Will 6 Region Model Pass?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly after listening to County Council discussions with BOE, I don’t think the 6 region model has a prayer of passing.

DCC residents are mad.

There is no budget.

Council doesn’t believe they can staff all programs effectively.

After County Council provided their feedback, did MCPS staff give the impression that they realized they were wrong and were going to make significant changes or did they simply double down and be like "we're still right."

The latter.

What is so sad and frustrating is that there is actually consensus from the county council, some BOE members, design team members who have spoken up, pretty much everyone is saying the same thing. Everyone is saying this might be a good/successful plan if you take the time to actually get the right feedback and costs and staffing, but you just simply do not have enough time to do so if you stay linked to the boundary study timeline. Everyone is screaming into the abyss to slow down and get it right. I really desperately hope Laura Stewart can get enough other BOE members on Board to tell Essie/Niki/Thomas/Jeannie that this cannot go forward on this timeline. It’s a house of cards!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:County Council doesn't have the authority to block this. The BOE does but they are weak and under resourced.

County concil oversees the BOE and they don't have to fund it.

All the council can do is reduce MCPS's budget. Then it's still up to the BOE which things would be cut as a result.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly after listening to County Council discussions with BOE, I don’t think the 6 region model has a prayer of passing.

DCC residents are mad.

There is no budget.

Council doesn’t believe they can staff all programs effectively.

After County Council provided their feedback, did MCPS staff give the impression that they realized they were wrong and were going to make significant changes or did they simply double down and be like "we're still right."

The latter.

What is so sad and frustrating is that there is actually consensus from the county council, some BOE members, design team members who have spoken up, pretty much everyone is saying the same thing. Everyone is saying this might be a good/successful plan if you take the time to actually get the right feedback and costs and staffing, but you just simply do not have enough time to do so if you stay linked to the boundary study timeline. Everyone is screaming into the abyss to slow down and get it right. I really desperately hope Laura Stewart can get enough other BOE members on Board to tell Essie/Niki/Thomas/Jeannie that this cannot go forward on this timeline. It’s a house of cards!

Who exactly? The pathetic and depressing part is none of the BOE the members have the bone to stop or slow down Taylor or CO. But BOE is technically the only party that can put a stop or slow-down sign, isn’t it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly after listening to County Council discussions with BOE, I don’t think the 6 region model has a prayer of passing.

DCC residents are mad.

There is no budget.

Council doesn’t believe they can staff all programs effectively.

After County Council provided their feedback, did MCPS staff give the impression that they realized they were wrong and were going to make significant changes or did they simply double down and be like "we're still right."

The latter.

What is so sad and frustrating is that there is actually consensus from the county council, some BOE members, design team members who have spoken up, pretty much everyone is saying the same thing. Everyone is saying this might be a good/successful plan if you take the time to actually get the right feedback and costs and staffing, but you just simply do not have enough time to do so if you stay linked to the boundary study timeline. Everyone is screaming into the abyss to slow down and get it right. I really desperately hope Laura Stewart can get enough other BOE members on Board to tell Essie/Niki/Thomas/Jeannie that this cannot go forward on this timeline. It’s a house of cards!

The BOE can stop this at any time and not approve funding for the contracts/surveys, etc. They choose not to and to allow the wasteful spending and non-sense. No one is supporting this plan. We need change and improvement but this is not the way. The BOE can terminate the central office staff who are pushing this and not reading the room.

[Anonymous]

The BOE removed the link to their handbook but it clearly stated the county council is their oversight. https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1294731.page

[Anonymous]

Isn’t the 6 region model basically expanding the DCC so all students in the county get access to a variety of programs? If this is the case, why would the DCC be against it?

Personally I feel that we need to stop the choice and kids just go to their neighborhood schools. If we go with 6 regions, there should be 1 test in program only for students whose needs can’t be met in their home school- no interest based programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly after listening to County Council discussions with BOE, I don’t think the 6 region model has a prayer of passing.

DCC residents are mad.

There is no budget.

Council doesn’t believe they can staff all programs effectively.

After County Council provided their feedback, did MCPS staff give the impression that they realized they were wrong and were going to make significant changes or did they simply double down and be like "we're still right."

The latter.

What is so sad and frustrating is that there is actually consensus from the county council, some BOE members, design team members who have spoken up, pretty much everyone is saying the same thing. Everyone is saying this might be a good/successful plan if you take the time to actually get the right feedback and costs and staffing, but you just simply do not have enough time to do so if you stay linked to the boundary study timeline. Everyone is screaming into the abyss to slow down and get it right. I really desperately hope Laura Stewart can get enough other BOE members on Board to tell Essie/Niki/Thomas/Jeannie that this cannot go forward on this timeline. It’s a house of cards!

The BOE can stop this at any time and not approve funding for the contracts/surveys, etc. They choose not to and to allow the wasteful spending and non-sense. No one is supporting this plan. We need change and improvement but this is not the way. The BOE can terminate the central office staff who are pushing this and not reading the room.

BOE can only hire/fire Sup. Rest of Central Office staffing decisions belong to Sup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t the 6 region model basically expanding the DCC so all students in the county get access to a variety of programs? If this is the case, why would the DCC be against it?

Personally I feel that we need to stop the choice and kids just go to their neighborhood schools. If we go with 6 regions, there should be 1 test in program only for students whose needs can’t be met in their home school- no interest based programs.

No they are getting rid of the DCC (and NEC). The only way not to go to your home school will be through a program — there won’t be general school choice (where you. Can try to lottery into a school without going through a program). Thatbis why the DCC opposes it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:County Council doesn't have the authority to block this. The BOE does but they are weak and under resourced.

County concil oversees the BOE and they don't have to fund it.

All the council can do is reduce MCPS's budget. Then it's still up to the BOE which things would be cut as a result.

MCPS will make the cuts and BOE will approve. BOE agrees with everything they do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly after listening to County Council discussions with BOE, I don’t think the 6 region model has a prayer of passing.

DCC residents are mad.

There is no budget.

Council doesn’t believe they can staff all programs effectively.

After County Council provided their feedback, did MCPS staff give the impression that they realized they were wrong and were going to make significant changes or did they simply double down and be like "we're still right."

The latter.

What is so sad and frustrating is that there is actually consensus from the county council, some BOE members, design team members who have spoken up, pretty much everyone is saying the same thing. Everyone is saying this might be a good/successful plan if you take the time to actually get the right feedback and costs and staffing, but you just simply do not have enough time to do so if you stay linked to the boundary study timeline. Everyone is screaming into the abyss to slow down and get it right. I really desperately hope Laura Stewart can get enough other BOE members on Board to tell Essie/Niki/Thomas/Jeannie that this cannot go forward on this timeline. It’s a house of cards!

The BOE can stop this at any time and not approve funding for the contracts/surveys, etc. They choose not to and to allow the wasteful spending and non-sense. No one is supporting this plan. We need change and improvement but this is not the way. The BOE can terminate the central office staff who are pushing this and not reading the room.

BOE can only hire/fire Sup. Rest of Central Office staffing decisions belong to Sup.

No, they have to approve the appointments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t the 6 region model basically expanding the DCC so all students in the county get access to a variety of programs? If this is the case, why would the DCC be against it?

Personally I feel that we need to stop the choice and kids just go to their neighborhood schools. If we go with 6 regions, there should be 1 test in program only for students whose needs can’t be met in their home school- no interest based programs.

The problem is that not all home schools have equal offerings. If they all had what the W schools have, then that would be fine as kids would have access to the courses and clubs/sports they need and want. Right now your option at your home school is to go without, MC or parents drive to another school for that class.

[Anonymous]

Essie McGuire as much as said they are tied together (boundary assessment and program reassignment). And since they have to have the boundary assessment, CO will ram the program reassignment through with it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Essie McGuire as much as said they are tied together (boundary assessment and program reassignment). And since they have to have the boundary assessment, CO will ram the program reassignment through with it

They weren’t tied together previously — they are trying to tie them together because of the strong pushback they are getting on the program analysis. Politically they know the boundaries have to pass, whereas the program analysis doesn’t have to, so they know their best chance of getting programmatic changes through is by tying them together. But the council and BOE could insist that they be considered separately, with the boundaries going through this school year and the programs holding off until there is time to put something together that will work well.

Now will that happen? Unlikely. Both the council and particularly the BOE do not push back on MCPS when push comes to shove. The best chance would be if the council refuses to fund the programs. MCPS might feel compelled to hold off until they can secure funding. But I don’t think there is any chance that the BOE fails to approve if MCPS moves forward with it.

[Anonymous]

Agree. In this best chance hypothetical situation where County Council does not provide full MCPS funding due to disagreement with the 6 region model, I see MCPS taking the money and then responding in their own way. TT + gang feel very strongly about the 6 region model, so I would guess that they apply the funding gap elsewhere to... take your pick. Eliminate SpEd paraeducators? Increase class sizes? Maybe a nominal line item from Central Office budget? But they'll keep their precious 6 region model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree. In this best chance hypothetical situation where County Council does not provide full MCPS funding due to disagreement with the 6 region model, I see MCPS taking the money and then responding in their own way. TT + gang feel very strongly about the 6 region model, so I would guess that they apply the funding gap elsewhere to... take your pick. Eliminate SpEd paraeducators? Increase class sizes? Maybe a nominal line item from Central Office budget? But they'll keep their precious 6 region model.

They got more money for Sped teachers. They'd probably cut that first. Reality is this just puts kids at their home schools with a few exceptions going to other schools. They could just require parents to provide transportation.