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Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)
Support the Montgomery Virtual Academy (MVA) from Budget Cuts!
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Anonymous
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How many children are enrolled in the virtual academy?
How many teachers are employed? |
Anonymous
| I am struggling with what to advocate for in these proposed cuts since lots of the cuts are terrible. If the choice is increase all class sizes by 1 — teacher cuts resulting- or cut MVA, I would rather see MVA cut. I hope there is enough money to be found in contracted services and central office so neither is cut. I also think cutting musical instrument repair for schools impacted by poverty is worse then cutting MVA simply due to the scope of vulnerable kids impacted. I did sign to keep MVA in the first petition. This is harder. I wish the petition was in support of protecting all students so no increasing class size and no cutting MVA and no cutting instrument repair for poor schools. I think not expanding pre-k more stinks but since it has not yet happened that at least does not involve cutting teachers. It is harder for me to advocate for MVA alone knowing that advocacy could harm numerically more at risk kids than it would help. |
Anonymous
Increasing class sizes by 1 isn't a big deal. Class sizes go up and down depending on enrollment. Your class sizes will go up if MCPS closes the MVA and kids return to their home schools. Music is wonderful, but kids learning to read and write is far more important. MCPS has money for all these things and much more if they's spend the money more wisely. MVA staff are facing losing their jobs. MCPS will lose good skilled teachers if the MVA is cut. They are targeting low income and families with hardships who they think will not fight. You don't see folks fighting to save the music repair program or prek. There are better things to cut than any of these programs. And, it isn't as simple as saying send the kids back to their home schools as that isn't an appropriate placement for all. |
Anonymous
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How much money will it save by eliminating the program?
MCPS budget needs a deep multilayer audit, especially with duplicate and unnecessary positions. |
Anonymous
| There should be a statewide virtual option for everyone. |
Anonymous
Anonymous
Thats really unfortunate to hear. Thanks for sharing. |
Anonymous
But there isn't so it's not a topic worth discussing. You keep pushing it but its not going to happen. |
Anonymous
It's about $4.3 million if they keep it the same size but lots of kids on the waitlist. The cost to MCPS is minimal compared to many other things. And, some of these kids will need specialized placements and 1-1 paraprofessionals so the cost savings may not be that significant if costs go up due to their return to in person or specialized placements. |
Anonymous
You’re assuming because a student is in MVA that means there are not already getting other services provided. |
Anonymous
They are getting them but some kids have very specialized special needs that if they were go to back in person would need a lot more supports that the parents or outside providers are doing instead of MCPS. |
Anonymous
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A lot of kids will need dedicated paras, self-contained programs, and non-pubic placements. That is fact, though I would like a better understanding of those specific numbers.
Where are these children going? At this point, the county can't hire dedicated paras, does not have any spaces in self contained programs, and the process to get through CIEP is LONG. This is going to be a mess. |
Anonymous
Oops! This doesn't portend well for MCPS's MVA.... |
Anonymous
No one knows. They aren’t giving anyone any information and telling families to homeschool, on person or the medical program, which is a joke. |
Anonymous
| What is the goal of specialized placements? What is the success rate? How much are we paying? Every child has the right to be educated but we shouldn’t be paying for programs that aren’t working and will never work. And this includes mental health supports, dei initiatives, consultants, task forces. |