MCCPTA Backs Superintendent Starr's Recommended FY2014 Operating Budget
Key Support for Curriculum 2.0 Implementation, New Concussion Screening |
Rockville, Maryland - December 11, 2012 - The proposed FY 2014 operating budget announced by Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Superintendent Joshua P. Starr maintains programs and services vital to the success of every student in Montgomery County, restores critical positions cut at the height of the economic downturn, and lays solid groundwork for the future. Fiscally lean and responsible, the recommendation responds to key parent concerns, with targeted initiatives providing support for State-mandated curriculum changes--particularly for math--and ensuring the safety of student athletes. The recommended budget is fully consistent with the Operating Budget Priorities endorsed by the MCCPTA Delegates Assembly, comprised of representatives from the county's 191 PTA/PTSAs and county PTA leaders, in October 2012.
 MCCPTA President Janette Gilman stated, "Dr. Starr delivered on his promise to look critically at our school system, assess strengths and areas for improvement, and spend taxpayer dollars carefully. His recommended budget recognizes the county's fiscal realities along with the needs of our children, and balances cuts and realignments with a very modest increase in spending, just $10 million, or less than one-half of one percent over MOE. Parent concerns on mathematics instruction are addressed head on by the proposed increase in teacher development and staff positions; and parents long concerned about the arts will be heartened by the restoration of several positions for instrumental music teachers."
MCCPTA Health and Safety Committee Co-Chair and Treasurer Susan Burkinshaw noted, "in line with CDC recommendations, Dr. Starr has included funding for baseline concussion testing for all MCPS high school athletes. This is a huge step in proactively acknowledging the importance of baseline testing to help identify traumatic brain injuries when they occur, protecting kids from getting back in the game until their injuries are healed, and preventing long-term damage to student athletes from high school sports injuries."
Shebra Evans, MCCPTA Vice President Programs and a Wheaton Cluster Coordinator remarked, "The Operating Budget process affords our school system the opportunity to recommit each year to all our students. The commitment ensures that our programs are successful in meeting the educational objectives for all students. The process also ensures our students can compete - not just with other students in the county or in the state - but globally."
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| MCCPTA is an association of local PTAS in Montgomery County, chartered by Maryland PTA, working with parents, students, school staff, and our community on behalf of every child. MCCPTA assists local PTAs by exchanging information and experience, serving as the primary parent interface with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), and leading advocacy efforts at the local, state, and national level. MCCPTA represents approximately 50,000 members who belong to our 191 local PT(S)As, accounting for one in four PTA members in the State of Maryland. |
