Support the Montgomery Virtual Academy (MVA) from Budget Cuts!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nah, I’m more concerned with pre K expansion, CollegeTracks, and, good Lord, enduring kids at economically disadvantaged schools get repair for their instruments.

And don’t @ me for MVA support. Good on you that you want to homeschool. But that is not the goal of public school education.

Goal? Where is there a goal for free public education? Cite your source. Really. Cite your source for that statement.

What are you asking? Of course the goal is free public education. You want to homeschool your child, have at it. MCPS needs to focus on the kids who are IN school AT school. Not the privileged few who have a parent or guardian at home with them while they’re on MVA.

As a taxpayer, I’m appalled at cuts in teachers, pre K expansion, college counseling for first gen students, and musical repair for poor kids. If we were flush with funds then sure, fund the MVA. But if cuts have to be made, the MVA is not a priority.

Exactly.

A lot of the complaints from the MVA crowd are about past spending. And sometimes they have a point. But we need to cut future spending, and cutting MVA is one of the best ways to do that without affecting a large number of students.

Students at the MVA cost far less than in person, so the best place to cut would be in person expenses. You are impacting a large number of students. How about we just shut down 2-3 in person schools? That will 100% fix the budget issue. Lets start with your kids schools.

Exactly- shut down the low performing schools and transfer those kids to the MVA since those teachers are superior. Maybe those kids would do better in their home environment anyway? Many of the MVA class sizes are artificially small so adding the kids from the shutdown schools will get them up on par with regular classrooms and there will be more justification for keeping the MVA

Excellent plan. Please propose that as the alternative to closing MVA to the BoE.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny, as the MVA gets the fewest complaints and in person get the highest complaints. Lets shut down the schools with the highest complaints.

Posts like this are why the petition isn't getting a lot of traction among non-MVA folks. The proponents just seem so genuinely unlikeable and unkind.

No, folks saying shut it down are unkind as they are more focused on their wants than students needs and they have no ability to put others needs ahead of their wants. The MVA is working for the students in the MVA. You think it's fair to force kids who were bulled to go back to the school they were bullied at to get bullied again since MCPS and parents don't care if the bullies are horrible to other kids? As a parent would you send your child to a school where they are relentlessly bullied every day. Not all parents can afford to pull their kids out of MCPS and go private.

So homeschool or move somewhere else with a permanent virtual program. The only reason you got this virtual MCPS experiment to begin with was because of the pandemic. You need to step up as a parent and figure it out.

As a parent, we did step up and figure it out. We figured it out years ago. Why couldn't you step up during virtual as a parent so your child could have been as successful as ours our virtually?

So why are you complaining on here if you have it all figured out? Weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny, as the MVA gets the fewest complaints and in person get the highest complaints. Lets shut down the schools with the highest complaints.

Posts like this are why the petition isn't getting a lot of traction among non-MVA folks. The proponents just seem so genuinely unlikeable and unkind.

No, folks saying shut it down are unkind as they are more focused on their wants than students needs and they have no ability to put others needs ahead of their wants. The MVA is working for the students in the MVA. You think it's fair to force kids who were bulled to go back to the school they were bullied at to get bullied again since MCPS and parents don't care if the bullies are horrible to other kids? As a parent would you send your child to a school where they are relentlessly bullied every day. Not all parents can afford to pull their kids out of MCPS and go private.

So homeschool or move somewhere else with a permanent virtual program. The only reason you got this virtual MCPS experiment to begin with was because of the pandemic. You need to step up as a parent and figure it out.

As a parent, we did step up and figure it out. We figured it out years ago. Why couldn't you step up during virtual as a parent so your child could have been as successful as ours our virtually?

Ooh that’s good, you got me. We figured it out just fine thank you, I held my August kiddo back a year so that we didn’t have to endure “virtual kindergarten.” Heard it was a blast though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=45289&Dept=1

Under FY 2025 Operational Budget

“MCPS funding in the amount of $3.3 billion, which is an increase of more than $157 million, or five percent, over the approved FY24 Operating Budget and $29.6 million more than the County Executive’s Recommended Budget. The tax-supported budget, which excludes grants and enterprise funds, is more than $3.1 billion. This represents an increase of more than $151 million, or 5.1 percent, over the FY24 approved tax-supported budget. The budget adds a net total increase of 248.4 full-time employees (FTE) above the approved FY24 budget level, for a FY25 total of 24,764.5 FTE.”

Here is what I don’t understand, based on the county council approved budget, it shows an increase of 5% compared to FY2024, everything sounds so positive, given an increase of over 150M. Why there’s so much going on the news about cutting off programs, increasing class size and teacher layoff?

Based on the link it’s expecting a net increase of almost 250 FTE, so FTE of what positions for MCPS?

Did MCPS claim the budget using the current head count and now putting the money somewhere else?

And what will be decided on 6/11? Or is it just a more official announcement that day about the bad news?

MVA costs about $5K and most of it is salary. This makes no sense given the huge increase.

MVA is an elective program that, on its own, can make up about 20% of the budget shortfall. It absolutely makes sense. You might not agree with cutting it, but it makes sense.

Assuming 800 students in MVA, cost roughly $5-6k a year per student, $4-5M budget, the fair question to ask is - are these student included as part of the original budget approval request or theyve been excluded all along? If they are in, then MCPS shouldn’t allocate that money for something else. The expense for those 800 students are approved, and it’s inappropriate to take it away regardless. However if those 800 students are never accounted, and the program is promised to be running with condition of excessive budget, then it will be different pending on BOE.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the money allocated for each student was already being sent to their home school. Therefore, what was needed to educate the students in the MVA separate program was pulled from ESSR funds. I believe that was part of the issue many families were having is because the original goal was to keep the student connected to their homeschool like they are with other programs throughout MCPS but they were consistently denied the opportunity to do so (sports, extra curricular activities, graduation, ect.) So what did they do with the money that was set aside for the students then at their homeschool? Or am I completely off base?

Yes, because it is a program, not a school, the money goes partly to the home school and not the MVA. Its very confusing as it may have changed over time but bottomline is the MVA does not get full pupil money and schools that are not providing for those students do. Some schools are great about allowing participation, others aren't. We had three different schools refuse us all the things listed including graduation. One did call us to pick up the graduation certificate after the fact but that's all we were offered.

MVA is in the budget as a school

It's a program, not a school so it is funded differently.

Listed as a school in budget.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/virtualacademy/about-us/#:~:text=What%20is%20Montgomery%20Virtual%3F,well%2Dbeing%20and%20academic%20achievement.

What is Montgomery Virtual?

The Montgomery Virtual Academy is a comprehensive educational program that provides students an opportunity to engage in meaningful learning experiences that support social-emotional well-being and academic achievement.

That's not the budget.

No, its an explanation of the school that clearly states its a program.

The budget, the document passed by the BOE, lists MVA as a school.

S c h o o l

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail.aspx?Item_ID=45289&Dept=1

Under FY 2025 Operational Budget

“MCPS funding in the amount of $3.3 billion, which is an increase of more than $157 million, or five percent, over the approved FY24 Operating Budget and $29.6 million more than the County Executive’s Recommended Budget. The tax-supported budget, which excludes grants and enterprise funds, is more than $3.1 billion. This represents an increase of more than $151 million, or 5.1 percent, over the FY24 approved tax-supported budget. The budget adds a net total increase of 248.4 full-time employees (FTE) above the approved FY24 budget level, for a FY25 total of 24,764.5 FTE.”

Here is what I don’t understand, based on the county council approved budget, it shows an increase of 5% compared to FY2024, everything sounds so positive, given an increase of over 150M. Why there’s so much going on the news about cutting off programs, increasing class size and teacher layoff?

Based on the link it’s expecting a net increase of almost 250 FTE, so FTE of what positions for MCPS?

Did MCPS claim the budget using the current head count and now putting the money somewhere else?

And what will be decided on 6/11? Or is it just a more official announcement that day about the bad news?

MVA costs about $5K and most of it is salary. This makes no sense given the huge increase.

MVA is an elective program that, on its own, can make up about 20% of the budget shortfall. It absolutely makes sense. You might not agree with cutting it, but it makes sense.

Assuming 800 students in MVA, cost roughly $5-6k a year per student, $4-5M budget, the fair question to ask is - are these student included as part of the original budget approval request or theyve been excluded all along? If they are in, then MCPS shouldn’t allocate that money for something else. The expense for those 800 students are approved, and it’s inappropriate to take it away regardless. However if those 800 students are never accounted, and the program is promised to be running with condition of excessive budget, then it will be different pending on BOE.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the money allocated for each student was already being sent to their home school. Therefore, what was needed to educate the students in the MVA separate program was pulled from ESSR funds. I believe that was part of the issue many families were having is because the original goal was to keep the student connected to their homeschool like they are with other programs throughout MCPS but they were consistently denied the opportunity to do so (sports, extra curricular activities, graduation, ect.) So what did they do with the money that was set aside for the students then at their homeschool? Or am I completely off base?

Yes, because it is a program, not a school, the money goes partly to the home school and not the MVA. Its very confusing as it may have changed over time but bottomline is the MVA does not get full pupil money and schools that are not providing for those students do. Some schools are great about allowing participation, others aren't. We had three different schools refuse us all the things listed including graduation. One did call us to pick up the graduation certificate after the fact but that's all we were offered.

MVA is in the budget as a school

It's a program, not a school so it is funded differently.

Listed as a school in budget.

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/virtualacademy/about-us/#:~:text=What%20is%20Montgomery%20Virtual%3F,well%2Dbeing%20and%20academic%20achievement.

What is Montgomery Virtual?

The Montgomery Virtual Academy is a comprehensive educational program that provides students an opportunity to engage in meaningful learning experiences that support social-emotional well-being and academic achievement.

That's not the budget.

No, its an explanation of the school that clearly states its a program.

The budget, the document passed by the BOE, lists MVA as a school.

S c h o o l

+1

But no budget has been passed by the BOE, so what are you talking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Priority needs to be to keep teachers in-person at school. If you want virtual school for your kid, then go private.

You are fooled by MCPS if you think they will have money to keep the teachers after shutting down programs.

Here is what MCEA has shared earlier -

“ payments for contractual services have ballooned by 42% to $100 million in the proposed FY25 budget. These services should be reduced significantly before any cuts to the classroom can be seriously considered. Examples include:

1. $4.5 million in building rental fees (including new executive offices)
2. $1,031,000 in consultant fees (not comprehensive)
3. $850,000 in recycling fees paid to Montgomery County (why doesn't the county just take care of recycling?)
4. $809,717 in outside attorney fees (MCPS has a substantial in-house legal
team.)
5. $525,000 for "random requests that come up and funding is needed"
6. Plus, an additional $13 million in unspecified contractual sevices that MCPS still has not explained”

They didn’t review any of the above but as you may already know teachers will get involuntarily transferred - decisions will be made as of today and process done by end of the week.

It’s obviously BOE/MCPS management problem!!

Plus, please review the actual budget breakdown. Under Other Contractual Services, there are other instructional costs, all miscellaneous but requesting an almost double, 100% increase of 10M totaling over 21M. Is this more questionable than going after this group?

Entrepreneurial ACTIVITIES funds also got similar increase from 6M previous year to totaling over 11M this upcoming year. Is it mandatory and should the “activities” fund taking priority over education for our kids and over the already short staff teachers?

How would putting those MVA kids to private help the disaster happening right now? All families with kids in MCPS are suffering! So are the teachers!!

I agree that the MVA is the first of many cuts the county should be making to the MCPS budget.

Why? ever consider the impact on the kids? Kids needs should come first.

Consider the impact of the cuts they'd have to make if they don't cut MVA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Priority needs to be to keep teachers in-person at school. If you want virtual school for your kid, then go private.

You are fooled by MCPS if you think they will have money to keep the teachers after shutting down programs.

Here is what MCEA has shared earlier -

“ payments for contractual services have ballooned by 42% to $100 million in the proposed FY25 budget. These services should be reduced significantly before any cuts to the classroom can be seriously considered. Examples include:

1. $4.5 million in building rental fees (including new executive offices)
2. $1,031,000 in consultant fees (not comprehensive)
3. $850,000 in recycling fees paid to Montgomery County (why doesn't the county just take care of recycling?)
4. $809,717 in outside attorney fees (MCPS has a substantial in-house legal
team.)
5. $525,000 for "random requests that come up and funding is needed"
6. Plus, an additional $13 million in unspecified contractual sevices that MCPS still has not explained”

They didn’t review any of the above but as you may already know teachers will get involuntarily transferred - decisions will be made as of today and process done by end of the week.

It’s obviously BOE/MCPS management problem!!

Plus, please review the actual budget breakdown. Under Other Contractual Services, there are other instructional costs, all miscellaneous but requesting an almost double, 100% increase of 10M totaling over 21M. Is this more questionable than going after this group?

Entrepreneurial ACTIVITIES funds also got similar increase from 6M previous year to totaling over 11M this upcoming year. Is it mandatory and should the “activities” fund taking priority over education for our kids and over the already short staff teachers?

How would putting those MVA kids to private help the disaster happening right now? All families with kids in MCPS are suffering! So are the teachers!!

I agree that the MVA is the first of many cuts the county should be making to the MCPS budget.

Why? ever consider the impact on the kids? Kids needs should come first.

Consider the impact of the cuts they'd have to make if they don't cut MVA.

No impact. $30M is nothing to MCPS and easily eliminated from spending without any impact on classrooms.

[Anonymous]

It looks like there was a whole 15 kids at the "sit-in."

So, about half of a single in-person class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Priority needs to be to keep teachers in-person at school. If you want virtual school for your kid, then go private.

You are fooled by MCPS if you think they will have money to keep the teachers after shutting down programs.

Here is what MCEA has shared earlier -

“ payments for contractual services have ballooned by 42% to $100 million in the proposed FY25 budget. These services should be reduced significantly before any cuts to the classroom can be seriously considered. Examples include:

1. $4.5 million in building rental fees (including new executive offices)
2. $1,031,000 in consultant fees (not comprehensive)
3. $850,000 in recycling fees paid to Montgomery County (why doesn't the county just take care of recycling?)
4. $809,717 in outside attorney fees (MCPS has a substantial in-house legal
team.)
5. $525,000 for "random requests that come up and funding is needed"
6. Plus, an additional $13 million in unspecified contractual sevices that MCPS still has not explained”

They didn’t review any of the above but as you may already know teachers will get involuntarily transferred - decisions will be made as of today and process done by end of the week.

It’s obviously BOE/MCPS management problem!!

Plus, please review the actual budget breakdown. Under Other Contractual Services, there are other instructional costs, all miscellaneous but requesting an almost double, 100% increase of 10M totaling over 21M. Is this more questionable than going after this group?

Entrepreneurial ACTIVITIES funds also got similar increase from 6M previous year to totaling over 11M this upcoming year. Is it mandatory and should the “activities” fund taking priority over education for our kids and over the already short staff teachers?

How would putting those MVA kids to private help the disaster happening right now? All families with kids in MCPS are suffering! So are the teachers!!

I agree that the MVA is the first of many cuts the county should be making to the MCPS budget.

Why? ever consider the impact on the kids? Kids needs should come first.

Consider the impact of the cuts they'd have to make if they don't cut MVA.

No impact. $30M is nothing to MCPS and easily eliminated from spending without any impact on classrooms.

Come up an alternative set of $30M in cuts that doesn't involve taking away special education resources and instructional supports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny, as the MVA gets the fewest complaints and in person get the highest complaints. Lets shut down the schools with the highest complaints.

Posts like this are why the petition isn't getting a lot of traction among non-MVA folks. The proponents just seem so genuinely unlikeable and unkind.

No, folks saying shut it down are unkind as they are more focused on their wants than students needs and they have no ability to put others needs ahead of their wants. The MVA is working for the students in the MVA. You think it's fair to force kids who were bulled to go back to the school they were bullied at to get bullied again since MCPS and parents don't care if the bullies are horrible to other kids? As a parent would you send your child to a school where they are relentlessly bullied every day. Not all parents can afford to pull their kids out of MCPS and go private.

So homeschool or move somewhere else with a permanent virtual program. The only reason you got this virtual MCPS experiment to begin with was because of the pandemic. You need to step up as a parent and figure it out.

As a parent, we did step up and figure it out. We figured it out years ago. Why couldn't you step up during virtual as a parent so your child could have been as successful as ours our virtually?

Ooh that’s good, you got me. We figured it out just fine thank you, I held my August kiddo back a year so that we didn’t have to endure “virtual kindergarten.” Heard it was a blast though.

It was actually fine. We did it in a language we don’t even speak at home! Hopefully everything works out well for your kid too.

[Anonymous]

There are kids that have Emily and a kids waiting for organ transplants.

They are immuno-compromised. Have some compassion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's funny, as the MVA gets the fewest complaints and in person get the highest complaints. Lets shut down the schools with the highest complaints.

Posts like this are why the petition isn't getting a lot of traction among non-MVA folks. The proponents just seem so genuinely unlikeable and unkind.

No, folks saying shut it down are unkind as they are more focused on their wants than students needs and they have no ability to put others needs ahead of their wants. The MVA is working for the students in the MVA. You think it's fair to force kids who were bulled to go back to the school they were bullied at to get bullied again since MCPS and parents don't care if the bullies are horrible to other kids? As a parent would you send your child to a school where they are relentlessly bullied every day. Not all parents can afford to pull their kids out of MCPS and go private.

So homeschool or move somewhere else with a permanent virtual program. The only reason you got this virtual MCPS experiment to begin with was because of the pandemic. You need to step up as a parent and figure it out.

As a parent, we did step up and figure it out. We figured it out years ago. Why couldn't you step up during virtual as a parent so your child could have been as successful as ours our virtually?

Ooh that’s good, you got me. We figured it out just fine thank you, I held my August kiddo back a year so that we didn’t have to endure “virtual kindergarten.” Heard it was a blast though.

You held your kid back... that speaks volumes. Why didn't you work with your kid and do virtual or pay for a private K. Lots of options beyond the lazy choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Priority needs to be to keep teachers in-person at school. If you want virtual school for your kid, then go private.

You are fooled by MCPS if you think they will have money to keep the teachers after shutting down programs.

Here is what MCEA has shared earlier -

“ payments for contractual services have ballooned by 42% to $100 million in the proposed FY25 budget. These services should be reduced significantly before any cuts to the classroom can be seriously considered. Examples include:

1. $4.5 million in building rental fees (including new executive offices)
2. $1,031,000 in consultant fees (not comprehensive)
3. $850,000 in recycling fees paid to Montgomery County (why doesn't the county just take care of recycling?)
4. $809,717 in outside attorney fees (MCPS has a substantial in-house legal
team.)
5. $525,000 for "random requests that come up and funding is needed"
6. Plus, an additional $13 million in unspecified contractual sevices that MCPS still has not explained”

They didn’t review any of the above but as you may already know teachers will get involuntarily transferred - decisions will be made as of today and process done by end of the week.

It’s obviously BOE/MCPS management problem!!

Plus, please review the actual budget breakdown. Under Other Contractual Services, there are other instructional costs, all miscellaneous but requesting an almost double, 100% increase of 10M totaling over 21M. Is this more questionable than going after this group?

Entrepreneurial ACTIVITIES funds also got similar increase from 6M previous year to totaling over 11M this upcoming year. Is it mandatory and should the “activities” fund taking priority over education for our kids and over the already short staff teachers?

How would putting those MVA kids to private help the disaster happening right now? All families with kids in MCPS are suffering! So are the teachers!!

I agree that the MVA is the first of many cuts the county should be making to the MCPS budget.

Why? ever consider the impact on the kids? Kids needs should come first.

Consider the impact of the cuts they'd have to make if they don't cut MVA.

No impact. $30M is nothing to MCPS and easily eliminated from spending without any impact on classrooms.

Come up an alternative set of $30M in cuts that doesn't involve taking away special education resources and instructional supports.

When they are taking away the MVA, they are taking away special education services for students.

One has nothing to do with the other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Priority needs to be to keep teachers in-person at school. If you want virtual school for your kid, then go private.

You are fooled by MCPS if you think they will have money to keep the teachers after shutting down programs.

Here is what MCEA has shared earlier -

“ payments for contractual services have ballooned by 42% to $100 million in the proposed FY25 budget. These services should be reduced significantly before any cuts to the classroom can be seriously considered. Examples include:

1. $4.5 million in building rental fees (including new executive offices)
2. $1,031,000 in consultant fees (not comprehensive)
3. $850,000 in recycling fees paid to Montgomery County (why doesn't the county just take care of recycling?)
4. $809,717 in outside attorney fees (MCPS has a substantial in-house legal
team.)
5. $525,000 for "random requests that come up and funding is needed"
6. Plus, an additional $13 million in unspecified contractual sevices that MCPS still has not explained”

They didn’t review any of the above but as you may already know teachers will get involuntarily transferred - decisions will be made as of today and process done by end of the week.

It’s obviously BOE/MCPS management problem!!

Plus, please review the actual budget breakdown. Under Other Contractual Services, there are other instructional costs, all miscellaneous but requesting an almost double, 100% increase of 10M totaling over 21M. Is this more questionable than going after this group?

Entrepreneurial ACTIVITIES funds also got similar increase from 6M previous year to totaling over 11M this upcoming year. Is it mandatory and should the “activities” fund taking priority over education for our kids and over the already short staff teachers?

How would putting those MVA kids to private help the disaster happening right now? All families with kids in MCPS are suffering! So are the teachers!!

I agree that the MVA is the first of many cuts the county should be making to the MCPS budget.

Why? ever consider the impact on the kids? Kids needs should come first.

Consider the impact of the cuts they'd have to make if they don't cut MVA.

No impact. $30M is nothing to MCPS and easily eliminated from spending without any impact on classrooms.

Come up an alternative set of $30M in cuts that doesn't involve taking away special education resources and instructional supports.

Easy. MCPS takes out $100's of millions in leases for all kinds of things outside of classrooms. How about the fleet of electric vans that they bought from California? How would selling them off hurt classrooms? Do tell!

[Anonymous]

The Virtual Academy envy is strong in this thread.