and:

1.      Received legal advice and considered the following Decisions and Orders involving a student transfer and a Complaint              from the Public: T-2014-82 and 2014-34, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(7) of the General Provisions Article and             in its quasi-judicial capacity outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act.

2.      Received a briefing by the superintendent of schools on the Human Resources Monthly Report, which is an                                administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act.

3.      Received a briefing of the Equal Employment Opportunity Report by the superintendent of schools, which is an                          administrative function and outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act.

4.      Received a briefing from the superintendent of schools on administrative and personnel matters, as well as potential                  and/or pending litigation relating to workers compensation claims filed by personnel at a school, which is an                              administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act and as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(8) of the            General Provisions Article, and to the extent any individual employees were discussed, as permitted under Section 3-                305(b)(1) of the General Provisions Article.

5.      Received a briefing by the superintendent of schools on the capital and operating budget strategies, which is an                         administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act.

6.      Received legal advice and considered the following appeals involving student transfers and a Complaint from the Public:          T-2014-83, T-2014-84, and 2014-36, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(7) of the General Provisions Article and in its            quasi-judicial capacity outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act.

The Board decided the appeals as follows:

Board Matter No. T-2014-83:  On motion of Mrs. Smondrowski and seconded by
Ms. Ortman-Fouse, the Board of Education voted unanimously, among those present,
to accept the appeal for processing.  Student Board Member Ms. Dahlia Huh did not participate in the adjudication of this appeal.

Board Matter No. T-2014-84:  Mr. Barclay made a motion (seconded by Mrs. O’Neill)
to affirm the decision of the superintendent, with Mr. Barclay, Dr. Docca, Mr. Durso and Mrs. O’Neill voting to affirm and Ms. Ortman-Fouse, Mr. Kauffman and Mrs. Smondrowski voting not to affirm.  The Board was unable to attain the five votes necessary to affirm or reverse the decision of the chief operating officer; accordingly, the decision of the chief operating officer (acting as the superintendent’s designee) stands.  Student Board Member Ms. Dahlia Huh did not participate in the adjudication of this appeal.

Appeal No. 2014-36:  On motion of Mr. Kauffman and seconded by Dr. Docca, the Board of Education voted unanimously, among those present, to adjudicate 2014-36 on the written record.  On motion of Mr. Kauffman and seconded by Dr. Docca, the Board of Education voted unanimously to affirm the decision of the superintendent’s designee.  Student Board Member Ms. Dahlia Huh did not participate in the adjudication of this appeal.

In attendance at the 8:37 a.m. closed session were Christopher Barclay, Judith Docca, Michael Durso, Philip Kauffman, Patricia O’Neill, Jill Ortman-Fouse, Rebecca Smondrowski, Ikhide Roland Ikheloa, Laura Steinberg, Suzann King, Joanne Causey, and Patrick Clancy.  At 9:01 a.m. the following staff joined the meeting:  Larry Bowers, Joshua Civin, Brian Edwards, Maria Navarro, Kimberly Statham, Joshua Starr, Dana Tofig, Karalee Turner-Little, and Andrew Zuckerman.  Patrick Clancy left the meeting at 9:04 a.m.  Closed Session adjourned at 9:56 a.m.  In attendance at the continuation of the 1:25 p.m. afternoon closed session were Christopher Barclay, Judith Docca, Michael Durso, Dahlia Huh, Philip Kauffman, Patricia O’Neill, Jill Ortman-Fouse, Rebecca Smondrowski, Larry Bowers, Joanne Causey, Joshua Civin, Brian Edwards, Ikhide Roland Ikheloa, Suzann King, Maria Navarro, Joshua Starr, Dana Tofig, Karalee Turner-Little, and Andrew Zuckerman.  The afternoon closed session adjourned at 2:06 p.m.

January 23, 2015, Closed Session

On January 23, 2015, the Board of Education voted unanimously, among those present, to conduct a closed session, as permitted under the Education Article Section 4-107(d) and General Provisions Article Section 3-305(b) et seq., of the Annotated Code of Maryland. 

The Board of Education of Montgomery County met in closed session on January 23, 2015, from 1:30 p.m. to 4:20 p.m. in Room 127 of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland, and:

       1.      Discussed the appointment, employment, and employment contract of an executive staff member, including options for                     renewal or non-renewal, which is an administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act and as                               permitted under Section 3-305(b)(1) of the General Provisions Article.

       2.     Received legal advice regarding the items set forth above, as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(7) of the General                                Provisions Article.

In attendance at the 1:30 p.m. closed session were Christopher Barclay, Judith Docca, Michael Durso, Dahlia Huh, Philip Kauffman, Patricia O’Neill, Jill Ortman-Fouse, Rebecca Smondrowski, Ikhide Roland Ikheloa, and Patrick Clancy.

January 28, 2015, Closed Session

On January 28, 2015, the Board of Education voted unanimously, among those present, to conduct a closed session, as permitted under the Education Article Section 4-107(d) and General Provisions Article Section 3-305(b) et seq., of the Annotated Code of Maryland. 

The Board of Education of Montgomery County met in closed session on January 28, 2015, from 10:06 a.m. to 11:48 a.m. in Room 120 of the Carver Educational Services Center, 850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland, and:

       1.      Discussed the appointment, employment, and employment contract of an executive staff member, which is an                                     administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act and as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(1) of the                     General Provisions Article.

In attendance at the 10:00 a.m. closed session were Christopher Barclay, Judith Docca, Michael Durso, Dahlia Huh, Philip Kauffman, Patricia O’Neill, Jill Ortman-Fouse, Rebecca Smondrowski, and Joshua Starr.

February 3, 2015, Closed Session

On February 3, 2015, the Board of Education voted unanimously, among those present, to conduct a closed session, as permitted under the Education Article Section 4-107(d) and General Provisions Article Section 3-305(b) et seq., of the Annotated Code of Maryland. 

The Board of Education of Montgomery County met in closed session on February 3, 2015, from 10:37 p.m. to 11:30 a.m. in Room 120 of the Carver Educational Services Center,
850 Hungerford Drive, Rockville, Maryland, and:

       1.      Discussed the appointment, employment, and employment contract of an executive staff member, which is an                                     administrative function outside the purview of the Open Meetings Act and as permitted under Section 3-305(b)(1) of the                     General Provisions Article.

       2.      Received legal advice regarding an executive staff member and that staff member’s contract, as permitted under Section                     3-305(b)(7) of the General Provisions Article.

In attendance at the 10:30 a.m. closed session were Christopher Barclay, Judith Docca, Michael Durso, Dahlia Huh, Philip Kauffman, Patricia O’Neill, Jill Ortman-Fouse, Rebecca Smondrowski, Joshua Starr, Ikhide Roland Ikheloa, and Patrick Clancy.

WHEREAS, The Board of Education has met in closed session and deliberated on an appeal brought before its members acting in its quasi-judicial capacity under Section 3-305(b)(7) of the General Provisions Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education hereby decides the following appeal reflective of the Board members’ votes in closed session, the disposition of which will be recorded in the Report of Closed Session for the February 10, 2015, meeting:

         Appeal Number                                           Type              

          T-2015-1                                                   Transfer

WHEREAS, The educators and others who are employed by Montgomery County Public Schools are key partners in the important work and achievements of the school system; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Board of Education approves the monthly Human Resources and Development Report with its listings identifying new employees, employee resignations, and other employee status updates; and be it further

Resolved, That the members of the Board of Education and the superintendent of schools express their condolences to families of deceased employees.

WHEREAS, Funds have been budgeted for the purchase of equipment, supplies, and contractual services; and

WHEREAS, Funds have been budgeted for the purchase and financing of a multifunctional copier  awarded through Bid No. 13-065, in the amount of $135,000; and

WHEREAS, The acquisition of a multifunctional copier has been reviewed by legal counsel; now therefore be it

Resolved, That a multifunctional copier in the amount of $135,000 be purchased and financed for a five-year term under the Master Lease/Purchase Agreement with Banc of America Public Capital Corporation; and be it further

Resolved, That the proceeds from the aforementioned financing be used to reimburse
Montgomery County Public Schools accounts to the extent that such equipment has been or will be acquired before closing; and be it further

Resolved, That the president of the Board of Education and the superintendent of schools be authorized to execute the documents necessary for these transactions; and be it further

Resolved, That having been duly advertised, the following contracts will be awarded to the low bidders meeting specifications as follows:         

* Denotes Minority-, Female-, or Disabled-owned Business

**Planned Life-cycle Asset Replacement (PLAR)

Formal bids and requests for proposals (RFPs) were obtained and evaluated by the Procurement Unit, Department of Materials Management, in consultation with the users.  The tabulations, cost comparisons, and budget account verifications are available in Procurement’s files.

This is the annual contract for the purchase of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning refrigeration equipment and parts.  It is recommended that the Board of Education approves this contract for one year through February 10, 2016.  The contract allows for three one-year extensions.   

WHEREAS, Funds have been budgeted for the purchase of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning refrigeration equipment and parts through Bid No. 4035.6; now therefore be it

Resolved, That having been duly advertised, the following contracts will be awarded to the low bidders meeting specifications as follows:

  * Denotes Minority-, Female-, or Disabled-owned Business

This is the final extension of the annual contract for the purchase of office and school supplies.  It is recommended that the Board of Education approves this contract for one year through February 18, 2016.     

WHEREAS, Funds have been budgeted for the purchase of office and school supplies through Bid No. 4087.10; now therefore be it

Resolved, That having been duly advertised, the following contracts will be awarded to the low bidders meeting specifications as follows:

* Denotes Minority-, Female-, or Disabled-owned Business

This is the annual contract extension for the purchase of office supplies not stocked in the Montgomery County Public Schools warehouse.  It is recommended that the Board of Education approves this contract for one year through February 11, 2016.  The contract allows for six one-year extensions.   

WHEREAS, Funds have been budgeted for the purchase of office supplies through Bid No. 4147.3; now therefore be it

Resolved, That having been duly advertised, the following contracts will be awarded to the low bidders meeting specifications as follows:

This is the second year of the first two-year extension of the contract for the purchase of fresh produce by the Division of Food and Nutrition Services.  Montgomery County Public Schools is recommending the Board of Education extend this contract through April 30, 2016.   

WHEREAS, Funds have been budgeted for the purchase of fresh produce through Bid No. 9118.4; now therefore be it

Resolved, That having been duly advertised, the following contracts will be awarded to the low bidders meeting specifications as shown below:

WHEREAS, Moseley Architects of Maryland, Inc. was granted a contract on August 21, 2013, to provide professional  and technical services during the design and construction phases of the Seneca Valley High School revitalization/expansion project; and

WHEREAS, The student enrollment growth at Clarksburg and Northwest high schools will exceed their capacities by nearly 800 students within the next six years; and

WHEREAS, The current scope of the revitalization/expansion project for Seneca Valley High School has increased to accommodate 2,400 students; and

WHEREAS, The scope of architectural work has been increased to include an additional 17 classrooms; and

WHEREAS, Staff has negotiated an equitable fee increase with the architect for the additional architectural/engineering services required for this work; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the architectural services contract with Moseley Architects of Maryland, Inc. be increased by $412,725 for additional professional architectural/engineering services for the Seneca Valley High School revitalization/expansion project.

WHEREAS, The following sealed bids were received on January 14, 2015, for the reroofing project at Roberto W. Clemente Middle School:

                  Bidder                                                            Amount

and

WHEREAS, The goal for Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation established for this project was 20 percent; and

WHEREAS, The low bidder, Interstate Corporation, has submitted 20 percent woman-owned Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation; and

WHEREAS, Interstate Corporation has completed similar work successfully for Montgomery County Public Schools; now therefore be it

Resolved, That a $1,475,000 contract be awarded to Interstate Corporation for the reroofing project at Roberto W. Clemente Middle School, in accordance with drawings and specifications prepared by the Department of Facilities Management.

WHEREAS, On July 15, 2014, the Montgomery County Board of Education authorized staff in the Department of Facilities Management to utilize a construction management process for the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement Program and awarded a contract for preconstruction services to Keller Construction Management, LLC; and

WHEREAS, The following sealed bids were received on December 23, 2014, for the Damascus High School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement project:

and

WHEREAS, The goal for Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation established for this project was 10 percent; and

WHEREAS, The low bidder, Shapiro & Duncan, Inc., has submitted 10 percent Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation, of which 5.5 percent is African American-owned, and 4.5 percent is other minority-owned Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation; and

WHEREAS, Shapiro & Duncan, Inc. has completed similar work successfully for Montgomery County Public Schools; and

WHEREAS, Staff has negotiated a fee with Keller Construction Management, LLC for the construction management services; now therefore be it

Resolved, That a $2,877,000 contract be awarded to Shapiro & Duncan, Inc. for the Damascus High School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement project, in accordance with drawings and specifications prepared by Building Dynamics, LLC; and be it further

Resolved, That a contract in the amount of $150,000, to provide construction management services, be awarded to Keller Construction Management, LLC for the Damascus High School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement  project.

WHEREAS, The following sealed bids were received on January 21, 2015, for the reroofing project at Fields Road Elementary School:

                  Bidder                                                                                  Amount

and

WHEREAS, The goal for Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation established for this project was 20 percent; and

WHEREAS, The low bidder, Orndorff & Spaid, Inc., has submitted 20 percent African American-owned Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation; and

WHEREAS, Orndorff & Spaid, Inc. has completed similar work successfully for Montgomery County Public Schools; now therefore be it

Resolved, That a $530,606 contract be awarded to Orndorff & Spaid, Inc. for the reroofing project at Fields Road Elementary School, in accordance with drawings and specifications prepared by the Department of Facilities Management.

WHEREAS, On July 15, 2014, the Montgomery County Board of Education authorized staff in the Department of Facilities Management to utilize a construction management process for the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement Program and awarded a contract for preconstruction services to Keller Construction Management, LLC; and

WHEREAS, The following sealed bids were received on January 9, 2015, for the Summit Hall Elementary School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement project:

and

WHEREAS, The goal for Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation established for this project was 10 percent; and

WHEREAS, The low bidder, M & M Welding & Fabricators, Inc., is a Maryland Department of Transportation-certified minority firm and has submitted 10 percent woman-owned Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation; and

WHEREAS, M & M Welding & Fabricators, Inc. has completed similar work successfully for Montgomery County Public Schools; and

WHEREAS, Staff has negotiated a fee with Keller Construction Management, LLC for
the construction management services; now therefore be it

Resolved, That a $1,538,000 contract be awarded to M & M Welding & Fabricators, Inc. for the Summit Hall Elementary School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement project, in accordance with drawings and specifications prepared by Gipe Associates, Inc.; and be it further

Resolved, That a contract in the amount of $100,000, to provide construction management services, be awarded to Keller Construction Management, LLC for the Summit Hall Elementary School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement project.

WHEREAS, On July 15, 2014, the Montgomery County Board of Education authorized staff in the Department of Facilities Management to utilize a construction management process for the Julius West Middle School addition project and awarded a contract for preconstruction services to Dustin Construction, Inc.; and

WHEREAS, The following low bids were received on January 8, 2015, for the Julius West Middle School addition project:

                          Low Bidders                                                                               Amounts

and

WHEREAS, Department of Facilities Management staff recommends the 02A–Sitework trade package be rebid at a later date directly by Dustin Construction, Inc., the construction manager for the Julius West Middle School addition project; and

WHEREAS, On January 8, 2015, Dustin Construction, Inc. received bid proposals for the remaining trade contracts for the project, which will be included in the guaranteed maximum price; and

WHEREAS, The guaranteed maximum price includes allowances to cover the cost of the scope of work of the 02A–Sitework trade package that is to be rebid at a later date; and

WHEREAS, Detailed information on other bid proposals are available for review in the office of the Department of Facilities Management; and

WHEREAS, The construction management contract contains provisions that permit Montgomery County Public Schools to assign the awarded trade contracts to Dustin Construction, Inc. as part of a guaranteed price agreement to complete the Julius West Middle School addition project; and

WHEREAS, Staff in the Department of Facilities Management has negotiated and recommends approval of a guaranteed price contract with Dustin Construction, Inc. for the completion of the Julius West Middle School addition project that includes the assignment of trade work awarded by Montgomery County Public Schools, along with all management and general conditions costs; and

WHEREAS, Dustin Construction, Inc. has agreed to accept the assignment of the Julius West Middle School addition project trade contracts awarded on February 10, 2015, and complete the project for the guaranteed price; and

WHEREAS, The aggregate goal for Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation established for this project was 14.8 percent; and

WHEREAS, The aggregate Minority Business Enterprise participation submitted is 25.0 percent Maryland Department of Transportation-certified, of which 8.0 percent is African American-owned, 7.0 percent is women-owned, 1.0 percent Asian American-owned, and 9.0 percent is other minority-owned; and

WHEREAS, The guaranteed maximum price contract with Dustin Construction, Inc. includes an add-alternate for access, circulation, vehicular, and pedestrian traffic improvements funded by Fiscal Years 2015–2016 Improved Access to Schools appropriations; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the following trade contract packages be awarded to the low bidders for the construction of the Julius West Middle School addition project:

                         Low Bidders                                                                                Amounts

and be it further

Resolved, That the trade contracts awarded for the Julius West Middle School addition project be assigned to Dustin Construction, Inc.; and be it further

Resolved, That a contract in the amount of $15,035,000, to include the assignment of the trade contract awards, be awarded to Dustin Construction, Inc. for the Julius West Middle School addition project, in accordance with drawings and specifications prepared by Smolen-Emr-Ilkovitch Architects, Inc.

WHEREAS, The following sealed bids were received on January 14, 2015, for the reroofing project at White Oak Middle School:

                  Bidder                                                                                 Amount

and

WHEREAS, The goal for Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation established for this project was 20 percent; and

WHEREAS, The low bidder, R. D. Bean, Inc., has submitted 20 percent Asian-owned Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation; and

WHEREAS, R. D. Bean, Inc. has completed similar work successfully for Montgomery County Public Schools; now therefore be it

Resolved, That a $989,830 contract be awarded to R. D. Bean, Inc. for the reroofing project at White Oak Middle School, in accordance with drawings and specifications prepared by the Department of Facilities Management.

WHEREAS, On July 15, 2014, the Montgomery County Board of Education authorized staff in the Department of Facilities Management to utilize a construction management process for the Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement Program and awarded a contract for preconstruction services to Keller Construction Management, LLC; and

WHEREAS, The following sealed bids were received on December 23, 2014, for the Woodfield Elementary School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement project:

and

WHEREAS, The goal for Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation established for this project was 10 percent; and

WHEREAS, The low bidder, Shapiro & Duncan, Inc., has submitted 10 percent other minority-owned Maryland Department of Transportation-certified Minority Business Enterprise participation; and

WHEREAS, Shapiro & Duncan, Inc. has completed similar work successfully for Montgomery County Public Schools; and

WHEREAS, Department of Facilities Management staff has negotiated a fee with Keller Construction Management, LLC for the construction management services; now therefore be it

Resolved, That a $1,168,000 contract be awarded to Shapiro & Duncan, Inc. for the Woodfield Elementary School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement project, in accordance with drawings and specifications prepared by Gipe Associates, Inc.; and be it further

Resolved, That a contract in the amount of $82,500, to provide construction management services, be awarded to Keller Construction Management, LLC for the Woodfield Elementary School Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Replacement project.

WHEREAS, The Montgomery County Board of Education’s Requested Fiscal Year 2015–2020 Capital Improvements Program includes $5.0 million in the Fiscal Year 2016 Capital Budget for relocatable classrooms to accommodate student population changes for the 2015–2016 school year; and

WHEREAS, These funds are programmed to be expended during summer 2015 but will not be available until the Montgomery County Council takes final action on the Board of Education’s Capital Improvements Program request in May 2015; and

WHEREAS, The contracts for the leasing, relocation, and installation work for the
Fiscal Year 2016 relocatable classroom moves must be executed prior to May 1, 2015, in order to have the units ready for the start of school in August 2015; and

WHEREAS, The appropriation authority to expend the funds programmed for Fiscal Year 2016 must be approved by the Montgomery County Council before the Board of Education can enter into contracts; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the Montgomery County Board of Education requests a Fiscal Year 2015 supplemental appropriation in the amount of $5.0 million to accelerate the requested Fiscal Year 2016 appropriation to provide for the execution of contracts for leasing and relocatable classroom moves planned for summer 2015 to address school enrollment changes in time for the beginning of the 2015–2016 school year; and be it further

Resolved, That this request be forwarded to the county executive and the Montgomery County Council for action.

The Provision for Future Supported Projects is a lump sum appropriation that allows the Board of Education, under certain conditions, to approve the receipt and expenditure of unanticipated grant funds throughout the year rather than request supplemental appropriations from the County Council.  Descriptions of the grant projects are provided below.  Detail is provided for each award, indicating the name of the project, the award amount, the number of positions, and the funding sources.  There also is a brief summary of the purpose of each project and how the funds will be used. 

Authorization is requested to receive and expend, within the Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Provision for Future Supported Projects, grant awards totaling $860,693 for the following continuing projects:

• Medical Assistance
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part B
• Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids
• Emotional Disabilities Cluster Model
• Title I, School Improvement 1003(a) Approaching Target Schools

Continuing Projects

Purpose of the project:  MSDE and DHMH reimburse Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) for fee-for-service case management and health-related services provided to students with disabilities eligible for medical assistance.  This reimbursement revenue is used to support, expand, and enhance services for students with disabilities.  At both the state and local levels, there has been an increase in the Medicaid-eligible population as a result of the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and Maryland’s participation in the Medicaid expansion program ensuring that all families have health care coverage.  Consequently, additional students with disabilities are being identified as Medicaid-eligible, and an increased number of parents are providing consent for MCPS to seek reimbursement through the Individualized Education Program process.  There is a carryforward of $127,432 that includes reimbursements received after the FY 2014 year-end close out.  The additional revenue will be used to provide critical staffing paraeducators to support students in the least restrictive environment.

Purpose of the project:  MCPS has received $30,269,554 from USDE through MSDE for the IDEA, Part B State Passthrough grant.  This is an increase of $282,051 to the current FY 2015 approved budget of $29,987,503.  The funds are used to support instruction and provide services and educational supplies for students with disabilities.  The additional funds will be used for 2.5 special education teacher positions and related employee benefits currently supported with local funds.

Purpose of the project:  MSDE has awarded the Division of Food and Nutrition Services a grant award of $1,600 in addition to the previous grant award of $10,640 received in December 2014.  The funds will be used to support staff training, lunchtime culinary demonstrations for staff, and to develop a culinary skills curriculum program entitled “Prepare with Pride.”

Purpose of the project:  MCPS has received $61,750 from DHHS for the Emotional Disabilities Cluster Model project.  The project funding will provide for the continuation of a .7 social worker position, related employee benefits, and contractual mental health services for students with significant social, emotional, and behavioral disorders. 

Purpose of the project:  MSDE has awarded MCPS $387,860 for the FY 2015 Title I, School Improvement 1003(a) Approaching Target Schools program. The funds will provide support to schools that have not met the Annual Measurable Objectives or have large gaps in achievement under Maryland’s approved Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

The schools scheduled to receive funds are Arcola, Bel Pre, JoAnn Leleck at Broad Acres, Burnt Mills, Clopper Mill, Cresthaven, Capt. James E. Daly, Gaithersburg, Glen Haven, Harmony Hills, Highland, New Hampshire Estates, Roscoe R. Nix, Oak View, Rolling Terrace, Sargent Shriver, South Lake, Summit Hall, Watkins Mill, and Weller Road elementary schools. The funds will provide for part-time salaries, instructional materials, contractual services, student transportation services, and employee benefits. 

Recommended Resolution

WHEREAS, The above-noted grants qualify for a transfer of appropriation from the Provision for Future Supported Projects, pursuant to the provisions of County Council Resolution No. 17-1112, approved on May 22, 2014; and

WHEREAS, The above-noted projects do not require any present or future county funds; and
 

WHEREAS, Sufficient appropriation is available within the Fiscal Year 2015 Provision for Future Supported Projects to permit the above-noted transfers within state categories; now therefore be it

Resolved, That the superintendent of schools be authorized by the Montgomery County Board of Education to receive and expend $860,693 within the Fiscal Year 2015 Provision for Future Supported Projects, specified as follows:

  Positions*

and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the county executive and the County Council.

Recommendation in Brief

Authorization is requested to receive and expend, subject to County Council approval,
a Fiscal Year 2015 supplemental appropriation of $633,145 from the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) for the Comprehensive Assessment System Solutions Project (CASSP).

Background

MSDE has awarded Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) $633,145 for the Race to the Top CASSP project.  Currently, MCPS uses two platforms to create, store, disseminate, administer, collect, and display formative assessment items and data. These platforms are the MCPS developed portal, myMCPS, and Scantron’s Achievement Series. The myMCPS portal houses our online digital curriculum and analytical system that provides key data reports for teachers, principals, and central office administrators. Both school-based and central office staff use the myMCPS portal
to access curriculum, instructional resources, learning activities, and assessment items to be used in classrooms. The next phase of work extends the portal for use by students and parents. Despite its robust framework and reporting capabilities, not all assessments are administered using the scanning-based format through Achievement Series.

This project will enable MCPS to create a comprehensive assessment solution. This single, coherent assessment platform will facilitate the transition to an online assessment platform by seamlessly integrating the web-based version of the Achievement Series platform.

Support of Board of Education Mission

The focus of this project is concentrated on six areas: (1) integration of systems; (2) import/export of items; (3) expansion of item types; (4) improved data capture and online scoring of item types; (5) the import/export of data on items to other systems; and (6) expanded reporting of item data.  A brief description of each follows.

1. Integration of Systems: MCPS has been developing and expanding the functionality of the myMCPS portal, an online community forum that serves as a “one-stop-shop” for staff.  As part of this project, the formative assessment platforms will be integrated with this portal to provide a seamless experience for parents, students, and teachers to create, access, take, and review data on formative assessment items tied to the curriculum, and modeled after Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)-like experiences.

2. Import/Export of Items: Currently, MCPS has two large applications that house item banks and assessment resources: myMCPS and Achievement Series. Through this project, these platforms will be integrated to allow for the seamless transfer of items from one system to another. Further, as MSDE continues to grow item banks through projects like Formative Assessment for Maryland Educators, MCPS will be positioned to share and receive items to and from other resource applications, like MSDEs Blackboard site. One product of this project will be an expansive meta-data taxonomy for cataloging assessment items that
   can be shared with MSDE and other local education agencies, as well as help with the transfer of items across districts and with the state.

3. Expansion of Item Types: The Scantron Achievement Series platform currently offers item types including: true/false, multiple choice, multiple response, short response, gridded response, and extended response items. With the implementation of PARCC assessments, additional item types that assess depth of student understanding in a variety of ways is imperative. Therefore, an outcome of this project is to expand the kinds of items teachers are able to create in Achievement Series. These item types will reflect PARCC-like tasks, including drag and drop, matching, hot-spots, multi-part interactive graphing, data manipulation, or student responses. The ability to create and administer more complex item types is critical to the ongoing teaching and learning program, and will help teachers align instruction and formative assessment practices to state standards as expected in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) and tested through the PARCC assessments.

4. Improved Data Capture and Online Scoring of Item Types: As MCPS moves to more online instruction and assessment, the ability to capture student work and score that work is critical. In addition, as item type complexity increases, the ability to capture student work and the artifacts created in completing complex tasks is essential to assess student understanding. For example, when we ask students to compare perimeter and area relationships, it is helpful to see the different diagrams they may draw on paper. One important goal of this project is to develop the capacity to scan, upload, or capture the student artifacts and work related to a given task. This could be the drawings, written responses, or written algorithms and diagrams for any given item. The ability to see
   the student work related to a given learning goal will help teachers score that work online, and will also allow us to create an item bank of student responses linked to a given indicator. This bank of responses will become available to teachers so they may work on standard setting, common scoring practices, interpretation of student work, and benchmarking practices across teachers in the district and beyond.

5. Import/Export of Data on Items to Other Systems: MCPS currently exports data out of Achievement Series and into the data warehouse. However, with additional item types being incorporated, the current data transfer and handling infrastructure will need to be enhanced. New automated data extraction, transformation, and loading processes and data tables will need to be created. In addition, with increased power of assessment in Achievement Series, work will be undertaken to design and integrate the data bridge to the teacher’s grade book, Pinnacle, to both integrate and provide a direct view of overall student performance from the grade book. Recognizing that teachers will want to select which assessment data transfers to the grade book and which data sets are for formative purposes only, the integration with the teacher grade book must allow for teachers to choose what is transferred to student grades and what is not. This import/export integration is an outcome of this project.

6. Expanded Reporting of Item Data: This project will create direct automated interfacing between Achievement Series and the myMCPS portal and expand the reporting capabilities to include more dynamic views of student progress and performance. Expanded views include student growth over time on a given indicator or standard; districtwide summaries of students’ performance at the district, school, individual, and teacher level; comparison reports that allow for benchmarking across schools and with the district; and other views that will be identified as we work with different stakeholder groups this coming school year. These interactive, data dashboards will be user-friendly, available to appropriate audiences (honoring permissions to see or not see student level data), and will update nightly to provide timely information in order to inform instructional decision-making.

Relationship to Ongoing Program

MCPS’ expanding digital CCSS curriculum and our dynamic computing infrastructure are enabling timely access to content and instructional activities that require students to think critically, solve complex problems, work collaboratively, and communicate effectively. This project will provide for the development of an integrated, online assessment platform that is aligned with the district’s ongoing work to operationalize the Strategic Technology Plan. The plan was first presented to the Board of Education on May 30, 2013. The technology plan’s action steps facilitate greater access to the school system’s expanding digital curriculum and envision a supportive, online automated assessment platform. This platform will enable our instructional staff to more efficiently assess student learning and customize learning options for students.
The integrated assessment platform and evolving mobile learning environments strengthen teachers’ efforts to provide differentiated learning and flexible formative and performance-based assessments.

Evaluation

The evaluation of the integrated online assessment platform will consist of a multi-layered evaluation of usability, assessment team analysis, and accessibility.  This will include partnering with Gartner (a leading technology research firm) to design a usability survey to gather user feedback on the ease of assessment administration and scoring, the effectiveness of automated interfaces, and the quality of reporting.  In addition, research staff in the Office of Shared Accountability will support the development of frameworks for evaluating the rigor and alignment of the assessment tasks with the MCPS curriculum.  This analysis will be used with central services staff, teachers, and administrators to study formative assessment items in our growing repository.  All feedback and evaluation results will be used to inform the success of the project and future enhancements.

Use of Funds

Funds will be used to provide for consultant services to assist with developing a methodology for importing assessment content into the grade book, to develop the integrations with MCPS systems, assessment types, reports, and federated services, to develop the assessment taxonomy and the content repository for MCPS assessments, and for the development of the Federated services to bring in content from outside sources. 

Recommended Resolution

Resolved, That the superintendent of schools be authorized to receive and expend, subject to County Council approval, a Fiscal Year 2015 supplemental appropriation of $633,145 for the  Comprehensive Assessment System Solutions Project; and be it further

Resolved, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the county executive and County Council; and be it further

Resolved, That the county executive be requested to recommend approval of this resolution to the County Council.

This financial report reflects the actual financial condition of Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) as of December 31, 2014, and projections through June 30, 2015, based on program requirements and estimates made by primary and secondary account managers.  At this time, revenues have a projected surplus of $1.88 million, which is the same as reported last month.  Expenses are projected to have a surplus of $30.1 million, which is $5 million more than the  $25.1 million projected last month.  The change in expenditures is primarily due to the implementation of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Operating Budget expenditure restrictions that were effective on November 24, 2014. 

The County Council appropriated $38,172,451 of fund balance for the FY 2015 Operating Budget.  As a result of additional savings realized at the end of FY 2014, the FY 2015 beginning fund balance was $1,182,633. Based on revenue and expenditure projections as of December 31, 2014, the FY 2015 fund balance at year end will be $33.16 million.  This amount will be used to help fund the FY 2016 Operating Budget.

Attachment 1 presents a chart displaying budgeted and projected revenues as reflected in this report.  Attachment 2 is a chart detailing expenditure information by state category. The chart illustrates authorized (budgeted) expenditures, actual year-to-date expenditures and encumbrances, projected expenditures for the remainder of the fiscal year, and the projected year-end balance as reflected in this report. 

REVENUE

Total revenue is projected to be $2,289,168,298, which is $1,880,000 more than the current budget of $2,287,288,298.  There is no change from the prior month’s projection.

County

The projected revenue from the county is $1,476,855,309.  This is the same as the amount budgeted for FY 2015, and the same as projected last month.

State

The projected revenue from the state remains at $620,665,933.  This is $1.9 million more than the amount budgeted. The surplus revenue is related to the projected amount that MCPS will receive for special education students who attend nonpublic schools.

Federal

The projected revenue from Impact Aid is $200,000, which is the same as the amount projected last month.  This is $200,000 less than the $400,000 budgeted.   

Other

The projected revenue from other sources is $4,055,708, and there is no change from the prior month’s projection.

Appropriated Fund Balance

The projected revenue from appropriated fund balance remains at $40,682,985. This amount includes $2,510,534 for prior-year encumbrances.

Enterprise Funds

The projected revenue from enterprise funds is $60,818,601.

Supported Projects

The anticipated revenue of $85,889,763 for supported projects has not changed from last month. This estimate includes $7,985,829 carried forward from FY 2014.  Projects approved through December 31, 2014, have been assigned $81,802,979.

EXPENDITURES

There is a projected surplus of $30,100,000, which is $5 million more than the $25.1 million reported last month.  As a result of expenditure restrictions implemented on November 24, 2014, all categories are now projected to end the year in surplus.  The following provides an explanation of the projections for each category.

Category 1—Administration

There is a projected end-of-year surplus of $2,100,000 in Category 1, Administration, which is $600,000 more than the $1,500,000 surplus projected last month.  As of December 31, 2014, 90.1 percent of the funds budgeted in this category have been spent or encumbered.  It is projected that an additional $2.2 million, or 5.1 percent of budgeted funds, will be spent during the remainder of the year for equipment maintenance, supplies, and other items that are essential to MCPS operations.  There currently are 17.3 vacant Full-time Equivalent (FTE) positions and a projected salary surplus of $1.8 million. This is $100,000 more than the position salary surplus reported last month. Additional vacancies that occur during the year will generate additional surplus.  There is a $270,000 surplus projected for temporary part-time salaries, which is $200,000 more than the $70,000 projected last month.  In addition, the $415,000 deficit projected last month for contractual services has improved by $200,000 to $215,000.  The overall deficit is related to legal fees and the hiring of outside contractors for technology services as a result of vacant positions.  The surplus of $145,000 projected last month for supplies and materials, other expenditures, and equipment, remains the same.

Category 2—Mid-level Administration

Last month’s projected end-of-year surplus in Category 2, Mid-level Administration, of
$3.5 million has increased by $100,000 million to $3.6 million.  As of December 31, 2014, 95.7 percent of the funds budgeted in this category have been spent or encumbered, and it is anticipated that an additional $2.5 million, or 1.8 percent of budgeted funds, will be expended during the remaining months of the year for essential services.  Currently, there are 31.1 vacant FTE positions, 7.0 FTE positions more than last month.  The projected surplus in position salaries is $3.2 million, which is $300,000 more than that the $2.9 million surplus reported last month.  Based on an additional month of data, there is a $150,000 surplus for temporary part-time salaries. This is $100,000 less than the $250,000 surplus projected last month.  In addition, there is projected surplus of $300,000
in contractual services, supplies and materials, and for mileage reimbursement for local travel, which is $100,000 less than reported last month.

Category 3—Instructional Salaries

Category 3, Instructional Salaries, is projected to end the year with a surplus of $12.5 million, which is $1 million more than reported last month.  As of December 31, 2014, 96.4 percent of the funds budgeted in this category have been spent or encumbered.  It is projected that an additional  $19 million, or 2.2 percent of the budgeted amount, will be spent during the remainder of the year.  Current projections indicate that there is a $7.5 million surplus projected for position salaries, which is $1 million less than the $8.5 million surplus reported last month.  There are 173.8 vacant FTE positions, most of which are being filled by long-term teacher substitutes.  The $3 million surplus projected in temporary part-time salaries last month has increased by $2 million to $5 million. The revised projection is based on expenditure data for short-term substitutes that fill in for teachers on leave, long-term leave, and sick and annual leave payments to employees. Also, the additional surplus is attributable to savings in stipends and substitutes for professional development.

Category 4—Textbooks and Instructional Supplies

Expenditures in Category 4, Textbooks and Instructional Supplies, are projected to have a surplus of $4 million.  This is $500,000 higher than the $3.5 million surplus projected last month.  As of December 31, 2014, approximately 54.7 percent of the funds budgeted in this category have been spent or encumbered.  It is projected that an additional $8.9 million, or 31.3 percent of the budgeted amount, will be spent during the remainder of the year.  Schools and offices will purchase only those textbooks, materials, and supplies that are essential. 

Category 5—Other Instructional Costs

Category 5, Other Instructional Costs, is projected to have a surplus of $500,000 and there is no change from last month’s projection.  As of December 31, 2014, approximately 69.6 percent of the funds budgeted in this category have been spent or encumbered.  It is projected that $2.8 million will be spent during the year to cover a variety of expenditures, including costs for interscholastic sports and maintenance of duplicating equipment. 

Category 6—Special Education

Expenditures for Category 6, Special Education, are projected to have a surplus of $3.5 million.  Last month, the category was projected to end the year with a surplus of $2 million.  As of December 30, 2014, 95.7 percent of the funds budgeted in this category have been spent or encumbered.  It is projected that an additional $8.6 million, or 3.1 percent of the budget, will be spent during the remainder of the year.  Currently, there are 69.5 vacant FTE positions.  Position salary balances resulting from vacant FTE positions are offset by long-term substitutes for classroom coverage, temporary part-time salaries, and contractual services to provide services to students with disabilities as prescribed on their Individualized Education Program.  This results in an overall surplus of
$3.1 million.  This is $1,500,000 more than the surplus projected last month.  Additional grant revenue can be utilized to meet expenditure needs.  In addition, there is no change in the $400,000 surplus reported last month for tuition for students with disabilities served in nonpublic programs.

Category 7—Student Personnel Services

As reported last month, expenditures for Category 7, Student Personnel Services, are projected to have a surplus of $100,000.  As of December 31, 2014, approximately 96.8 percent of all budgeted funds in this category have been spent or encumbered.  There are 2.0 vacant FTE positions, and the projected surplus in position salaries is $63,000.  Based on expenditure restrictions, a surplus of $37,000 is projected for part-time salaries and operating expenses.

Category 9—Student Transportation

Category 9, Student Transportation, is expected to end the year with a surplus of $1.8 million.  This is $1.3 million more than the $500,000 projected last month.  As of December 31, 2014, approximately 82.3 percent of all budgeted funds in this category have been spent or encumbered.  The position salary surplus of $1.9 million reported last month has not changed. The $2.5 million deficit for temporary part-time salaries projected last month has increased by $100,000 to a deficit of $2.6 million.  It is projected that additional bus operator position vacancies will be filled with part-time bus operators.  The projected surplus of $700,000 reported last month for bus fuel has increased by $900,000 to
$1.6 million.  The budget for bus fuel was based on $3.55 per gallon and the current rate is $2.03 per gallon.  Expenditures for bus repairs and bus supplies are now projected to end the year with a surplus of $800,000, which is $400,000 more than the $400,000 surplus reported last month.  Equipment purchases were reported to be on budget last month, and there is now a projected surplus of $100,000.

Category 10—Operation of Plant and Equipment

Expenditures for Category 10, Operation of Plant and Equipment, are projected to have a surplus of $1 million, and there is no change from last month’s projection. As of December 31, 2014, approximately 78.2 percent of all budgeted funds in this category have been spent or encumbered, and $27.2 million, or 21 percent of the budget, is expected to be spent throughout the remainder of the year.  Currently, there are 68.7 FTE position vacancies, primarily building service positions. This is eight more vacancies than reported last month.  The projected position salary surplus of $2.2 million projected last month remains the same. Also, the projected deficit of $400,000 for building service substitute salaries and long-term leave remains the same as last month. There is a surplus of $300,000 in supplies and materials that is primarily a result of inventory adjustments and postage costs in the Department of Materials Management.  The deficit of $200,000 reported last month for vehicle operating costs in the Department of Materials Management remains the same. Based on another month of actual data, there is a projected deficit of $900,000 for utilities, which is $300,000 more than the $600,000 deficit reported last month.  Consumption and rates for electricity, and rates for natural gas, are projected to be higher than budgeted.    

Category 11—Maintenance of Plant

As reported last month, expenditures in Category 11, Maintenance of Plant, are projected to have a surplus of $500,000.  Approximately 83.7 percent of budgeted funds have been spent or encumbered as of December 31, 2014.  An additional $5 million, or 14.9 percent of the budget, is expected to be spent during the remainder of the year. There are currently 33.0 FTE position vacancies, and the position salary savings from lapse and turnover of $1.2 million reported last month has not changed.  Projected offsetting deficits of $50,000 for long-term leave, $400,000 for maintenance and grounds care supplies and equipment, and $250,000 for vehicle operating costs remain the same as reported last month.

Category 12—Fixed Charges

As reported last month, expenditures for Category 12, Fixed Charges, are projected to have a surplus of $500,000.  Approximately 57 percent of budgeted funds have been spent as of December 31, 2014.  Last spring, as part of final action on the FY 2015 Operating Budget, the County Council reduced the budget for Category 12 by $40.5 million by using reserve funds from our health care trust funds.  Of the $40.5 million, $27.2 million of the $51.1 million in the MCPS Other Post-Employment Benefits Trust Fund was shifted to the Employee Benefit Plan Retiree Trust Fund to pay for retiree health costs.  In addition, $13.3 million was cut with the intention of reducing the Employee Benefit Plan Retiree Trust Fund balance of $18.5 million for retirees to $5.2 million beginning in FY 2015.  Based on actual FY 2014 experience and current projections for FY 2015 (based on four months of actual data), the fund balance for both active employees and retirees is projected to be below $4 million, or less than 1 percent of annual expenditures.  If claims are higher than projected for the remaining months of the fiscal year, the surplus may be reduced or eliminated.

This report details expenditures for outside counsel legal fees for Fiscal Year 2015 through the month of November 2014.  A complete set of bills submitted and paid to each firm is available for your review in the Office of the Superintendent of Schools. The charts in Attachment A compare current expenses with those from the same period last year and provide information by month on the following:

• Non-special education legal expenses by firm
• Special education expenses for outside counsel, parent attorney fees, and other miscellaneous charges
• Special education expenses by firm

Attachment B is a list of the categories that reflect the type of legal advice and litigation services being provided to Montgomery County Public Schools by outside law firms for non-special education matters.  The categories in Attachment B are defined as follows:

• Personnel: Equal Employment Opportunity complaints, appeals by personnel
• Facilities:  construction, capital projects, use of facilities
• Procurement:  contracts, bids
• Student:  appeals
• Policy:  development, implementation, interpretation (includes regulations), subpoenas
• Financial:  expenditures, state aid
• Collective bargaining: negotiations, arbitration hearings, grievances
• Miscellaneous:  many categories grouped together under one charge

Non-special Education Legal Expenses

The total charges for non-special education legal expenses in November 2014 were $67,808. The year-to-date total of $367,517 is $26,611 (6.75 percent) less than the same period in the previous year. 

The Carney Kelehan bill for November 2014 totaled $60,826.  The largest amount was for personnel matters ($24,572), the largest part of which related to a dismissal matter ($15,497). The next largest amount was for facilities matters (charged to the capital budget) totaling $19,502, the largest part of which was related to facility usage matters ($9,888).  The amount for policy matters totaled $7,163, the largest part of which related to student records requests ($4,643).  The next largest amount was for student matters ($7,145), the largest part of which related to a student appeal matter ($3,258).  The financial matters totaled $1,429, all of which related to garnishement matters.  The amount for miscellaneous matters totaled $1,015.

The Venable bill for November 2014 totaled $3,864. The largest amount was for policy matters ($3,258), all of which related to open meetings matters.  The amount for collective bargaining matters totaled $606.

The Clancy bill for November 2014 totaled $600, all of which related to policy matters.

Charges in November 2014 for court reporters, hearing officers, and other legal services totaled $2,518.

Special Education Legal Expenses

Special education legal fees for outside counsel for November 2014 totaled $20,452.  The year-to-date total of $127,532 is $31,034 (32.2 percent) more than the same period in the previous year.  In addition, total year-to-date special education legal costs of $127,532 are $72,948 (36.4 percent) less than the budgeted amount of $200,480 for this time period. 

The Jeffrey A. Krew bill for November 2014 totaled $20,076, all of which related to six administrative hearing matters.

The Carney Kelehan bill for November 2014 totaled $376, all of which related to an Office of Civil Rights complaint.

Attached is the Construction Progress Report for the period ending January 31, 2015.

For the six months of Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 through December 31, 2014, 18.5 percent of the Division of Construction and the Procurement Unit contracts were awarded to Minority-,Female-, or Disabled-owned (MFD) businesses. The total amount of the awards to MFD businesses was $26,550,124. The total value of all capital and operating awards for this period in FY 2015 was $143,716,528.

During the second quarter of FY 2015, staff represented Montgomery County Public Schools in the Baltimore Washington Corridor Chamber Government Procurement Fair, the Baltimore Minority Business Enterprises Meet and Greet, and the Montgomery County Local and Minority Vendor Meet and Greet.  The Division of Construction participated in “Meet the Primes,” hosted by Baltimore County Public Schools as part of its “Blue Book Building and Construction Network Showcase.” Both the Division of Construction and the Procurement Unit continue to advertise on e-Maryland Marketplace to increase the number of MFD vendor opportunities. The Procurement Unit continues to work with the Montgomery County Department of Economic Development and members of the Montgomery County Interagency Procurement Coordinating Committee to meet and help vendors navigate the procurement process.

The Procurement Unit has continued to focus on increasing MFD business participation in the award of contracts for goods and services.  Procedures that have been implemented to increase MFD participation include:

·    Mailing formal bids to all MFD firms that have indicated an interest in receiving them.

• Soliciting both minority and non-minority businesses to submit quotations for purchases less than $25,000.
• Providing technical assistance to MFD vendors.
• Consulting regularly with minority organizations and advertising in minority publications.

The following steps were implemented to expand outreach and improve procurement opportunities for MFD vendors:

• The Procurement Unit web page continues to provide information on how to do business with Montgomery County Public Schools.  It includes an electronic online vendor application, event calendar, link to eMaryland Marketplace, and monthly vendor seminar registration information.
• Regular meetings are scheduled with vendors to discuss solicitation, bid, and product processes and concerns.
• Solicitations are sent to community-based associations requesting that the documents
  be shared with their membership.

The following two tables provide aggregate MFD contract award information for both the Procurement Unit and the Division of Construction.

The following table provides year-to-date information on MFD participation in procurement contracts awarded by the Division of Construction.  The amount of FY 2015 second quarter contract participation reflects both Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) and
non-MDOT minority firms.

The next report will be submitted to the Board of Education on April 14, 2015.  It will include all bids, quotes, and requests for proposals exceeding $25,000 awarded during the period of January 1, 2015, through March 31, 2015.