Current Events
Montgomery County, Maryland: Summary of Major Initiatives, FY 2001-05
Summary of Major Initiatives, FY 200105
During FY 2001-2005, MCPS implemented a total of $72.0 Million of improvement initiatives, funded by reductions in the base budget, realignments, or cuts in other requests.
Early Success
Full-day kindergarten at 73 schools ($10.1 m),
expansion of pre-kindergarten programs ($0.7 m),
and support for 60 focus schools (Title I) ($4.7 m.) $15.5 Million
Class Size Reduction
Class size reduction at all levels, including K-2 class size reduction at 17:1 ($7.5 m),
elementary class size reduction ($1.1 m),
secondary class size reduction ($3.8 m),
and special education class size reduction ($1.9 m) $14.3 Million
Special Education
Programs for special education, including paraeducator support ($1.6 m),
psychologists ($0.8 m),
cluster model support ($0.2 m),
intensive reading support ($0.7 m),
pre-school programs ($0.4 m),
transition support ($0.1 m),
resource room teachers ($0.3 m),
and other support ($0.1 m) $4.2 Million
ESOL Services
Improved support for ESOL students, including proficiency staffing ($0.9 m),
bilingual assessment ($0.2 m),
ESOL counseling ($0.2 m),
and parent outreach ($0.2 m) $1.5 million
Counseling and Mental Health
Additional counseling staff ($0.6 m),
dropout prevention ($0.4 m)
and substance abuse prevention ($0.1 m) $1.1 Million
High School Reform
Improved high school rigor, including Northeast Consortium ($0.3 m),
Downcounty Consortium ($0.9 m),
signature program support ($0.2 m),
and exam fees for disadvantaged students ($0.1 m) $1.5 Million
Other School Improvements
Other school-related improvements including building operations and maintenance ($2.6 m),
school organizational support ($1.4 m),
athletic funding ($0.7 m),
security ($0.7 m),
gifted and talented programs ($0.2 m),
and career and technology programs ($0.1 m) $5.7 Million
Curriculum and Instruction
Improved curriculum and literacy support, including raising literacy standards ($0.3 m),
reading and writing acceleration programs ($3.7 m),
mathematics acceleration ($1.9 m),
and other instructional program enhancements ($0.9 m) $6.8 Million
Shared Accountability
Accountability and program evaluation ($0.4 m) $0.4 Million
Technology
Technology modernization for schools ($1.3 m),
Technology grant programs ($0.4 m),
and communications for learning, including web services ($0.8 m) $2.5 Million
Community Partnerships
Parent outreach and community partnership initiatives ($1.3 m) $1.3 Million
Staff Development
Expansion of staff development capacity for workforce excellence, including staff development teachers ($6.2 m),
consulting teachers ($2.9 m),
staff development substitute teachers ($3.0 m),
skillful teacher programs ($3.8 m),
skillful leadership ($0.8 m),
and support services training ($0.5 m) $17.2 Million
TOTAL $72.0 Million
During FY 2001-2005, MCPS implemented a total of $72.0 Million of improvement initiatives, funded by reductions in the base budget, realignments, or cuts in other requests.
Early Success
Full-day kindergarten at 73 schools ($10.1 m),
expansion of pre-kindergarten programs ($0.7 m),
and support for 60 focus schools (Title I) ($4.7 m.) $15.5 Million
Class Size Reduction
Class size reduction at all levels, including K-2 class size reduction at 17:1 ($7.5 m),
elementary class size reduction ($1.1 m),
secondary class size reduction ($3.8 m),
and special education class size reduction ($1.9 m) $14.3 Million
Special Education
Programs for special education, including paraeducator support ($1.6 m),
psychologists ($0.8 m),
cluster model support ($0.2 m),
intensive reading support ($0.7 m),
pre-school programs ($0.4 m),
transition support ($0.1 m),
resource room teachers ($0.3 m),
and other support ($0.1 m) $4.2 Million
ESOL Services
Improved support for ESOL students, including proficiency staffing ($0.9 m),
bilingual assessment ($0.2 m),
ESOL counseling ($0.2 m),
and parent outreach ($0.2 m) $1.5 million
Counseling and Mental Health
Additional counseling staff ($0.6 m),
dropout prevention ($0.4 m)
and substance abuse prevention ($0.1 m) $1.1 Million
High School Reform
Improved high school rigor, including Northeast Consortium ($0.3 m),
Downcounty Consortium ($0.9 m),
signature program support ($0.2 m),
and exam fees for disadvantaged students ($0.1 m) $1.5 Million
Other School Improvements
Other school-related improvements including building operations and maintenance ($2.6 m),
school organizational support ($1.4 m),
athletic funding ($0.7 m),
security ($0.7 m),
gifted and talented programs ($0.2 m),
and career and technology programs ($0.1 m) $5.7 Million
Curriculum and Instruction
Improved curriculum and literacy support, including raising literacy standards ($0.3 m),
reading and writing acceleration programs ($3.7 m),
mathematics acceleration ($1.9 m),
and other instructional program enhancements ($0.9 m) $6.8 Million
Shared Accountability
Accountability and program evaluation ($0.4 m) $0.4 Million
Technology
Technology modernization for schools ($1.3 m),
Technology grant programs ($0.4 m),
and communications for learning, including web services ($0.8 m) $2.5 Million
Community Partnerships
Parent outreach and community partnership initiatives ($1.3 m) $1.3 Million
Staff Development
Expansion of staff development capacity for workforce excellence, including staff development teachers ($6.2 m),
consulting teachers ($2.9 m),
staff development substitute teachers ($3.0 m),
skillful teacher programs ($3.8 m),
skillful leadership ($0.8 m),
and support services training ($0.5 m) $17.2 Million
TOTAL $72.0 Million