Budget Information - Updated SAE 6/3

[Anonymous]

Stop allowing criminals with “emotional disabilities” and illegal immigrant parents in our schools.

Do this and you will reclaim at least 1/3 of the budget.

Let the prisons pay for them.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:What cost increases are driving budget pressures the most? I’ve read that MCPS is getting more money than last year, so expenses and costs must be much higher today than last year if such drastic cuts are necessary, I’d think. What’s driving it the most?

Inflation, Blueprint mandates, higher benefit expenses due to medications like Ozempic, lack of competency from the head of HR on how use data to balance positions and allocations.

The fact you continue to blame this on Ozempic lets me know you're completely delusional.

Defensive much?
It's not "blaming" on Ozempic, it's a fact. I have no problem with employees having access to any medication their doctor prescribes, but it is a fact that GLP-1 meds have increased the cost of benefits for employers, not just MCPS. UMD just recently stopped allowing it for employees who are not diabetic and I know other employers have done the same. Not saying MCPS should do this but it's a cost factor that has impacted many organizations.

Not defensive at all, just sick of people spreading misinformation during times like these. You continue to do so on every post you can. It's ridiculous.

It's not misinformation it is fact. And I've never posted on a topic about it before but if others have it is because they pay attention, read and watch budget info and have general knowledge about national news.

P.S. - I take Wegovy if that makes you less defensive and more likely to believe actual facts.

If this is actually true, granted no one except MCPS leadership and Cigna know the actual facts, then why isn’t a sweeping benefits change on the table? Why are they choosing to decrease staffing at each school?

The teacher’s union would have to agree to that, which isn’t going to happen. The overweight old timers who have enough seniority to not have to worry about staffing changes are popping their GLP-1s like skittles and laughing all the way to the bakery.

Can you please stop. This is not productive and it’s quite strange you would attack people you know nothing about. These are people who take care of everyone’s children. And if you are a teacher or employee saying this, shame on you. Please step away from this conversation.

Are you feeling guilty that you're screwing over the young and healthy teachers?

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:This is outrageous. I sure hope that they also added the virtual academy kids in when doing the numbers.

I feel so bad for any teacher impacted this late in the year. What a mess.

No, probably not and the mva staff are getting fired f there are no open positions.

Aren't there like 400 open teacher positions?

No.

Yes, there are. Stop. LYING.

Not lying. Are they all full-time? I bet not! Any of them LT subs? Yes they are! Any of them in certification areas that someone is unable to teach? absolutely! So no. There isn’t a position for everyone. Why are you so incensed? Can you not believe that leadership doesn’t know what they are doing?

I see 285 full-time teaching jobs. More will come with resignations and retirements. No one is getting laid off. But yes, some teachers won't like what positions are available.

Do you work for MCPS? That’s not how things work. There are legal and state guidelines on who can teach what.

Yes, and there's a lot of positions already open, and many more that will become available over the summer, as happens each year.

As long as you're not an art/music/PE teacher, there's a near-zero chance you'll be laid off. And even for those, the odds are low.

Still not the point. Staffing has been set for the year and now they’re asking principals to go over it all over again. hundreds of people are going to be involuntarily transferred and shuffled. Instead we should be focused on ensuring that everyone is ready to close out the school year successfully. MCEA made a good point they should have waited - at least until June 6th after they announced the retirement deadline push.

This is irresponsible leadership at best. Just “having a job” is not the point. It’s not the point at all and I’m sorry so many of you are unable to understand. I guess you actually have to be in education to truly understand now demoralizing and stressful this is for teachers.

MCEA would have complained regardless of the timing.

And a previous poster claimed teachers were being fired and that there weren't any open positions, which was obviously a lie.

No one knows the actual truth. Many rumors and misinformation are going to be spread. Why? Because as much as leadership touts “transparency” they have yet to provide evidence of it.

So in the interest of transparency, they should have buried this until the end of the school year? How does that make sense?

I don’t think you quite understand. They aren’t truly being transparent about this process. They are not transparent about anything. They only share what they want to share. And even then, it may be a lie or a coverup. They started the school year off with one, didn’t they?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What cost increases are driving budget pressures the most? I’ve read that MCPS is getting more money than last year, so expenses and costs must be much higher today than last year if such drastic cuts are necessary, I’d think. What’s driving it the most?

Inflation, Blueprint mandates, higher benefit expenses due to medications like Ozempic, lack of competency from the head of HR on how use data to balance positions and allocations.

The fact you continue to blame this on Ozempic lets me know you're completely delusional.

Defensive much?
It's not "blaming" on Ozempic, it's a fact. I have no problem with employees having access to any medication their doctor prescribes, but it is a fact that GLP-1 meds have increased the cost of benefits for employers, not just MCPS. UMD just recently stopped allowing it for employees who are not diabetic and I know other employers have done the same. Not saying MCPS should do this but it's a cost factor that has impacted many organizations.

Not defensive at all, just sick of people spreading misinformation during times like these. You continue to do so on every post you can. It's ridiculous.

It's not misinformation it is fact. And I've never posted on a topic about it before but if others have it is because they pay attention, read and watch budget info and have general knowledge about national news.

P.S. - I take Wegovy if that makes you less defensive and more likely to believe actual facts.

If this is actually true, granted no one except MCPS leadership and Cigna know the actual facts, then why isn’t a sweeping benefits change on the table? Why are they choosing to decrease staffing at each school?

The teacher’s union would have to agree to that, which isn’t going to happen. The overweight old timers who have enough seniority to not have to worry about staffing changes are popping their GLP-1s like skittles and laughing all the way to the bakery.

Can you please stop. This is not productive and it’s quite strange you would attack people you know nothing about. These are people who take care of everyone’s children. And if you are a teacher or employee saying this, shame on you. Please step away from this conversation.

Are you feeling guilty that you're screwing over the young and healthy teachers?

I don’t think you are replying to the right person. And if you think you are, you have not interpreted the statement correctly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop allowing criminals with “emotional disabilities” and illegal immigrant parents in our schools.

Do this and you will reclaim at least 1/3 of the budget.

Let the prisons pay for them.

Those illegal immigrants are the ones building your new schools, working as your nanny, housekeeper and landscapers. They are the ones delivering your groceries, food and many other things. They are the ones doing the jobs you will not do. We need them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is outrageous. I sure hope that they also added the virtual academy kids in when doing the numbers.

I feel so bad for any teacher impacted this late in the year. What a mess.

No, probably not and the mva staff are getting fired f there are no open positions.

Aren't there like 400 open teacher positions?

No.

Yes, there are. Stop. LYING.

Not lying. Are they all full-time? I bet not! Any of them LT subs? Yes they are! Any of them in certification areas that someone is unable to teach? absolutely! So no. There isn’t a position for everyone. Why are you so incensed? Can you not believe that leadership doesn’t know what they are doing?

I see 285 full-time teaching jobs. More will come with resignations and retirements. No one is getting laid off. But yes, some teachers won't like what positions are available.

They are mainly hard/impossible to staff Special Ed, math, physics, and career/tech positions. Normal (usually younger) gen-Ed teachers can’t take those jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is outrageous. I sure hope that they also added the virtual academy kids in when doing the numbers.

I feel so bad for any teacher impacted this late in the year. What a mess.

No, probably not and the mva staff are getting fired f there are no open positions.

Aren't there like 400 open teacher positions?

No.

Yes, there are. Stop. LYING.

Not lying. Are they all full-time? I bet not! Any of them LT subs? Yes they are! Any of them in certification areas that someone is unable to teach? absolutely! So no. There isn’t a position for everyone. Why are you so incensed? Can you not believe that leadership doesn’t know what they are doing?

I see 285 full-time teaching jobs. More will come with resignations and retirements. No one is getting laid off. But yes, some teachers won't like what positions are available.

They are mainly hard/impossible to staff Special Ed, math, physics, and career/tech positions. Normal (usually younger) gen-Ed teachers can’t take those jobs.

Sounds like we need a separate pay scale for STEM/SPED jobs.

[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:This is outrageous. I sure hope that they also added the virtual academy kids in when doing the numbers.

I feel so bad for any teacher impacted this late in the year. What a mess.

No, probably not and the mva staff are getting fired f there are no open positions.

Aren't there like 400 open teacher positions?

No.

Yes, there are. Stop. LYING.

Not lying. Are they all full-time? I bet not! Any of them LT subs? Yes they are! Any of them in certification areas that someone is unable to teach? absolutely! So no. There isn’t a position for everyone. Why are you so incensed? Can you not believe that leadership doesn’t know what they are doing?

I see 285 full-time teaching jobs. More will come with resignations and retirements. No one is getting laid off. But yes, some teachers won't like what positions are available.

Do you work for MCPS? That’s not how things work. There are legal and state guidelines on who can teach what.

Yes, and there's a lot of positions already open, and many more that will become available over the summer, as happens each year.

As long as you're not an art/music/PE teacher, there's a near-zero chance you'll be laid off. And even for those, the odds are low.

Still not the point. Staffing has been set for the year and now they’re asking principals to go over it all over again. hundreds of people are going to be involuntarily transferred and shuffled. Instead we should be focused on ensuring that everyone is ready to close out the school year successfully. MCEA made a good point they should have waited - at least until June 6th after they announced the retirement deadline push.

This is irresponsible leadership at best. Just “having a job” is not the point. It’s not the point at all and I’m sorry so many of you are unable to understand. I guess you actually have to be in education to truly understand now demoralizing and stressful this is for teachers.

+1000 and this is just another example of the incompetence of April Key. Even worse, I heard from an MCEA rep that she wants to involuntary transfer teachers after the start of the school year if there are classes that are under enrolled because that is what they do in the county she came from. And apparently MCEA leadership is ok with it

I can see why that would be annoying, but isn't it better than being laid off?

You clearly have no understanding what being a teacher actually entails. I’d shut up and sit this one out if I was you.

+1 please. This is a big deal for educators

Understood. But the situation being described was about transferring teacher positions from under enrolled classes to over enrolled classes. Could someone please explain why they think this isn't appropriate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is outrageous. I sure hope that they also added the virtual academy kids in when doing the numbers.

I feel so bad for any teacher impacted this late in the year. What a mess.

No, probably not and the mva staff are getting fired f there are no open positions.

Aren't there like 400 open teacher positions?

No.

Yes, there are. Stop. LYING.

Not lying. Are they all full-time? I bet not! Any of them LT subs? Yes they are! Any of them in certification areas that someone is unable to teach? absolutely! So no. There isn’t a position for everyone. Why are you so incensed? Can you not believe that leadership doesn’t know what they are doing?

I see 285 full-time teaching jobs. More will come with resignations and retirements. No one is getting laid off. But yes, some teachers won't like what positions are available.

They are mainly hard/impossible to staff Special Ed, math, physics, and career/tech positions. Normal (usually younger) gen-Ed teachers can’t take those jobs.

Sounds like we need a separate pay scale for STEM/SPED jobs.

Won’t matter. There aren’t enough staff. These teachers don’t just grow on trees.

[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:

Anonymous wrote:This is outrageous. I sure hope that they also added the virtual academy kids in when doing the numbers.

I feel so bad for any teacher impacted this late in the year. What a mess.

No, probably not and the mva staff are getting fired f there are no open positions.

Aren't there like 400 open teacher positions?

No.

Yes, there are. Stop. LYING.

Not lying. Are they all full-time? I bet not! Any of them LT subs? Yes they are! Any of them in certification areas that someone is unable to teach? absolutely! So no. There isn’t a position for everyone. Why are you so incensed? Can you not believe that leadership doesn’t know what they are doing?

I see 285 full-time teaching jobs. More will come with resignations and retirements. No one is getting laid off. But yes, some teachers won't like what positions are available.

Do you work for MCPS? That’s not how things work. There are legal and state guidelines on who can teach what.

Yes, and there's a lot of positions already open, and many more that will become available over the summer, as happens each year.

As long as you're not an art/music/PE teacher, there's a near-zero chance you'll be laid off. And even for those, the odds are low.

Still not the point. Staffing has been set for the year and now they’re asking principals to go over it all over again. hundreds of people are going to be involuntarily transferred and shuffled. Instead we should be focused on ensuring that everyone is ready to close out the school year successfully. MCEA made a good point they should have waited - at least until June 6th after they announced the retirement deadline push.

This is irresponsible leadership at best. Just “having a job” is not the point. It’s not the point at all and I’m sorry so many of you are unable to understand. I guess you actually have to be in education to truly understand now demoralizing and stressful this is for teachers.

+1000 and this is just another example of the incompetence of April Key. Even worse, I heard from an MCEA rep that she wants to involuntary transfer teachers after the start of the school year if there are classes that are under enrolled because that is what they do in the county she came from. And apparently MCEA leadership is ok with it

I can see why that would be annoying, but isn't it better than being laid off?

You clearly have no understanding what being a teacher actually entails. I’d shut up and sit this one out if I was you.

+1 please. This is a big deal for educators

Understood. But the situation being described was about transferring teacher positions from under enrolled classes to over enrolled classes. Could someone please explain why they think this isn't appropriate?

It's fine to do it at the end of the year to plan for the new year, but to transfer teachers AFTER the school year starts means you don't care about staff or students. Teachers have set up classrooms, started building rapport with staff and students. Some who are new to MCPS may have even bought houses or renting near their school. Then you move them to another school who knows where. And what about those students who now a month in have a new teacher and class. Or a principal who has to reassign all of those students? It's poor HR leadership and only disregards the personal impact but shows a lack of basic school system HR knowledge.

[Anonymous]

The teachers who have contracts or open contracts will all have jobs. May not be the location of exact position they hoped for, but no one is going to be unemployed. In addition, anyone who had hoped to apply internally for an open job listed on careers right now is going to have to wait for all the new involuntarily transferred teachers to be placed first. They, too, will be able to move after that if they want, though time to do that before the deadline may be limited.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who has the authority to fire Hull and Key? Felder? BOE?

Confused why people are blaming Hull for this.

The budget was in fine condition before McKnight left in February. The MVA and other programs were restored, there were no talks about RIFs or not honoring new contracts, county council was on track to approve the budget request (or at least a large portion of it) and they publicly praised Hull and the budget department for more transparency and collaboration then they had seen in years. Then Felder came in and ruined it with her ego, stupidity, and her two cronies - Key and Johnson.

What, exactly, did Felder and Johnson do? Also, to be clear, Key is a Brian Hull crony. He's the one who brought her into MCPS. She used to report into him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop allowing criminals with “emotional disabilities” and illegal immigrant parents in our schools.

Do this and you will reclaim at least 1/3 of the budget.

Let the prisons pay for them.

Those illegal immigrants are the ones building your new schools, working as your nanny, housekeeper and landscapers. They are the ones delivering your groceries, food and many other things. They are the ones doing the jobs you will not do. We need them.

Not true. They are willing to do the jobs for CHEAP and without proper benefits. The jobs deserve better pay, but the influx of undocumented immigrants allows employers to keep wages low and not offer health insurance.

‘We’ do not need them. Employers need them so that they can exploit them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is so awful for principals, teachers and therefore our kids.
This is honestly the worst mcps has ever been.

How miserable for teacher morale. As if staff morale in schools isn’t already super low.

It’s infuriating to work for such a dysfunctional, unappreciative employer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop allowing criminals with “emotional disabilities” and illegal immigrant parents in our schools.

Do this and you will reclaim at least 1/3 of the budget.

Let the prisons pay for them.

It isn’t PC, but this is a fair point. There is a lot of money going towards this population and there is a limited budget. The influx of undocumented immigrants has clearly had an effect on the MCPS budget and needs to be addressed. You can’t have a legit conversation about the financial situation without discussing this aspect of it.