Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

If they are paying her for her work at a Saturday school then yes it is wrong.

Also, Saturday school should be offered for all MCPS children if it is offered at all, not just for certain schools.

It is offered for all MCPS children.

http://www.saturdayschool.org/register/

It seems to be very far away from some kids versus others.

It’s interesting that there is SO much support for Charter Schools in this thread. Sounds like there are lots of MCPS parents who do support using public money to fund private schools/tutoring/education programs.

Maybe now is the time for Charters to come to MCPS.

So many parents are unhappy about MCPS incompetence (eg Curriculum Fiasco, Sexual predators in the classrooms).

This thread makes it seem that parents would support private programs as long as they feel like they are getting results.

Anonymous wrote:There is a lot of goalpost moving in this thread.

Someone posted the financials a few pages back - check!

The program is open to any MCPS student - check!

The financials were from 2015. I don't see any more recent financials. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I would actually LIKE to see more recent financials.

There is a lot of goalpost moving in this thread.

Someone posted the financials a few pages back - check!

The program is open to any MCPS student - check!

Anonymous wrote:Where is the data showing that Saturday School has achieved results? Maybe the $$ that MCPS spends out of its budget could be better utilized on something else. But we will never know, because the minute people
Start asking questions the MCPS defenders start protesting.
What are the salaries of the other GBT employees? How much is/Was Frieda Lacey being paid to fundraise? What percentage of its budget goes to overhead? Will they post their financials online?
If they are so noble and righteous let the public see their books. Why not?

There have been NO Saturday School financials posted online since 2015. Why is that? Shouldn’t the organization be transparent?

Every other MCPS school is required to post its budget and expenses. If taxpayers are paying for part of this school, taxpayers have a right to know how that money is being used.

Anonymous wrote:Where is the data showing that Saturday School has achieved results? Maybe the $$ that MCPS spends out of its budget could be better utilized on something else. But we will never know, because the minute people
Start asking questions the MCPS defenders start protesting.
What are the salaries of the other GBT employees? How much is/Was Frieda Lacey being paid to fundraise? What percentage of its budget goes to overhead? Will they post their financials online?
If they are so noble and righteous let the public see their books. Why not?

THIS!

If MCPS wants to pay for a program that has been shown to have results, then that’s one thing.

But, we have no idea what kind of results because this is NOT an MCPS run school. Yet, MCPS pays the principal’s salary. That’s incredible!

Anonymous wrote:Some people in this thread will continue to ignore any information about Saturday School that does not fit with their false outrage. They complain about the principal being an MCPS employee, but they don't address the fact that the program takes place in MCPS schools and uses MCPS teachers. They complain about the program seeming to help kids in Title 1 and Focus schools, but they ignore the fact that the program is open to all students of MCPS. They call it free Saturday babysitting, but they ignore the fact that it is not free to anyone, not even FARMS students. Now they are trying to raise a charter school argument, when Saturday School does not take place Monday through Friday. Saturday school does not take the place of regular school.


My kids do not attend Saturday School, but I see it as a positive program and I do not begrudge MCPS providing part of the budget. If there is ever a survey about it, I will vote to keep it. I will also support charter schools in Montgomery County, but that is another issue.

See, I think this is where we fundamentally differ and why we are disagreeing on this.

I would prefer a strong Public School system. By using Public School money to fund a Private School, it dilutes the funds going to public schools. It doesn’t matter much when there is enough money, but it DOES matter when budgets are right.

Parents and taxpayers have the right to ask what their money is being used for. $625K is a good deal of money being spent on a program. With zero evidence that it is a successful program.

Maybe Charter Schools ARE the answer to MCPS’ issues. You may be correct. Maybe having more smaller, independently run schools would be better than this behemoth that is MCPS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Nobody ‘opposes’ the program. I’m sure it’s great. My neighbor attends.

However, we do oppose using Public School Money to fund a Private School. Unless you are for Charter Schools (which maybe you are?).

No one attends Saturday School INSTEAD OF attending a MCPS public school. It does not replace the education received during the school day. It provides extra tutoring and enrichment at below-market rates. Did no one commenting on this thread see the recent thread about whether MCPS should be providing MORE money and support for tutoring and enrichment activities for low-income students? http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/728317.page

You may oppose using some public school money to fund after school tutoring and enrichment at below-market rates through a non-profit entity that receives 28% of its funding from MCPS and 72% of its funding from other sources, but calling that "using public school money to fund a private school" is misleading and disingenuous.

Talking about ‘below market rates’ doesn’t make it okay. Market rates for tutoring can be $350/hour, that doesn’t make $250/hour acceptable.

The Saturday school rate is $70 FOR THE WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR. Not anything close to $250/hour.

You are totally missing the point. The point is NOT how much tutoring costs per hour.

Where is the data showing that Saturday School has achieved results? Maybe the $$ that MCPS spends out of its budget could be better utilized on something else. But we will never know, because the minute people
Start asking questions the MCPS defenders start protesting.
What are the salaries of the other GBT employees? How much is/Was Frieda Lacey being paid to fundraise? What percentage of its budget goes to overhead? Will they post their financials online?
If they are so noble and righteous let the public see their books. Why not?

Hmmm, posters complaining about Saturday School funding consistently show absolutely no knowledge or understanding of what Saturday School is. "Well it should be open to all MCPS students" - guess what, it is! "250/hr is below market rate but still unacceptable" - guess what, it's not even hourly! It's $70 for the year.

You have shown yourself to be totally ignorant and spouting a single talking point rather than actually interested in learning about this program and how it is structured. You have shown yourself to be unwilling to do the slightest bit of research yourself, but insisting that anyone who disagrees with you do you research for you.

If you actually have a good faith concern - do your research. Or ask the school system! They have an actual online form for asking budget related questions - http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/budget/question.aspx

But you won't do that. Because you are 100% arguing in bad faith, and I'm done.

Some people in this thread will continue to ignore any information about Saturday School that does not fit with their false outrage. They complain about the principal being an MCPS employee, but they don't address the fact that the program takes place in MCPS schools and uses MCPS teachers. They complain about the program seeming to help kids in Title 1 and Focus schools, but they ignore the fact that the program is open to all students of MCPS. They call it free Saturday babysitting, but they ignore the fact that it is not free to anyone, not even FARMS students. Now they are trying to raise a charter school argument, when Saturday School does not take place Monday through Friday. Saturday school does not take the place of regular school.


My kids do not attend Saturday School, but I see it as a positive program and I do not begrudge MCPS providing part of the budget. If there is ever a survey about it, I will vote to keep it. I will also support charter schools in Montgomery County, but that is another issue.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Nobody ‘opposes’ the program. I’m sure it’s great. My neighbor attends.

However, we do oppose using Public School Money to fund a Private School. Unless you are for Charter Schools (which maybe you are?).

No one attends Saturday School INSTEAD OF attending a MCPS public school. It does not replace the education received during the school day. It provides extra tutoring and enrichment at below-market rates. Did no one commenting on this thread see the recent thread about whether MCPS should be providing MORE money and support for tutoring and enrichment activities for low-income students? http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/728317.page

You may oppose using some public school money to fund after school tutoring and enrichment at below-market rates through a non-profit entity that receives 28% of its funding from MCPS and 72% of its funding from other sources, but calling that "using public school money to fund a private school" is misleading and disingenuous.

Talking about ‘below market rates’ doesn’t make it okay. Market rates for tutoring can be $350/hour, that doesn’t make $250/hour acceptable.

The Saturday school rate is $70 FOR THE WHOLE SCHOOL YEAR. Not anything close to $250/hour.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Talking about ‘below market rates’ doesn’t make it okay. Market rates for tutoring can be $350/hour, that doesn’t make $250/hour acceptable.

OK. How about $70 per kid per year for families that aren't eligible for FARMs, and $40 per kid per year for families that are? Is that acceptable?

http://www.saturdayschool.org/programs/

I agree with the PP.

It doesn’t matter what you/they say about ‘below market rates’. It’s about the fact that MCPS is paying over $160K to employ a Principal at a Private School.

Anonymous wrote:

If they are paying her for her work at a Saturday school then yes it is wrong.

Also, Saturday school should be offered for all MCPS children if it is offered at all, not just for certain schools.

It is offered for all MCPS children.

http://www.saturdayschool.org/register/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Skucrofr and Summit Lake do not have an employee who gets a salary from MCPS. They pay for use of facilities.

MCPS pays the salary of a Private School employee in the case of Saturday aschool. There is a difference.

Can we please stop with this "private school" disinformation?

Khadija Barkley is an MCPS employee. That's why they pay her salary -- because she's on the MCPS payroll. That's what you're complaining about. You're complaining that they pay her salary.

What disinformation?

If you can show me that Saturday School is a PUBLIC school, under the MCPS umbrella, then I am happy to call is a Public School.

In reality, Saturday School is a PRIVATE entity. Not run by MCPS, but obtaining funds through MCPS and getting salaries paid through MCPS. Quite the fantastic set up for them! They are not held accountable in any way, and they get a good deal of public money.

But, worry not. MCPS is so big and so poorly run, that it’s impossible to monitor/change. So this funding stream will continue unquestioned. And most likely grow. While our MCPS Public Schools are consistently short on funds.