Superintendent email about job cuts

[Anonymous]

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/publicinfo/community/school-year-2023-2024/Community-Message-20240604.html

Our property taxes went up significantly this year. What’s going on? Why do they have to do RIFs?

I can’t imagine more students in a classroom

[Anonymous]

It's to pay for things like RJ and the racist audit.

[Anonymous]

And legal settlements!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/publicinfo/community/school-year-2023-2024/Community-Message-20240604.html

Our property taxes went up significantly this year. What’s going on? Why do they have to do RIFs?

I can’t imagine more students in a classroom

Paid 9.7 million dollars to settle Damascus sex assault lawsuits.

Paid 200,000 dollars to defend the LGBTQ curriculum.

Paid Jackson Lewis 200,000 dollars to investigate the Joel Beidleman case.

Paid 300,000 dollars to settle the first Joel Beidleman lawsuit.

Paid 1.3 million dollars to the incompetent former superintendent.

...

[Anonymous]

The school system has enough money. They just need to prioritize classroom teachers.
And how were central office employees “impacted?”
Impacted doesn’t necessarily mean cut.
How many restorative justice instructional specialists do we need??
Seems that many of the central office leaders don’t live in moco anyway and don’t care if property taxes increase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/publicinfo/community/school-year-2023-2024/Community-Message-20240604.html

Our property taxes went up significantly this year. What’s going on? Why do they have to do RIFs?

I can’t imagine more students in a classroom

Paid 9.7 million dollars to settle Damascus sex assault lawsuits.

Paid 200,000 dollars to defend the LGBTQ curriculum.

Paid Jackson Lewis 200,000 dollars to investigate the Joel Beidleman case.

Paid 300,000 dollars to settle the first Joel Beidleman lawsuit.

Paid 1.3 million dollars to the incompetent former superintendent.

...

Except for the Jackson Lewis report and the legal fees to defend the LGBTQ curriculum, none of the other items you listed come out of Operating Budget money. MCPS is part of the self-insurance fund so insurance pays for all of the others.

[Anonymous]

Too much bloat at the top. Too many special programs we can’t fund. Too many unidentified contractual services. 400% increase in legal fees

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school system has enough money. They just need to prioritize classroom teachers.
And how were central office employees “impacted?”
Impacted doesn’t necessarily mean cut.
How many restorative justice instructional specialists do we need??
Seems that many of the central office leaders don’t live in moco anyway and don’t care if property taxes increase.

21 central office positions were cut and those staff will need new positions.

Which central office leaders don't live in Moco?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/publicinfo/community/school-year-2023-2024/Community-Message-20240604.html

Our property taxes went up significantly this year. What’s going on? Why do they have to do RIFs?

I can’t imagine more students in a classroom

Your property tax RATE did not go up last year. The value of your property was estimated as higher by MoCo, so there is the increase. Next year, there will certainly be an increase in property tax rates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school system has enough money. They just need to prioritize classroom teachers.
And how were central office employees “impacted?”
Impacted doesn’t necessarily mean cut.
How many restorative justice instructional specialists do we need??
Seems that many of the central office leaders don’t live in moco anyway and don’t care if property taxes increase.

21 central office positions were cut and those staff will need new positions.

Which central office leaders don't live in Moco?

Living in Montgomery County is not a requirement for CO employees, except for the superintendent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The school system has enough money. They just need to prioritize classroom teachers.
And how were central office employees “impacted?”
Impacted doesn’t necessarily mean cut.
How many restorative justice instructional specialists do we need??
Seems that many of the central office leaders don’t live in moco anyway and don’t care if property taxes increase.

Send those central office employees back to school, where they will spend most of next year calling in sick, making the rest of us cover their classes, as they use up leave. Nice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/publicinfo/community/school-year-2023-2024/Community-Message-20240604.html

Our property taxes went up significantly this year. What’s going on? Why do they have to do RIFs?

I can’t imagine more students in a classroom

Your property tax RATE did not go up last year. The value of your property was estimated as higher by MoCo, so there is the increase. Next year, there will certainly be an increase in property tax rates.

You’re wrong. The rate went up 4.7 percent in 2023 to give more money to MCPS (a dubious claim). That’s on top of assessments increasing.

[Anonymous]

Anyone know what the FTE cut rate is for specific schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The school system has enough money. They just need to prioritize classroom teachers.
And how were central office employees “impacted?”
Impacted doesn’t necessarily mean cut.
How many restorative justice instructional specialists do we need??
Seems that many of the central office leaders don’t live in moco anyway and don’t care if property taxes increase.

21 central office positions were cut and those staff will need new positions.

Which central office leaders don't live in Moco?

Actually the wording was ambiguous. She never said cut and knowing the issues mcps has had with transparency this is alarming because she was very clear about what will happen to teachers. These people don’t care about kids or teachers.
A LOT of co staff live in pg county. McKnight only moved out of pg because she had no choice. Everyone knows that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's to pay for things like RJ and the racist audit.

and grants to the kids museum and Monfia's 30% increase to CO staff to focus on various DEI initiatives like Honors for All