Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is incredibly sad. I can't believe they're cutting social workers and english assistants of all things...cut the SSL processors!

They're cutting HS college and career navigators, which just means kids whose parents can afford a private college counselor will continue to navigate the increasingly complicated college application/financial aid system just fine while those who can't afford it will be left behind with no one to guide them. So much for equity.

I’m surprised TT would cut a job that supports many first generation future college students, immigrants, and FARMS kiddos getting into college and getting ahead in life. I guess the equity office doesn’t advise the superintendent. Here’s my advice to him -don’t cut this job if you care about equity. He didn’t even need to pay me a six figure salary for that. You’re welcome.

I'm no Taylor fan, but if you have to make cuts college and career counselors seem like a luxury. Information about the college application process (which isn't that complicated as most colleges) is freely available online. We didn't have anything like that when I was in high school and we all managed just fine even though private college counselor wasn't a job that existed in our community.

College counselor here. The CCN does a lot of work to make it possible for the kids to apply to college, like transmitting documents and scheduling college representatives visiting the school. These tasks will now fall on the overworked counselors.

In the 90s I got pretty much zero help from anyone at our school when it came to applying for college. Except for written recommendations from teachers. I'm not saying these positions don't have value but if I could figure out how to apply when the internet was in its infancy, then today's students can too.

I will admit the Common App seems to make the application process easier but the most valuable service the CCN provides is financial aid assistance and scholarship tracking. That is a difficult and confusing process that many kids will just be left out of without a CCN.

DP. Maybe they will be left out (I have more faith in them than you seem to), but helping kids apply for scholarships us basically the definition of a luxury that's outside the core mission of a public school system.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone emailed Taylor to advocate for a job not to be cut? I’m wonder how he responds, if he responds at all.

I have found that he doesn't listen to other people; he typically has total confidence in his own views, which he forms at times without having all the pertinent facts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone emailed Taylor to advocate for a job not to be cut? I’m wonder how he responds, if he responds at all.

I have found that he doesn't listen to other people; he typically has total confidence in his own views, which he forms at times without having all the pertinent facts.

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone emailed Taylor to advocate for a job not to be cut? I’m wonder how he responds, if he responds at all.

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone emailed Taylor to advocate for a job not to be cut? I’m wonder how he responds, if he responds at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is incredibly sad. I can't believe they're cutting social workers and english assistants of all things...cut the SSL processors!

They're cutting HS college and career navigators, which just means kids whose parents can afford a private college counselor will continue to navigate the increasingly complicated college application/financial aid system just fine while those who can't afford it will be left behind with no one to guide them. So much for equity.

I’m surprised TT would cut a job that supports many first generation future college students, immigrants, and FARMS kiddos getting into college and getting ahead in life. I guess the equity office doesn’t advise the superintendent. Here’s my advice to him -don’t cut this job if you care about equity. He didn’t even need to pay me a six figure salary for that. You’re welcome.

I'm no Taylor fan, but if you have to make cuts college and career counselors seem like a luxury. Information about the college application process (which isn't that complicated as most colleges) is freely available online. We didn't have anything like that when I was in high school and we all managed just fine even though private college counselor wasn't a job that existed in our community.

College counselor here. The CCN does a lot of work to make it possible for the kids to apply to college, like transmitting documents and scheduling college representatives visiting the school. These tasks will now fall on the overworked counselors.

In the 90s I got pretty much zero help from anyone at our school when it came to applying for college. Except for written recommendations from teachers. I'm not saying these positions don't have value but if I could figure out how to apply when the internet was in its infancy, then today's students can too.

I will admit the Common App seems to make the application process easier but the most valuable service the CCN provides is financial aid assistance and scholarship tracking. That is a difficult and confusing process that many kids will just be left out of without a CCN.

Can you describe what financial aid and scholarship tracking is?

Is that forwarding emails about open scholarship opportunities?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is incredibly sad. I can't believe they're cutting social workers and english assistants of all things...cut the SSL processors!

They're cutting HS college and career navigators, which just means kids whose parents can afford a private college counselor will continue to navigate the increasingly complicated college application/financial aid system just fine while those who can't afford it will be left behind with no one to guide them. So much for equity.

I’m surprised TT would cut a job that supports many first generation future college students, immigrants, and FARMS kiddos getting into college and getting ahead in life. I guess the equity office doesn’t advise the superintendent. Here’s my advice to him -don’t cut this job if you care about equity. He didn’t even need to pay me a six figure salary for that. You’re welcome.

I'm no Taylor fan, but if you have to make cuts college and career counselors seem like a luxury. Information about the college application process (which isn't that complicated as most colleges) is freely available online. We didn't have anything like that when I was in high school and we all managed just fine even though private college counselor wasn't a job that existed in our community.

College counselor here. The CCN does a lot of work to make it possible for the kids to apply to college, like transmitting documents and scheduling college representatives visiting the school. These tasks will now fall on the overworked counselors.

In the 90s I got pretty much zero help from anyone at our school when it came to applying for college. Except for written recommendations from teachers. I'm not saying these positions don't have value but if I could figure out how to apply when the internet was in its infancy, then today's students can too.

I will admit the Common App seems to make the application process easier but the most valuable service the CCN provides is financial aid assistance and scholarship tracking. That is a difficult and confusing process that many kids will just be left out of without a CCN.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is incredibly sad. I can't believe they're cutting social workers and english assistants of all things...cut the SSL processors!

They're cutting HS college and career navigators, which just means kids whose parents can afford a private college counselor will continue to navigate the increasingly complicated college application/financial aid system just fine while those who can't afford it will be left behind with no one to guide them. So much for equity.

I’m surprised TT would cut a job that supports many first generation future college students, immigrants, and FARMS kiddos getting into college and getting ahead in life. I guess the equity office doesn’t advise the superintendent. Here’s my advice to him -don’t cut this job if you care about equity. He didn’t even need to pay me a six figure salary for that. You’re welcome.

I'm no Taylor fan, but if you have to make cuts college and career counselors seem like a luxury. Information about the college application process (which isn't that complicated as most colleges) is freely available online. We didn't have anything like that when I was in high school and we all managed just fine even though private college counselor wasn't a job that existed in our community.

College counselor here. The CCN does a lot of work to make it possible for the kids to apply to college, like transmitting documents and scheduling college representatives visiting the school. These tasks will now fall on the overworked counselors.

In the 90s I got pretty much zero help from anyone at our school when it came to applying for college. Except for written recommendations from teachers. I'm not saying these positions don't have value but if I could figure out how to apply when the internet was in its infancy, then today's students can too.

I will admit the Common App seems to make the application process easier but the most valuable service the CCN provides is financial aid assistance and scholarship tracking. That is a difficult and confusing process that many kids will just be left out of without a CCN.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty much public: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OA8HANnsPlM7-xyvfma4H_0nRLQRYaKo/view

Thanks so much for sharing. And it will probably be worse than this, because this list only goes up to $90M in cuts but it looks like Council is planning on cutting $108M.

$180M

It could theoretically be up to $180M, but Council staff has recommended cutting "only" $108M so that is probably the ceiling. This document covers how MCPS would absorb $90M in cuts (laying off 850 staff plus cutting everyone's COLAs) but they would need to do more to cover an $108M cut.

It's not a cut. MCPS will get an increased budget next year despite decreasing enrollment.

Ah, you're one of those pedants who pretends that inflation doesn't exist, I take it? Yes, technically it is not a cut in straight dollars. But practically speaking, it is a very large cut.

Inflation is ~3.5% and the budget is increasing by ~5.5%. If you adjust for inflation, as you suggested, the budget is still larger.

Most of us are not getting raises at all let alone colas so these extra taxes will hurt us for those not higher income. A lot of my neighbors at some point plan to leave as $6-7 in property taxes alone for a crummy little house is not worth it or affordable.

Maryland is slowly going the way of CA and NY. High income earners are leaving or not coming to MD because many roles are remote. My company has numerous executives who fly in and stay at hotels during the week, then go home Thursday night. They negotiated this as part of their packages.

I wish Maryland were going the way of NY. NYC is hiring 1000 new teachers this year.

Also there are a lot cities and towns in upstate NY that are still lower COL but pay teachers relatively better. When I graduated college I had multiple classmates who wanted to stay local to teach but couldn't get a job there and ended up moving to other states where there was more demand for teachers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is incredibly sad. I can't believe they're cutting social workers and english assistants of all things...cut the SSL processors!

They're cutting HS college and career navigators, which just means kids whose parents can afford a private college counselor will continue to navigate the increasingly complicated college application/financial aid system just fine while those who can't afford it will be left behind with no one to guide them. So much for equity.

I’m surprised TT would cut a job that supports many first generation future college students, immigrants, and FARMS kiddos getting into college and getting ahead in life. I guess the equity office doesn’t advise the superintendent. Here’s my advice to him -don’t cut this job if you care about equity. He didn’t even need to pay me a six figure salary for that. You’re welcome.

I'm no Taylor fan, but if you have to make cuts college and career counselors seem like a luxury. Information about the college application process (which isn't that complicated as most colleges) is freely available online. We didn't have anything like that when I was in high school and we all managed just fine even though private college counselor wasn't a job that existed in our community.

College counselor here. The CCN does a lot of work to make it possible for the kids to apply to college, like transmitting documents and scheduling college representatives visiting the school. These tasks will now fall on the overworked counselors.

In the 90s I got pretty much zero help from anyone at our school when it came to applying for college. Except for written recommendations from teachers. I'm not saying these positions don't have value but if I could figure out how to apply when the internet was in its infancy, then today's students can too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is incredibly sad. I can't believe they're cutting social workers and english assistants of all things...cut the SSL processors!

They're cutting HS college and career navigators, which just means kids whose parents can afford a private college counselor will continue to navigate the increasingly complicated college application/financial aid system just fine while those who can't afford it will be left behind with no one to guide them. So much for equity.

I’m surprised TT would cut a job that supports many first generation future college students, immigrants, and FARMS kiddos getting into college and getting ahead in life. I guess the equity office doesn’t advise the superintendent. Here’s my advice to him -don’t cut this job if you care about equity. He didn’t even need to pay me a six figure salary for that. You’re welcome.

I'm no Taylor fan, but if you have to make cuts college and career counselors seem like a luxury. Information about the college application process (which isn't that complicated as most colleges) is freely available online. We didn't have anything like that when I was in high school and we all managed just fine even though private college counselor wasn't a job that existed in our community.

College counselor here. The CCN does a lot of work to make it possible for the kids to apply to college, like transmitting documents and scheduling college representatives visiting the school. These tasks will now fall on the overworked counselors.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty much public: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OA8HANnsPlM7-xyvfma4H_0nRLQRYaKo/view

Thanks so much for sharing. And it will probably be worse than this, because this list only goes up to $90M in cuts but it looks like Council is planning on cutting $108M.

$180M

It could theoretically be up to $180M, but Council staff has recommended cutting "only" $108M so that is probably the ceiling. This document covers how MCPS would absorb $90M in cuts (laying off 850 staff plus cutting everyone's COLAs) but they would need to do more to cover an $108M cut.

It's not a cut. MCPS will get an increased budget next year despite decreasing enrollment.

Ah, you're one of those pedants who pretends that inflation doesn't exist, I take it? Yes, technically it is not a cut in straight dollars. But practically speaking, it is a very large cut.

Inflation is ~3.5% and the budget is increasing by ~5.5%. If you adjust for inflation, as you suggested, the budget is still larger.

Most of us are not getting raises at all let alone colas so these extra taxes will hurt us for those not higher income. A lot of my neighbors at some point plan to leave as $6-7 in property taxes alone for a crummy little house is not worth it or affordable.

Maryland is slowly going the way of CA and NY. High income earners are leaving or not coming to MD because many roles are remote. My company has numerous executives who fly in and stay at hotels during the week, then go home Thursday night. They negotiated this as part of their packages.

I wish Maryland were going the way of NY. NYC is hiring 1000 new teachers this year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Elementary SDTs run the school from behind the scenes. I did it for a few years and got fed up with all the directives from central office. I went right back into the classroom with zero regrets. That being said, there's no way elementary schools could function without SDTs.

That’s laughable considering that so many elementary schools all over the county function just fine and many actually outperform MCPS elementary schools without a SDT. I’ve worked in enough districts to know this for a fact. Cut the crap.

Yikes. Perhaps there is someone else doing what STDs do in other districts. I really think their job titles are mislabeled. That being said- MCPS is highly mismanaged. That doesn’t mean those at the bottom are insincere or that their positions don’t truly benefit staff. They don’t make the rules - they follow what is expected of them. Have some grace. They are valued.

That’s because in elementary schools, SDTs are crucial-they are basically admin without the pay. In middle and high schools, they are not as effective. They provide “PD” once a month that is often not useful and ends up feeling like a waste of planning time. They also run the once-a-month staff meeting-big deal. They don’t do much (or anything) to actually support teachers, whereas in elementary school, SDTs do a lot for teachers.

Most of the STDs at the middle school level hold an admin-like role. Maybe not all, but I know many of them are the testing coordinators - there is a lot more testing at the secondary level. I know many are pulled in directions by admin that takes time away from working directly with staff. Again- each school or level may find that person valuable, just not for duties pertaining to the exact job title they hold.

Our MS SDT was testing coordinator, pulled a lot of long nights arranging testing groups, testing tickets, accommodation groups, testing locations, testing schedules. She pulled MCAP, MAP and WIDA scores for reflection. She facilitated gradebook checks bi-weekly to make sure grades were being put in. She provided coverage so ELD teachers could pull groups and test and screen and do caseload management. She was great. Many teachers don't want to admit there is a layer of resentment many have towards those with release time. If they hate the classroom so much they should leave instead of bashing people who do behind the scenes work.

She’s not very bright. She’s doing an admin job without the admin pay. But I don’t really believe this anyway.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is incredibly sad. I can't believe they're cutting social workers and english assistants of all things...cut the SSL processors!

They're cutting HS college and career navigators, which just means kids whose parents can afford a private college counselor will continue to navigate the increasingly complicated college application/financial aid system just fine while those who can't afford it will be left behind with no one to guide them. So much for equity.

I’m surprised TT would cut a job that supports many first generation future college students, immigrants, and FARMS kiddos getting into college and getting ahead in life. I guess the equity office doesn’t advise the superintendent. Here’s my advice to him -don’t cut this job if you care about equity. He didn’t even need to pay me a six figure salary for that. You’re welcome.

I'm no Taylor fan, but if you have to make cuts college and career counselors seem like a luxury. Information about the college application process (which isn't that complicated as most colleges) is freely available online. We didn't have anything like that when I was in high school and we all managed just fine even though private college counselor wasn't a job that existed in our community.