MCPS Charter Schools

[Anonymous]

JUNE 29, 2022

https://www.mymcmedia.org/charter-school-focused-on-business-hopes-to-open-in-gaithersburg/

School Board Member Judith Docca praised the proposal, noting it had “a fully developed curriculum.” She also liked the location. “Gaithersburg is one of the neediest areas of the county, but it also is the geographic center of the county.”

“I was primarily concerned about the stability of the financial funding,” Board President Brenda Wolff said at the time.

JULY 26, 2022

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/montgomery-county-school-board-rejects-proposal-for-gaithersburg-charter-school/

Lynne Harris was the only board member to vote in support of the charter school.

Board member Rebecca Smondrowski said she had many concerns about the transportation aspect. [..] “Gaithersburg, while it may be a very dense area and the schools may be overcrowded to some extent, it is an extremely high walking community,” Smondrowski said. “That’s been a big issue for us even in terms of opening new schools.”

“It’s a big change to go from east county to Gaithersburg, and that’s a little concerning to me,” Board President Brenda Wolff said.

JULY 29, 2021

The Montgomery County Board of Education voted unanimously Tuesday to deny two charter school applications.
Board President Brenda Wolff said the board received additional information concerning the financial funding late Monday night, but did not have time for a detailed analysis of it before Tuesday’s vote.
“I know this has been a very difficult year for all of us. I’m sure the pandemic interrupted some of the momentum and planning that went into the application,” Wolff said. “But in the end, we were unable to ascertain — or at least, I’m unable to ascertain — how costs beyond those that we are providing money for [are] really going to be covered.”
Board member Karla Silvestre pointed out that MCPS already has a finance academy at Paint Branch High School, in the same area where the proposed charter would open. She wondered how well a new school would recruit students.
https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/board-of-education-denies-two-charter-school-applications/

"Incumbent Brenda Wolff [..] resides in Silver Spring."
"Incumbent Karla Silvestre [..] lives in Silver Spring."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2022/07/06/montgomery-county-school-board-election-candidates/
"Montgomery County Board of Education Appoints Scott Joftus to Fill District 3 Seat"
https://news.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/quicknotes/montgomery-county-board-of-education-appoints-scott-joftus-to-fill-district-3-seat/

[Anonymous]

MoCo has only approved 1 charter school, ever--Crossway Montessori. That turned out to be a massive sh**show. It took them two application cycles to be approved.

I'm actually convinced that the BOE knew it would go up in flames, so approved it, just so they could use if as a cautionary tale forever more and never approve another one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MoCo has only approved 1 charter school, ever--Crossway Montessori. That turned out to be a massive sh**show. It took them two application cycles to be approved.

I'm actually convinced that the BOE knew it would go up in flames, so approved it, just so they could use if as a cautionary tale forever more and never approve another one.

Crossways had its hand in a lot of county money with their housing program which they also got county grants and HOC money - they also got move in/security deposit money from the county at each move in. And, then they forced all the housing residents to use their child care and got day care voucher money on top of charging rent and day care co-pays.

[Anonymous]

This is a great way to undermine public education and ensure our tax dollars are funneled to the wealthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a great way to undermine public education and ensure our tax dollars are funneled to the wealthy.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a great way to undermine public education and ensure our tax dollars are funneled to the wealthy.

Eh, the Teachers Union has already undermined public education in this county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great way to undermine public education and ensure our tax dollars are funneled to the wealthy.

Eh, the Teachers Union has already undermined public education in this county.

+1. Exactly. They did it to themselves and our kids with their selfishness during COVID. Oh and basically 50 years of failures of education ‘reform.’

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great way to undermine public education and ensure our tax dollars are funneled to the wealthy.

Eh, the Teachers Union has already undermined public education in this county.

+1. Exactly. They did it to themselves and our kids with their selfishness during COVID. Oh and basically 50 years of failures of education ‘reform.’

It is reasonable for parents to seek out alternatives to the sh$tshow that is MCPS. MCPS is a disaster and Covid really highlighted some issues. It also highlighted the fact that MCPS is too big and so poorly run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great way to undermine public education and ensure our tax dollars are funneled to the wealthy.

Eh, the Teachers Union has already undermined public education in this county.

+1. Exactly. They did it to themselves and our kids with their selfishness during COVID. Oh and basically 50 years of failures of education ‘reform.’

It is reasonable for parents to seek out alternatives to the sh$tshow that is MCPS. MCPS is a disaster and Covid really highlighted some issues. It also highlighted the fact that MCPS is too big and so poorly run.

You are more than welcome to seek out alternative but its not reasonable to expect MCPS to pay for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a great way to undermine public education and ensure our tax dollars are funneled to the wealthy.

Eh, the Teachers Union has already undermined public education in this county.

+1. Exactly. They did it to themselves and our kids with their selfishness during COVID. Oh and basically 50 years of failures of education ‘reform.’

It is reasonable for parents to seek out alternatives to the sh$tshow that is MCPS. MCPS is a disaster and Covid really highlighted some issues. It also highlighted the fact that MCPS is too big and so poorly run.

Lots of alternatives to MCPS already exist without creating charter schools.

[Anonymous]

If you want well run and thought out charters just move. Other counties do it better with less union drama and ‘a charter is the end of public education as we know it.’ That’s a NEA talking point. Charters have their place. I, for one, think a charter school in MCPS for dyslexia would be an excellent use of public funds - and is better than spending 11 million in fighting IEPs with outside counsel. But hey, MCPS is too Luddite for that - so you gotta love to find the smart sometimes.

[Anonymous]

*move to find the smart sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want well run and thought out charters just move. Other counties do it better with less union drama and ‘a charter is the end of public education as we know it.’ That’s a NEA talking point. Charters have their place. I, for one, think a charter school in MCPS for dyslexia would be an excellent use of public funds - and is better than spending 11 million in fighting IEPs with outside counsel. But hey, MCPS is too Luddite for that - so you gotta love to find the smart sometimes.

They don’t need a charter and could do it if they wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want well run and thought out charters just move. Other counties do it better with less union drama and ‘a charter is the end of public education as we know it.’ That’s a NEA talking point. Charters have their place. I, for one, think a charter school in MCPS for dyslexia would be an excellent use of public funds - and is better than spending 11 million in fighting IEPs with outside counsel. But hey, MCPS is too Luddite for that - so you gotta love to find the smart sometimes.

They don’t need a charter and could do it if they wanted.

Charters are just a way to bilk public funds at the expense of education. The GOP loves this kind of thing almost as much as they love tax credits for hedge fund managers or insulin costing $1000/month.

[Anonymous]

Not sure about the direction of this thread but they approved the charter school in the last BOE meeting. MCPS has actually been pretty supportive as can be seen in previous BOE meetings while asking very appropriate questions and have the charter board think through/address valid concerns.