In accordance with Maryland’s Open Meetings Act, General Provisions Article § 3-305(b), (1), (9), the Board will meet in Closed Session at 1:00 p.m. in Conference Room 5A to consider personnel appointments and negotiation parameters with the the Frederick Association of School Support Employees (FASSE), and the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA). 

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff has reviewed the attached contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  This recommendation is to renew the contract for the purchase of water heaters and thermostatic water mixing valves to be used by the Maintenance Department to replace existing units at various locations.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Bill Meekins, CPPB, CPCP, Buyer Specialist

Randy Connatser, Maintenance Project Manager

SUBMITTED BY: 

Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff has reviewed the attached contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  This recommendation is for the renewal of the contract with multiple qualified local individuals to provide oral foreign language interpreting services for Frederick County Public Schools.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Billie Laughland, Buyer Specialist

Larry Steinly, Supervisor, ELL, Curriculum Instruction & Innovation

SUBMITTED BY: 

Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff has reviewed the attached contract renewal and recommends approval by the Board of Education of Frederick County.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  This recommendation is for the renewal of the contract for the purchase of general math supplies, calculators and data collection accessories.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Billie Laughland, Buyer Specialist

Peter Cincotta, Curriculum Specialist, Curriculum Instruction and Innovation

SUBMITTED BY: 

Stephen P. Starmer, C.P.M., Purchasing Manager

Leslie R. Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff seeks approval of the Fiscal Year 2017 Self-Insurance Budget.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  The proposed FY 2017 Self-Insurance Operating Budget is $97,039,775.The budget is $3,530,940 or 3.8% over the approved FY 2016 budget. The proposed budget includes a premium increase of 2.5%, impacting the various funds as well as employees and retirees.

The recommended expenditures are $97,039,775, which is $3,530,940 more than the budgeted expenditures for FY 2016 of $93,508,835. The largest portion of this increase is due to a projected increase of medical and prescription claims expense of 3.7%.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Robert G. Reilly, Director of Budget & Finance

SUBMITTED BY: 

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff seeks approval of the Fiscal Year 2017 Food and Nutrition Services Operating Budget.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: The proposed FY 2017 Food and Nutrition Services Operating Budget is $11,598,579. The revenues are $57,545 more than the FY 2016 budgeted revenues of $11,541,034. This proposed budget includes a $.10 increase for the price of a paid school lunch. Changes from the budgeted FY 2016 revenues include an estimated 2.0% increase in federal reimbursements. 

The recommended expenditures are $11,598,579, which is $57,545 more than the budgeted expenditures for FY 2016 of $11,541,034. Changes from the budgeted FY 2016 expenditures include an increase in purchased food, a 2.5% increase in employer contributions for health insurance, and a decrease in equipment costs.

The Food and Nutrition Services Fund’s current fund balance is approximately $2.65 million.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Robert G. Reilly, Director of Budget & Finance

SUBMITTED BY: 

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff seeks approval of the Fiscal Year 2017 Capital Budget.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  The Frederick County Council has approved the County’s Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2017.  The budget includes construction funds to complete the Frederick High School Replacement project and to begin construction of the Sugarloaf Elementary School and Butterfly Ridge Elementary School projects.  Funding is also included for 20 systemic renovation projects.  The county has included one-time capital funding for the Wide Area Network (WAN) technology upgrade. 

The Capital Budget is recommended at a total of $37,960,681. This is comprised of state and local funding, as well as state funds from the Qualified Zone Academy Bond.  The projects listed in the attached budget summary are part of the comprehensive six-year plan that is updated annually.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S): 

Robert G. Reilly, Director of Budget & Finance

SUBMITTED BY: 

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff seeks approval of the Fiscal Year 2017 Operating Budget.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: The Board of Education (BOE) Operating Budget, totaling $555,825,971 is comprised of the Unrestricted Budget of $486,871,685 and the Restricted Budget of $68,954,286. This Board item includes four attachments: (A) the Sources of Funds for the Operating Budget, (B) the Operating Budget Appropriations by Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Categories, (C) the FY 2017 Detail List of Expenditure Adjustments and (D) the FY 2017 List of Expenditures by Budget Center.

The FY 2017 Operating Budget reflects $10.5 million above Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funding from the Frederick County Government (FCG). The County Council approved its operating budget and associated appropriation to the Board of Education on May 17, 2016.

The unrestricted revenues also include a net increase of approximately $1.8 million from the state government. The state funding includes increases in the Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI) and Net Taxable Income funding, slightly offset by decreases in formula funding due to the decrease in enrollment.

The FY 2017 unrestricted expenditures of $486,871,685 are $21.3 million more than the approved FY 2016 unrestricted expenditures. Much of this increase is due to the shifting of pension funding from the restricted to the unrestricted fund, and which is now part of MOE. The chart below outlines the major adjustments in unrestricted expenditures:

The Restricted portion of the operating budget decreased $9,980,158 from FY 2016. The changes to the restricted projects are noted below:

The first two attachments, the Sources of Funds and MSDE Expenditure Categories, are the documents that require BOE approval. The third attachment is the detailed working file for which the Board has been working from throughout the budget cycle, and the fourth attachment represents the operating budget by budget center. 

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

SUBMITTED BY: 

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff requests approval of the Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE) for the proposed scope of work for the upcoming Butterfly Ridge Elementary School redistricting study.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  Butterfly Ridge, a new elementary school to be located on Butterfly Lane in Frederick City, is expected to begin construction in the spring of 2017 and open in the fall of 2018.  This school is anticipated to primarily relieve the overcrowding at Hillcrest, Waverley and Orchard Grove elementary schools.  Currently, Hillcrest is operating at 141% of state rated capacity (SRC) with 34 portable classrooms; Waverley is at 138% of SRC with 12 portable classrooms; and Orchard Grove is at 98% of SRC with 3 portable classrooms.

A redistricting study is required to establish the attendance area boundaries for the new school and to identify to which middle school it will feed.  Maps showing the current attendance boundaries and location of Butterfly Ridge Elementary may be found on backup 1. The redistricting study is expected to take approximately 12 months to complete beginning in the summer of 2016.  Completion of the study in the summer of 2017 will allow a year for new bus routes to be created and school administration to adjust staffing in response to new enrollment projections.  The new attendance boundaries will go into effect with the start of the 2018-19 school year.

Attached is the proposed scope of work (see backup 2) for the study including the schedule and direction for a communication plan.  This proposed scope of work is in accordance with BOE Policy 200.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Beth Pasierb, Supervisor, Facilities Planning

Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

SUBMITTED BY:  Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: The YMCA has indicated that they will no longer rent the Lincoln “A” building as of July 1, 2016 (see backup 1). They have found another location for this program. This agenda item recommends use of the building during the 2016-17 school year as a temporary location for some departments located at the Warehouse on 33 Thomas Johnson Drive.  

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  The YMCA Headstart Program has used the Lincoln “A” building for its administrative offices since July 2014. They have been using the space on a year-to-year basis under terms as approved by the Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE). Now that the space is available, staff recommends that the building be used as a temporary location for FCPS staff now posted at the Warehouse. This includes the central office Food and Nutrition Services staff, the Technology Support section of the Technology Infrastructure department, the Child Find team of the Special Education department, and home school monitoring staff.  These staff need to be temporarily relocated so that repairs to the structural system of the Warehouse can take place in preparation for a roof replacement project. Funding has been allocated to perform this work in FY 2017. The Warehouse function will not be interrupted during this time. 

PROCESS STATEMENT: In February 2013, the BOE supported future use of the building as an extension of the Career Tech program. The cost of this program, from both an operating and capital budget perspective, has prevented the project from moving forward.  For this reason, use by the FCPS as a temporary home for staff currently located at the Warehouse represents a needed and reasonable alternative.     

PRESENTER & TITLE: Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

SUBMITTED BY: Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:   To discuss the request by the Frederick County Government (FCG) to make property on Thomas Johnson Drive, owned by the Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE), available to the FCG for a new fire station. 

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  A letter dated April 14, 2016 from County Executive Jan Gardner was sent to the BOE (see backup 1) requesting transfer of BOE property on Thomas Johnson Drive to the FCG for a new fire station.  The letter also included a chronology of history regarding the proposed fire station (see backup 2).   In 2009, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) (see backup 3) was executed between the BOE and the Board of County Commissioners to transfer the property at that time, but the then fire chief made a decision to abandon the new fire station plans and notified the BOE that the property was no longer needed by the FCG.  With considerable growth in this area, the letter states that the need for a fire station at this location is now a high priority, and FCG is again requesting a transfer of this property for this use in accordance with the original MOU.  Per Section 6 of the 2009 MOU, compensation to the BOE for this property, based on an updated fair market appraisal, would be a condition of transfer to the FCG.     

FCPS staff has been considering use of this property for a parking lot; however, based on the prior MOU with the FCG, it could still be made available to the FCG.  The FCG Division of Public Works has reviewed and verified that this site, including storm water management, would still be appropriate in size to construct a fire station. 

PROCESS STATEMENT:  FCPS staff seeks the BOE’s direction concerning the request to move forward with the transfer of this property to the FCG.

PRESENTER & TITLE: Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

SUBMITTED BY: Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff requests approval for a contract change order in the amount of $50,000.00 (see backup 1) to relocate a portable classroom to the Career and Technology Center (CTC).

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  A request from CTC for a portable classroom was reviewed and approved by the instructional director of high schools and Construction Management department staff, and was included as a part of Bid #16C8. Bid #16C8 documents included relocating one portable classroom to support the Teacher Academy of Maryland (TAM).  This program is relocating from Brunswick High School to the CTC to provide better accessibility for other Frederick County students.

PROCESS STATEMENT: The bids received for #16C8 CTC/TAM program portable classroom relocation were rejected at the April 20, 2016 Board of Education of Frederick County meeting due to excessively high cost.  Thereafter, the Construction Management department staff worked with the CTC administration and JCS Contractors to relocate the portable to another location on the CTC site.  This new location reduced the cost to $50,000 from the original bid of $65,000.  The change order presented, therefore, modifies the contract with JCS to add $50,000 for this portable relocation. The budget for the portable classroom relocation project is adequate to meet this expense.     

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):  Tony Ray, Project Manager III, Construction Management Department

SUBMITTED BY:  Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  

The Board convened a subcommittee consisting of Liz Barrett, Colleen Cusimano, and April F. Miller to develop draft language regarding students who choose not to participate in testing mandated by the State of Maryland or the Maryland State Department of Education (required by the State or Federal government). The draft language below is offered in consideration of an amendment (addition to) Board Policy 511.  The Board will be discussing wording proposals from last meeting as well as information related to MSDE declaratory judgment.  

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:   

Draft Language to Amend Policy 511:

Refusals to participate in State- or Federally-mandated assessments, either by parents who refuse on behalf of their students or by students themselves using their typically used mode of communication (including assistive devices), shall be honored. without question. No FCPS employee shall encourage (or discourage) parents or students to take State- or Federally-mandated tests. Students or parents who refuse shall be treated respectfully and consistently with test-takers.

Students who refuse State- and Federally-mandated assessments must be provided an alternative educational activity in their schools. Activities may vary school-to-school. 

PROCESS STATEMENT: 

FOURTH READING 

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Liz Barrett, Board Member

Colleen Cusimano, Board Member

April F Miller, Board Member

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  

FOURTH READING

Board Policy 200 School Attendance Areas and Redistricting is presented for discussion.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: 

At the August 26, 2015 Board of Education (Board) meeting, Section 200.3 “School Closing or Consolidation” was discussed by the Board. A subcommittee was designated of Board members Liz Barrett, Katie Groth and April Miller to further discuss the policy.  The Second Reading occurred on February 24, 2016 and the Third Reading was held during the Board Work Session on May 18, 2016.  

A musical selection entitled, "When Johnny Comes Marching Home" performed by the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Chorus from Monocacy Valley Montessori Public Charter School under the direction of Shannon Vendemmia.  

In accordance with Maryland’s Open Meetings Act, General Provisions Article § 3-305(b), (1), (9), the Board will meet in Closed Session at 1:00 p.m. in Conference Room 5A to consider personnel appointments and negotiation parameters with the Frederick Association of School Support Employees (FASSE), and the Frederick County Teachers Association (FCTA). 

The Board welcomes and encourages public comment. With the exception of confidential and personnel related matters, individuals may speak about matters relating to the school system. If individuals have specific concerns relating to the actions of staff members, such concerns may be communicated to the superintendent who will address the concern with the appropriate staff or if the concern is about the superintendent an individual may share that concern with the Board through written or private verbal communication.

If you are speaking as an individual you have up to 3 minutes and I ask that when the buzzer goes off that you complete your thoughts.  On behalf of an organization you have up to 5 minutes.

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff will present the 2016-17 nominees for Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) Teacher of the Year and will announce this year’s winner.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  In January 2016, FCPS issued a call for nominations for the 2016-17 Teacher of the Year.  Administrators nominated 81 teachers from across the county, each deserving of this prestigious recognition. The week of May 2-6 is Teacher Appreciation Week. It is fitting that FCPS and the Board of Education publicly recognize all our Teacher of the Year nominees for the tremendous work they do. These remarkable teachers are representative of the thousands of outstanding teachers who work for FCPS.

All of the nominees will be recognized and receive a certificate. Semifinalists will receive small mementos. When recognition of the semifinalists is complete, we will run a video containing footage of the finalists. Dr. Alban and President Young will congratulate and be photographed with each one and present small mementos. The principal of the home school of the 2016 Teacher of the Year will provide brief comments and then introduce the Teacher of the Year. President Young and Dr. Alban will present the 2016 Teacher of the Year with a trophy and Board pin. He will then invite the Teacher of the Year to make comments.

PROCESS STATEMENT:  Communication Services manages the Teacher of the Year selection process. We used a rigorous, multi-step process that involves interviews and essay writing. Multiple selection committees narrowed 81 initial nominees (selected by school administrators) to 24 quarterfinalists, 12 semifinalists, 3 finalists, and 1 winner. The final selection committee included administrators, teachers, and community leaders. Our Teacher of the Year will compete to be selected as Maryland Teacher of the Year.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Michael Doerrer, Director, Communications, Community Engagement and Marketing

SUBMITTED BY:  Mike Markoe, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff requests approval of the Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE) for the proposed scope of work for the upcoming Butterfly Ridge Elementary School redistricting study.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  Butterfly Ridge, a new elementary school to be located on Butterfly Lane in Frederick City, is expected to begin construction in the spring of 2017 and open in the fall of 2018.  This school is anticipated to primarily relieve the overcrowding at Hillcrest, Waverley and Orchard Grove elementary schools.  Currently, Hillcrest is operating at 141% of state rated capacity (SRC) with 34 portable classrooms; Waverley is at 138% of SRC with 12 portable classrooms; and Orchard Grove is at 98% of SRC with 3 portable classrooms.

A redistricting study is required to establish the attendance area boundaries for the new school and to identify to which middle school it will feed.  Maps showing the current attendance boundaries and location of Butterfly Ridge Elementary may be found on backup 1. The redistricting study is expected to take approximately 12 months to complete beginning in the summer of 2016.  Completion of the study in the summer of 2017 will allow a year for new bus routes to be created and school administration to adjust staffing in response to new enrollment projections.  The new attendance boundaries will go into effect with the start of the 2018-19 school year.

Attached is the proposed scope of work (see backup 2) for the study including the schedule and direction for a communication plan.  This proposed scope of work is in accordance with BOE Policy 200.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Beth Pasierb, Supervisor, Facilities Planning

Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

SUBMITTED BY:  Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: The YMCA has indicated that they will no longer rent the Lincoln “A” building as of July 1, 2016 (see backup 1). They have found another location for this program. This agenda item recommends use of the building during the 2016-17 school year as a temporary location for some departments located at the Warehouse on 33 Thomas Johnson Drive.  

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  The YMCA Headstart Program has used the Lincoln “A” building for its administrative offices since July 2014. They have been using the space on a year-to-year basis under terms as approved by the Board of Education of Frederick County (BOE). Now that the space is available, staff recommends that the building be used as a temporary location for FCPS staff now posted at the Warehouse. This includes the central office Food and Nutrition Services staff, the Technology Support section of the Technology Infrastructure department, the Child Find team of the Special Education department, and home school monitoring staff.  These staff need to be temporarily relocated so that repairs to the structural system of the Warehouse can take place in preparation for a roof replacement project. Funding has been allocated to perform this work in FY 2017. The Warehouse function will not be interrupted during this time. 

PROCESS STATEMENT: In February 2013, the BOE supported future use of the building as an extension of the Career Tech program. The cost of this program, from both an operating and capital budget perspective, has prevented the project from moving forward.  For this reason, use by the FCPS as a temporary home for staff currently located at the Warehouse represents a needed and reasonable alternative.     

PRESENTER & TITLE: Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

SUBMITTED BY: Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff requests approval for a contract change order in the amount of $50,000.00 (see backup 1) to relocate a portable classroom to the Career and Technology Center (CTC).

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  A request from CTC for a portable classroom was reviewed and approved by the instructional director of high schools and Construction Management department staff, and was included as a part of Bid #16C8. Bid #16C8 documents included relocating one portable classroom to support the Teacher Academy of Maryland (TAM).  This program is relocating from Brunswick High School to the CTC to provide better accessibility for other Frederick County students.

PROCESS STATEMENT: The bids received for #16C8 CTC/TAM program portable classroom relocation were rejected at the April 20, 2016 Board of Education of Frederick County meeting due to excessively high cost.  Thereafter, the Construction Management department staff worked with the CTC administration and JCS Contractors to relocate the portable to another location on the CTC site.  This new location reduced the cost to $50,000 from the original bid of $65,000.  The change order presented, therefore, modifies the contract with JCS to add $50,000 for this portable relocation. The budget for the portable classroom relocation project is adequate to meet this expense.     

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):  Tony Ray, Project Manager III, Construction Management Department

SUBMITTED BY:  Ray Barnes, Chief Operating Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff seeks approval of the Fiscal Year 2017 Self-Insurance Budget.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  The proposed FY 2017 Self-Insurance Operating Budget is $97,039,775.The budget is $3,530,940 or 3.8% over the approved FY 2016 budget. The proposed budget includes a premium increase of 2.5%, impacting the various funds as well as employees and retirees.

The recommended expenditures are $97,039,775, which is $3,530,940 more than the budgeted expenditures for FY 2016 of $93,508,835. The largest portion of this increase is due to a projected increase of medical and prescription claims expense of 3.7%.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Robert G. Reilly, Director of Budget & Finance

SUBMITTED BY: 

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION: Staff seeks approval of the Fiscal Year 2017 Food and Nutrition Services Operating Budget.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: The proposed FY 2017 Food and Nutrition Services Operating Budget is $11,598,579. The revenues are $57,545 more than the FY 2016 budgeted revenues of $11,541,034. This proposed budget includes a $.10 increase for the price of a paid school lunch. Changes from the budgeted FY 2016 revenues include an estimated 2.0% increase in federal reimbursements. 

The recommended expenditures are $11,598,579, which is $57,545 more than the budgeted expenditures for FY 2016 of $11,541,034. Changes from the budgeted FY 2016 expenditures include an increase in purchased food, a 2.5% increase in employer contributions for health insurance, and a decrease in equipment costs.

The Food and Nutrition Services Fund’s current fund balance is approximately $2.65 million.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Robert G. Reilly, Director of Budget & Finance

SUBMITTED BY: 

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff seeks approval of the Fiscal Year 2017 Capital Budget.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY:  The Frederick County Council has approved the County’s Capital Budget for Fiscal Year 2017.  The budget includes construction funds to complete the Frederick High School Replacement project and to begin construction of the Sugarloaf Elementary School and Butterfly Ridge Elementary School projects.  Funding is also included for 20 systemic renovation projects.  The county has included one-time capital funding for the Wide Area Network (WAN) technology upgrade. 

The Capital Budget is recommended at a total of $37,960,681. This is comprised of state and local funding, as well as state funds from the Qualified Zone Academy Bond.  The projects listed in the attached budget summary are part of the comprehensive six-year plan that is updated annually.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S): 

Robert G. Reilly, Director of Budget & Finance

SUBMITTED BY: 

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  Staff seeks approval of the Fiscal Year 2017 Operating Budget.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: The Board of Education (BOE) Operating Budget, totaling $555,825,971 is comprised of the Unrestricted Budget of $486,871,685 and the Restricted Budget of $68,954,286. This Board item includes four attachments: (A) the Sources of Funds for the Operating Budget, (B) the Operating Budget Appropriations by Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Categories, (C) the FY 2017 Detail List of Expenditure Adjustments and (D) the FY 2017 List of Expenditures by Budget Center.

The FY 2017 Operating Budget reflects $10.5 million above Maintenance of Effort (MOE) funding from the Frederick County Government (FCG). The County Council approved its operating budget and associated appropriation to the Board of Education on May 17, 2016.

The unrestricted revenues also include a net increase of approximately $1.8 million from the state government. The state funding includes increases in the Geographic Cost of Education Index (GCEI) and Net Taxable Income funding, slightly offset by decreases in formula funding due to the decrease in enrollment.

The FY 2017 unrestricted expenditures of $486,871,685 are $21.3 million more than the approved FY 2016 unrestricted expenditures. Much of this increase is due to the shifting of pension funding from the restricted to the unrestricted fund, and which is now part of MOE. The chart below outlines the major adjustments in unrestricted expenditures:

The Restricted portion of the operating budget decreased $9,980,158 from FY 2016. The changes to the restricted projects are noted below:

The first two attachments, the Sources of Funds and MSDE Expenditure Categories, are the documents that require BOE approval. The third attachment is the detailed working file for which the Board has been working from throughout the budget cycle, and the fourth attachment represents the operating budget by budget center. 

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

SUBMITTED BY: 

Leslie Pellegrino, Chief Financial Officer

PURPOSE OF PRESENTATION:  During the 2016 legislative session, the Maryland General Assembly passed HB657 (SB794) entitled “Education – Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Assessments – Administration.”  (backup1)

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY: 

Based on a recent change in Maryland law, effective July 1, 2016 a statewide kindergarten assessment to measure school readiness will be implemented which impacts local school systems. The assessment must be administered to a representative sample of students. However, local boards may choose to administer the assessment to all students.

PROCESS STATEMENT: 

According to the law, a statewide kindergarten assessment, Kindergarten Readiness Assessment (KRA) will be administered to measure school readiness to a limited representative sample of kindergarten students. The assessment includes an evaluation of language and literacy skills; academic knowledge in mathematics, science and social studies; physical development; and social development.

The law also provides that a principal and teacher who are in mutual agreement may administer the KRA to all students in a class if the assessment is completed on or before October 1.

The purpose of today’s discussion is to seek direction from the Board of Education on its preference for KRA administration.

Staff recommends that the KRA be administered to a representative sample as required under the law, knowing that teachers can choose to assess more or all of their students if they find the assessment provides quality data for their instructional program.

PRESENTER(S) & TITLE(S):

Dr. Kevin Cuppett – Executive Director – Curriculum, Instruction and Innovation

SUBMITTED BY: 

Dr. Kevin Cuppett – Executive Director – Curriculum, Instruction and Innovation

Priorities and Perspectives on the Future of Public School Funding in Maryland

Executive Summary