Who ultimately makes the COSA decision?

[Anonymous]

MCPS central office or the Principal of the school you are applying to?

[Anonymous]

Central office but principals get a big voice in the decision..

[Anonymous]

Central office. The person above is 100% incorrect. Principals do not even know which students are on a COSA unless they go into their individual files and look. There is no master “list” of students on COSAs and they have zero to do with the decision

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Central office. The person above is 100% incorrect. Principals do not even know which students are on a COSA unless they go into their individual files and look. There is no master “list” of students on COSAs and they have zero to do with the decision

I thought that the principal has to approve it as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Central office. The person above is 100% incorrect. Principals do not even know which students are on a COSA unless they go into their individual files and look. There is no master “list” of students on COSAs and they have zero to do with the decision

I thought that the principal has to approve it as well.

+1

[Anonymous]

I think principals are just told about COSA students. They don't have a choice. However, if a kid with a COSA is causing problems at the school, the principal can arrange to have the COSA revoked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think principals are just told about COSA students. They don't have a choice. However, if a kid with a COSA is causing problems at the school, the principal can arrange to have the COSA revoked.

Yes, it says on the form that if there are disciplinary issues, the principal can revoked the COSA.

I am just wondering if the Principal needs to approve it as well.

[Anonymous]

Remember only MCPS admins can redefine the boundaries of school catchments not you, dear taxpayer - who just had their taxes raised 10% to pay for - wait for it - MCPS pensions and healthcare.

Why does Moco even have boundaries when super conservative Arizona did away with them? Ah, we know why: racism pure and simple.

https://azednews.com/senate-ed-hears-bills-to-eliminate-school-district-boundaries-provide-families-transporation-money-at-2-pm-today/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think principals are just told about COSA students. They don't have a choice. However, if a kid with a COSA is causing problems at the school, the principal can arrange to have the COSA revoked.

Yes, it says on the form that if there are disciplinary issues, the principal can revoked the COSA.

I am just wondering if the Principal needs to approve it as well.

Former admin here- I am no longer an administrator in MCPS, but when I was, principals did not get any say in the approval process. It may have changed, but at that time it was a central office decision, and principals did not always understand why the decisions were made the way they were.

[Anonymous]

I find it odd to hear that principals have no say in the matter. We applied for (and received, after an appeal) a COSA a few years ago, and during our appeal process, the investigator suggested a different school--my guess is that one was underenrolled, but it was very close to the requested one--and said that she spoke with the principal of the different school who said he would happily agree to the COSA. Maybe she was just trying to get us to change our minds, who knows.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think principals are just told about COSA students. They don't have a choice. However, if a kid with a COSA is causing problems at the school, the principal can arrange to have the COSA revoked.

Yes, it says on the form that if there are disciplinary issues, the principal can revoked the COSA.

I am just wondering if the Principal needs to approve it as well.

Principal has nothing to do with it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think principals are just told about COSA students. They don't have a choice. However, if a kid with a COSA is causing problems at the school, the principal can arrange to have the COSA revoked.

Yes, it says on the form that if there are disciplinary issues, the principal can revoked the COSA.

I am just wondering if the Principal needs to approve it as well.

Former admin here- I am no longer an administrator in MCPS, but when I was, principals did not get any say in the approval process. It may have changed, but at that time it was a central office decision, and principals did not always understand why the decisions were made the way they were.

Why did you leave and what are you doing now? Just curious…

[Anonymous]

Principals get a lot of say in anything at their schools. Most of the time it's convenient for them to claim it's out of their hands but it rarely ever is...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I find it odd to hear that principals have no say in the matter. We applied for (and received, after an appeal) a COSA a few years ago, and during our appeal process, the investigator suggested a different school--my guess is that one was underenrolled, but it was very close to the requested one--and said that she spoke with the principal of the different school who said he would happily agree to the COSA. Maybe she was just trying to get us to change our minds, who knows.

+1. We also worked with a principal closely in the COSA process. Maybe central office has to approve all COSA's, but, a principal can "advocate" for a placement at their own school? Like much in MCPS, it is a less than transparent process that seems to have different rules for different people.

[Anonymous]

Before it was a legitimate approved reason, I had to submit a COSA for my kid to attend the school where I teach, and my principal played a huge role in the process. It was denied in the first round, but approved on appeal, and I know my principal made several calls. It's possible though that he was advocating from his role as an employer rather than a principal (I might switch schools if it was denied and he didn't want to lose me, etc). We have a good relationship and I think he would be honest--he made it sound like they officially do not have a role, but wink-wink can nudge things in a certain direction if they choose to get involved.