From Harford County Education Association (HCEA) President Ryan Burbey:
Much attention has been focused on the minimal increases over time in the budget for the Harford County Board of Education. Many have questioned why the Board of Education budget should increase amid slightly declining enrollment. County Executive Craig has attacked staffing at HCPS and argued to seek efficiencies through consolidation with county government. However, when compared to other aspects of county government, funding for the Harford County Board of Education has grown by a much smaller percentage.
In FY 2004, the Harford County Board of Education received $147,397,439. This represented 49% of the Harford County General Fund. In FY 2014, the Harford County Board of Education received $221,300,729. This is an increase of about 50% but as a percentage of the General Fund, funding for our schools has been reduced over 4% under Mr. Craig’s leadership. By comparison, the office of the County Executive currently receives $2,185,846. In FY 2004, the office of the County Executive received $811,765. In just ten short years, funding for the office of the County Executive has increased more than 169%. Had the funding for the Harford County Board of Education increased by the same percentage, its funding would currently be over $370 million; more than $150 million above its current level.
In FY 2004, the Harford County Procurement Department received $724,141. In FY 2014, it receives $4,240,912. That is an astounding increase of 485%. The Harford County Law Department has experienced an increase of 45%. Planning and zoning has increased by 34%. Community Services has increased by 73%. Despite the County Executive’s claim of reducing government, the general government category of his FY 2014 budget is over 56% higher than the FY 2004 budget. Don’t these departments perform exactly the same tasks in 2014 as in 2004? Perhaps before the County Executive asks that the Board of Education examine its books for efficiencies, he should examine those of the Harford County Government.
Even more astounding than the increases in the costs of governmental administration are the increases in spending for PAYGO projects and purchases. Just the General Fund portion of PAYGO in FY 2014 was nearly $17 million. In 2004, this was only $6.5 million.
That is an almost 300% increase. When considering the entire allocation to PAYGO, County Executive Craig’s FY 2014 Budget allocates over $31 million, while as recently as FY 2011 only $11 million was allocated to PAYGO. That is an increase of $20 million, which could have been used to fund our schools.
Following the County Executive’s Budget Hearing, Mr. Craig stated, “You want increased funding for education, where would you get the money?” Here are a few simple suggestions. Reduce expenditures in the office of the county executive, procurement department, law department, as well as, planning and zoning department. Eliminate all PAYGO expenditures. If a project is not worthy of funding through bonds, while the bond market is at historically low interest rates, it is not worth completing. Utilize fund balance and reduce carried fund balance to fund key expenses in education and public safety. Eliminate the practice of funding OPEB obligations for county departments through supplemental appropriations. This practice renders all budgetary percentages invalid. Fund all departments with earmarked revenue streams exclusively through those revenue streams. Quite simply, County Executive Craig must live up to his small government mantra by first holding himself accountable for reducing unnecessary increases and irresponsible expenditures in the departments which he currently manages.
Don’t know what Paygo projects are, but I agree that consistency should be implemented. Disparities exist and need to be balanced. Everyone’s budget should have risen slightly in equal proportions. I think the county employees need some relief too.
I think our county citizens need to push the County Executive to be more transparent with the books and not filter the information to meet his agenda. The citizens only hear what he wants them to hear and know. I appreciate the information provided by Mr. Burbey. I agree that costs should be kept to a minimum, but I also do not think it is fair to flat fund people’s salaries for 5 plus years. This simply hurts our local economy by taking money out of people’s pockets.
Quite simply you can’t flatline public employee salaries while simultaneously marching taxpayers into the chemical cesspool park in HdG. Take a poll of citizens and they’d tell you the preference would be funding raises for employees. It’s clear filthy Craig prefers giving costly gifts to his cronies. Hey filthy Craig who gets the tax free benefit from the expansion of the enterprise zone? Did you get you’re high rises on the Eva Mar farm that you tossed existing zoning regs for? In all cases we generate no tax revenue. Age in place which you’re filthy cronies use to argue generates no revenue, enterprise zones for a time produce no revenue, you’re pet project in HdG produces no revenue – at least raises for employees infuse revenue returns for local businesses and the county.
Mr Burbey,
“Don’t these departments perform exactly the same tasks in 2014 as in 2004? ”
Do you believe that a Maryland high school diploma has become more valuable, less valuable or retained the same level of value in the last decade. For extra credit, how about vs a diploma from 1984?
A high school diploma is not only more valuable, it is essential. In 1984, you could get a job and make your way through this world without a high school diploma, now that is simply not possible.
Essential and valuable are two different things.
A bus pass is essential, but if the route changes and it now ends halfway to your destination, it is no longer valuable. The same applies if the curriculum changes and students no longer learn critical skills or information, their diplomas lose value.
While almost every successful career today requires a high school diploma or GED as a precursor (usually to more advanced training, such as a bachelor’s degree or trade apprenticeship), that does not mean that the diploma itself is worth more.
Quite frankly Kharn, you have no idea what you are talking about.
Students today are asked to learn more earlier than ever before. Teachers are asked to do more and teach more than ever before. Schools are expected to provide more services than ever before. That all costs money. While you may want to return to Little House on the Prairie and have kids learning on slates in one room schoolhouses with teachers paid in chickens and eggs, that time is long gone…
I want my students and my children to receive a first rate competitive education which prepares them to leave Harford County and enter a world marketplace should they choose to do so. You cannot accomplish this while remaining 19th out of 24 counties in education funding.
HCPS should find efficiencies as they can where they can. Harford County should invest in our schools so we can compete to be the best in the state again.
Mr. Burbey,
An education is not all about job preparation or future economic sustainability for the state. An education should teach the whole child, mind and heart. It should open him him up to a world of exploration guided by his talents and interests. It should train him in right and wrong and instill in him the virtuous life. Unfortunately, none of this can really happen in a government school, save for the brave teacher that wants to close her door and teach against the modern philosophy that prevails.
Brian,
You are wrong. All of this can happen in a public school but it requires that teachers are afforded professional freedom and it requires the funding necessary to allow this to happen. Unfortunately, too often, both of these are limited. I agree whole-heartedly with teaching the whole child. I agree that students should have choices and that their educate should be guided be their interests and talents. I agree that we should inculcate our students with ethics and an understanding of our democracy. Unfortunately, choices, freedoms and opportunities are all constrained when schools are poorly funded.
Mr Burbey,
How would you judge a “first rate competitive education”? What metrics would you use?
If you use the HSAs, HCPS shows 94.1% passing algebra, 93.0% biology, 88.8% English and 84.7% government in 11th grade, compared to the state averages of 87.8%, 86.9%, 85.0% and 40.8% (due to 51.1% of students not taking the government test until 12th grade). So HCPS is doing above average using that score.
If you use SATs, HCPS’s average was 1500, the Maryland average of 1,487, and the national average 1,498, so HCPS is producing students that are competitive vs the rest of the state and the nation.
I’d say those two data sets show HCPS is doing pretty well for being 19th of 24 for funding.
Most of those expensive services you refer to are for special education. Unfortunately, we’re stuck with both the costs and the disruptive students with little hope of relief.
I’m not asking for a return to the 1800s in education. I want fourth graders to memorize their multiplications tables instead of using a grid, lattice or calculator for every problem, I want 8th graders to be in algebra 1 and juniors in calculus. I want every high school graduate to understand physics, have at least 3 years of a foreign language, take a basic computer programming course, be able to cook, clean, sew and change a tire, understand Form 1040, comprehend the cost of money and know how to balance a checkbook.
A diploma should not be a certificate of attendence for standing at the bus stop 95% of school days for 13 years, it should mean something.
I would agree that HCPS is making the most out of our paltry funding. However, most of that is happening to the detriment and upon the backs of its employees. Standardized tests only tell a small part of the story. HCPS is not able to offer all the opportunities, variety of classes or interventions necessary. Technology is severely lacking. All of your wants require funding and small classes. Individual time with teachers must be increase to achieve the outcomes you propose. Much of what you propose is already happening for the majority of kids. The relief for disruptive students must come in the form of early intervention and rigorous supports. HCPS is greatly lacking in all support personal and professionals. HCPS also has a very limited behavioral intervention program. This requires funding.
Unfortunately, when the effects of underfunding show up in test scores, it will be too late. You must remember, it is a 12 year cycle. So the educational impacts of the lack of funding now, will necessarily be visible until 8-12 years down the road.
I would agree that HCPS is making the most out of our paltry funding
$221,300,729 is not paltry.
BillH:
$221 million is only Harford’s contribution. HCPS’s total budget for the year is $424.8 million.
Mr Burbey:
While those classes may be available, they are not mandatory for 100% of students. You still have not stated your metric for gauging a “first rate competitive education.”
A first rate education is one that prepares every student regardless of ability and interest to be a successful citizen and participant in our democracy. A first rate education afford every student the opportunity to pursue their talents and interests so they may make informed life-choices. A first rate competitive education provides students the opportunity to compete in the global market-place by providing ample opportunities which extend beyond the “basics”.
Burbey knows full well that Craig abolished the Dept. of Governmental Relations and folded its responsibilities into his own office. Since 2004, the total funding for that department and his office together has in fact gone down, as funding was saved from administrative salaries and duplicative functions.
But that fact doesn’t help Burbey’s argument, and he arrogantly assumes that the average Joe won’t remember that consolidation occuring. His tactics are right out of Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals.”
TR: I think you’re missing the point here. Burbey is usually a blow hard and on that we agree; but his point is correct in that if filthy Craig can find money for his equally filthy chemical park he loses the “there’s no money” argument. I would suggest right now filthy Craig has given up any rights to continue to claim a lack of funding for employee raises.
2004 General Govt. = $52,572,553
2014 General Govt. = $82,464,906
That is a 57% increase in cost of county government while county employees have endured a salary freeze. That is not small govt. That is not conservative financing. That is not cutting spending. People need to look behind the curtain.
By comparison, the Board of Education has been far more conservative.
Actually Burbey, again you are dead wrong. If you look at the last budget passed before Craig took office (FY06), the county funding for public education has increased much faster than the county’s funding for General Gov’t, looking at Total Appropriations rather than just from the General Fund:
2006 General Gov’t: $73.6 million
2014 General Gov’t: $84.3 million
(An increase of 14.5%)
2006 HCPS: $175.4 million
2014 HCPS: $221.3 million
(An increase of 26.2%)
So by comparison, funding for public schools has increased almost twice as fast as funding for governmental operations.
Whether Mr. Craig was in charge in 2004 is irrelevant. He did not roll-back spending. Likewise, He was appointed in 2005. He could have decreased spending then. He did not. He has not. Even by your numbers spending has increased by 14.5 % while freezing wages.
Likewise, HCPS has opened several new schools, at the behest of the county council and community, and drastically expanded programing. County government on the other had is doing exactly the same job.
Mr. Craig has spent his entire term bleeding our schools, our county workers and our school employees to fund pet projects and boondoggles. Surely you haven’t forgotten the million dollar waste transfer station that never happened or the most recent Christmas present on the HDG waterfront.
The sad part is that the citizens of Harford County will ultimately foot the bill when their property values decline and their education system falters. As a citizen and a parent I fear the long-term impact of his mismanagement.
Selling the fear. That’s just sad.
Telling truth is not selling fear…
Harford County Board of Education’s revenue has increased 50.14% from FY 2004 to FY 2014 and you are throwing mud?
No mud just reality.
Let’s be clear what “PAYGO” means. Instead of borrowing for a capital project, the county pays for it with current dollars. In the long run it is cheaper because there are no interest costs to pay.
HCEA saying: “If a project is not worthy of funding through bonds, while the bond market is at historically low interest rates, it is not worth completing” is the equivalent of saying that a consumer should never use cash, when they could put the same charge on a credit card.
I would rather have David Craig managing my finances than Ryan Burbey.
Dear Mr. Burbey: In your editorial, there is a critical assumption you make that is not suppoted and there is a critical fact you forget. Your assumption is that more money for education is automatically better results. You admit there has been in an increase in the school budget in those years. You do not cite the results of Harford County Schools during this period. It is not wise nor effective to demand more money without explaining how the money will be used to improve results, or to show that the money spent in the past HAS improved results. Mr. Craig as a county executive and a teacher and an administrator is THE most qualified to balance the needs of the county and the school district. That’s why he will make a great governor. He has been there.
Everyone should be held to the same standard so I’m anxiously awaiting measurable data that demonstrated each department who received a fund increase has increased productivity to meet the level of funding which is comparable to its individual increase.
I agree. Community Services budget is up partly because the county has systematically taking over nonprofits in the county, laying off their staff and scaping the funds in their coffers. Now, instead of providing a lot of grassroots, community-based services to county residents who are most in need, they are doing a lot of “planning.” Take a look at all their staff as well as the fancy digs. In the last fifteen years, I can’t tell you how many times the remodeled their office before doing a move and renovation to the old Prestons space. Is this taxpayer money well spent? Quite frankly, I find their cavalier attitude about spending taxpayer dollars pretty offensive.
Don’t forget that DC outspends every other school district in the country, spending $18,667 per student in 2010, a 39% increase from 2006. Does anyone honestly think that 1) DC public schools produce the best graduates in the nation, 2) that the students in 2010 received a 39% better education than in 2006, and 3) their educational experience was 50% better than that of HCPS students (HCPS spent $12,401 per pupil in 2010)?
I think the answer to all three parts is a resounding “No!,” but then, I’m not blinded by ideology or trying to increase my own paycheck through open letters to my employer.
The answer is indeed a resounding NO. In fact, DC produces some of the least capable students in the entire US school systems. For the most part, the money spent on DC public schools is nothing more than money poured down a never ending sink hole. Obama and his wife were not stupid enough to send their daughters to a DC public school, even if they are the best funded public schools in America!
Paying a salary at the top end of comparable salaries in the state may attract more people, some of which could certainly be very well qualified for teacher positions. My experience has been that some of the best teachers trend to private schools even if the pay and benefits are lower. They seem to be more interested in teaching students who are there and eager to learn. The truly best teachers are more interested in student outcomes than they are pay. No worker should be treated unfairly when it comes to compensation/reward for their work, but it involves much more than just pay for the best teachers.
There might be lower pay at private schools, but you’re practically guaranteed to never get a chair thrown at you. That’s a pretty big perk if you ask me.
With all fairness DC does not get over half their money from a state government like HCPS
With all fairness, who cares where the money comes from. The point is that just throwing money at schools does not produce a better student, and DC is a classic example of such a premise.
I have no problem with teachers in Harford County being paid more money based on their education and ability to produce positive results. However, to suggest that children would somehow receive a better education if we just paid teachers more money or sent them to new buildings for their education is just plain wrong.
No one is suggesting that. What I am suggesting is that we should honor our employees’ contracts. We should also fund our schools at a reasonable level which allows for them to expand programs and provide quality professional development.
By the way, DC is beset with a hoard of problems including clinical lead poisoning among its student population, extreme generational poverty and a host of other social issues.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2009/01/26/AR2009012602402.html
http://www.dcfpi.org/poverty-rates-remain-high-for-some-groups-of-dc-residents
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/dc-public-schools-how-to-keep-kids-out-of-class-not-in/2013/04/29/3921b18e-b0d0-11e2-baf7-5bc2a9dc6f44_blog.html
To compare Harford County to DC is completely without merit.
Why did you pick DC and not say Montgomery or Howard county which have much more in common with our county and spend more?
I didn’t pick DC, Kharn picked DC. I simply commented on his/her comment.
I am not comparing DC to Harford County. I am simply pointing out that spending money on teacher pay, overhead and buildings does not in and of itself produce or guarantee good results.
Cdev:
DC has the highest per-pupil spending in the entire nation, thus why I picked them.
Per-pupil spending on the surface is only part of the story. In some places (like DC), it may cost MUCH more money to get comparatively lower results. Nobody is simply throwing money at anything. Students in DC have hurdles to surmount that the average Harco student never faces. Those hurdles make education more costly and less effective – on average. But how do you remedy this? Do you cut budgets? Students will be severely damaged by such a proposal. Increasing school budgets is never ‘throwing money at a problem’. Schools are populated with certified professionals who know their job and, given the proper resources, would be even more effective than they currently are.
Furthermore, in Harco as in DC, schools are so powerfully underfunded that we are nowhere near any sort of ‘throwing money at a problem’ situation. The truth is that effective education is mighty expensive. Expensive compared to what we are currently spending. NOT expensive compared to what we spend on military, for instance. What our nation really has is a crisis of priority. If we want to keep the services we currently offer (be it federal / state / or local) while doing what is right for our kids, we need to increase governmental revenues. If we are unwilling to increase taxes (or at least increase the progressiveness of taxes), then we must sacrifice elsewhere if we are going to do what is right for our kids. In any situation, we as a county are not currently doing what is right for our kids. We can either face up to reality and find a way to fix it (even if it is expensive), or we can spout conservative talking points and mislead the public about reality while our kids suffer through an education that is adequate for many, yes; but is not the dynamic force it can be for pushing Harford kids to the forefront where they deserve to be…
If you subscribe to the concept of supply and demand, you will agree that paying your teachers more will attract a potentially more capable and qualified group of individuals to the teaching profession in Harford County than you would otherwise get from paying a salary at the lower end of the market.
Because:
The problem is when you give the members of a class a license (the teaching certificate), you’re showing that they all have the minimum level of competence required to do the job to a satisfactory level and thus the members of the class become fungible as far as the employer is concerned (especially when you pay the workers on a scale based solely on seniority and education, with no reflection of performance or other characteristic). The result being as long as HCPS is able to find certified teachers to fill all current vacancies, they’re offering an appropriate salary and can expect the task to be carried out to the performance standard.
Is a teaching certificate a sufficient measure of a teacher’s skills in the classroom? Is pay based solely upon education and years of experience a wise thing to do? I leave those to you to decide.
Mr. Craig has always been first and foremost a politician. His school system position allowed him to have a steady paycheck and great benefits while pursuing his political career. If you know the right people to ask they will tell you he was at best an average teacher and a poor administrator. His statements about education clearly demonstrate he no long understands (if he ever did) the challenges of running or funding a school system in today’s world. “… THE most qualified to balance the needs of the county and the school district.” I think not. Examples of his mismanagement are everywhere, some more obvious than others such as overpaying for the Plecker property (politically connected) for a waste transfer station that never needed to be built, his most recent action in purchasing contaminated land in HdG (politically connected), and shoving through the BOE approval to build a new HdG HS (his legacy). My Dad told me to watch what a person does and not just listen to what they say. Anyone taking that approach in evaluating Mr. Craig would come to the conclusion that he is certainly no conservative or may even question his character. Maryland may at some point in the future elect a Republican governor but it will not be Mr. Craig.
With all do respect David Craig did not have to deal with the myriad of special ed laws that exist now when he was a teacher. Furthermore if David Craig thinks buying a ceasepool and overpaying for it is a good investment and overpaying for a defunked golf course is a good investment he has no business running for governor of Maryland!
David Craig would be the worst choice for governor. His own party in Harford County is not happy with him for what he is doing.
In 10 years we have more schools, less students and have raised the budget by over 100 million dollars and Burbey wants more. Burbey you should be ashamed of yourself.
Where is Jim the “snitch” Maybe I will drop by wawa and get a hot beverage and get his opinion
You have no idea how rewarding it is to know just how much I’m under your skin. Keep screwing the taxpayers one day it will come home to roost Mr Cook.
I think we are about out of salt in abingdon that’s ok the taxes will pay for more of it so I can get some overtime spreading it on clean roads lol
A lot of thesr morons still can’t drive even with the snow plowed and the roads treated.
If you think “pay to play” is a bummer, wait until there is a “pay to ride school bus”
Say what? If minimum wage is raised statewide over 11/hour, ahh, well, you can figure it out.
or no JV Sports, pay for advanced classes
Paying for advanced classes would be great, it would guarantee only the students that are serious about the class would be in it (and undermine the obsession with every child taking AP classes). Maybe we could charge for the higher-aptitude versions of classes as well? If you want to take Honors English, pony up $100, otherwise you’re stuck with the mouth-breathers.
I’ve worked for every co ex since anderson. craig is with out doubt the biggest do nothing ex this county has had to date. Truth be told there is certainly fat in all of the above budgets mentioned-I’ve seen it over and over again. with craig’s nepotism philosophy no one should be surprised his budget has increased. now in the twilight of his tenure with co gov’t he’s been pushing very hard for this new water authority. can you guess why? so he can become the new chief executive of the authority allowing him to continue to do nothing and maintain is life style off the dole!
I agree. Community Services budget is up partly because the county has systematically taking over nonprofits in the county, laying off their staff and scaping the funds in their coffers. Now, instead of providing a lot of grassroots, community-based services to county residents who are most in need, they are doing a lot of “planning.” Take a look at all their staff as well as the fancy digs. In the last fifteen years, I can’t tell you how many times the remodeled their office before doing a move and renovation to the old Prestons space. Is this taxpayer money well spent? Quite frankly, I find their cavalier attitude about spending taxpayer dollars pretty offensive.
@Paul – sounds a lot like Harkins who feathered his nest using his political position and influence. I would really like to see an investigation but it would have to be an outside entity because our local elected officials are all in bed together.
Iam ready to retire soon there Mr Jim the snitch I will be collecting my check my health care and my social security, and that’s right the same plan I have now 100 percent paid. Keep paying those taxes helps my pay check and my retirmeant happy trails Jim the snitch lol see ya at wawa next week I took the rest of the week off paid hard week with snow removal that’s right I will still be being paid off bye buddy .
Enjoy your retirement James Cook. No one will miss you and in a few years you will be dead and no one will remember you. A life of doing nothing and being a nobody will do that to you.
James Cook deserves the fruits of his government position. If we only expropriated the extra-wealth of the rich and idle classes you too Jim in Hickory could have what Mr. Cook enjoys.
And yes of course Cook benefits extraordinarily from goodness of taxpayers, but is it his fault that we don’t tax enough?
Mr. Burbey,
Can you provide any data that shows the average student / teacher ratio among various grade levels over the last 5/10 years? How does that correlate with average cost per student in that same time frame?
The problem with the average teacher to students ratio data is that it incorporates strategically small class for special ed, niche classes and other special classes that are inordinately small. Most elementary classes have near 30 kids. Many middle and high classes have over 30 kids. It will get worse if funding does not improve. Hundreds of teaching positions have been cut over the past couple of years.
Mr Burbey,
How many special ed students are in those “strategically small classes?” Inclusion has been shoe-horning every possible kid with an IEP into conventional classrooms, so aren’t the only remaining special ed-only classes at John Archer?
There are cooperative collaborative classes at every secondary school. Additionally, there are intervention classes, required by NCLB, classes for the profoundly disabled, etc. Your perspective on the situation is not guided by fact. While inclusion has allowed many children who would once be in a self-contained environment to enter the regular classroom, inclusion is based on each child’s least restrictive environment. Many children require, and have IEPs which mandate small classes. Additionally, it is not just special ed classes that are small. Some elective classes are also small do to the number of students capable and interested. In fact, in some schools multiple classes are taught in the same room at the same time due to lack of resources, staff or interested students. HCPS is dramatically underfunded, understaffed and lacks many programs which should be in place to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population.
Mr Burbey:
“Some elective classes are also small do to the number of students capable and interested. In fact, in some schools multiple classes are taught in the same room at the same time due to lack of resources, staff or interested students. HCPS is dramatically underfunded, understaffed and lacks many programs which should be in place to meet the needs of an increasingly diverse population.”
You’re saying in some schools, and multiple classes. That implies at least two schools are teaching three classes in a single room at least once per day (well, A or B day), right? Care to say which classes those are? Are you counting independent study students, or only situations with multiple students studying each subject?
“Diverse population”? Every student should be treated, respected and educated equally regardless of their color, origin or other attribute. HCPS should not offer “diverse” classes or programs in order to ensure all students are treated fairly.
I would say if HCPS is offering niche classes without enough student interest to mandate the class have a private room, it is time to eliminate some classes from the catalog.
Kharn,
This is where you are again misguided. Every student is guaranteed equal access. This mess that education must me individualized to student needs.
No. Schools are teaching multiple class in the same, room on the same day, at the same time. There are a variety of higher level and elective classes which this is the case.
Limiting classes limits opportunities for students.
HCPS should be funded at a level which allows it to maximize programing and opportunities for students. Likewise, HCPS is rehire by MSDE to provide “career pathways”. To accomplish this a diverse variety of classes are necessary.
A friend of mine teaches at Joppatowne HS and I know for a fact that the art department there has taught multiple classes at the same time in the same room for years. If the teachers didn’t agree to do that, the classes with only 9-10 students would be dropped, eliminating them from the schedule and wreaking havoc with the students in the career pathway for visual arts . Over time that would erode the department so they teach 2 and on occasion, 3 classes in the same room under the premise that these ‘upper level’ students can work independently while they are teaching the other group and it’s not a big deal to add additional preps to a teacher. Sometimes the offer is to teach that ‘small’ class in lieu of their negotiated planning period to ‘save’ it. They don’t get any additional pay or consideration for the extra work load, it’s Just a case of abusing the teachers who don’t want it to affect their students in a negative way.
Trying hard not to give up:
If there are an insufficient number of students to maintain the visual arts pathway without extraordinary measures at JHS, maybe the students in that pathway should be consolidated at EHS?
“Sometimes the offer is to teach that ‘small’ class in lieu of their negotiated planning period to ‘save’ it. They don’t get any additional pay or consideration for the extra work load, it’s Just a case of abusing the teachers who don’t want it to affect their students in a negative way.”
Are the teachers volunteering to give up their planning period, or are they being ordered to do so by the administration?
I agree, the inclusion of Special Ed. teachers muddies the waters; especially when you try to compare it other counties, each of whom have their own algorithms. Either way, there has to be a baseline number that uses a formula that does not vary among schools in Harford County.
I agree, it will get worse if the number of teachers does not increase at the same rate as the number of students. Has that been the case over the last 10 years? If so, what are the numbers? Are they available?
Yes, class sizes have increase over the past ten years. Getting at the numbers requires class by class accounting. To my knowledge there are no school average numbers which do not include special ed #’s.
Parents need to ask how many students are in their child’s class. I have not found a school in Harford County where the majority of classes are not over 25 students.
Everyone, if not most people on this site would agree that the lower the student / ratio is in a class, the higher the quality of education. I’m willing to bet that you are right – student / teacher ratio has increased in the last 10 years. All politics aside, THIS is the issue.
Any parent that has a student in Harford County Public schools should not accept a student / teacher ratio in their child’s class that is unreasonably high. Especially in an A.P. class.
The problem is, no one has defined what number is reasonable; and that number will continue to rise.
Why should an AP class size be restricted?
The AP students will quickly find themselves in much larger classes in college, introducing them to large, difficult classes in high school, where the onus to succeed is on the student rather than the teacher, should help them make that transition.
Not necessarily. I’m a freshman at UMD and in the fall semester all my classes were approximately 25 students each. While yes, that is “the average” in HCPS schools, comparing college and AP classes isn’t a necessarily fair comparison. While In theory the work should be the same both in high school and college, from experience I can say it isn’t. AP and college classes are often structured very differently.
I have a relative that just graduated from College Park, his 100-level general courses (calc, psych, etc) were 200+ students. The discussion sections with the TAs were much smaller, but the professors taught all the sections together in one lecture hall.
The reason colleges can have large lecture halls is because all the NCLB, common core, SLO, blah, blah, blah, requirements and standardized testing have not made it mandates felt at that level. If a Harford County teacher did nothing but lecture and didn’t provide differentiated learning, hands on learning, meet IEP specifications for special ed students, baseline testing and final testing to prove student growth, collect tons of data to take to their evaluation meeting as ‘evidence’ and …… (you get the idea)…would be out the door.
All of the mandates and curriculum put the focus on student learning on the teacher NOT THE STUDENT!
On class sizes, just to share my personal experience, I started teaching first grade 9 years ago with only 15 kids in my class, none of whom had an IEP. My second year I had 16 students in my general education class. Every year since then, the numbers have increased. 1st grade classes at my school now have 27 kids per class. I hear it’s worse at some schools. This year I teach a class of 24 students. Of those 24, 6 do NOT have an IEP of some sort. There are classes in my school that have close to 40 kids. This was unheard o in our elementary schools when I started teaching. I love my job and the kids I serve, and I try my very best to give them all that I can, but the kids could get so much more if we had smaller class sizes. I’d love a raise (who wouldn’t?) but I’d love that 16:1 ratio even more!
Mr. Burbey, is there any way that you and your union can negotiate to lock in some sort of class-size ceiling? Not to say that the issues of raises and broken contracts are ‘red herrings,’ but I think the union may have lost support of the community by arguing about pay during a recession. I think everyone can agree that the issue of class-sizes. Isn’t this why many Graduate Schools ‘cap’ their classes at 12 to 15?
More students means less individualized attention and more grading. Perhaps teachers could
counter this with less assignments?
Is there a minimum amount of grades a teacher can assign?
‘A Teacher:’ It is a shame that you have to chose between a raise and a manageable class-size, but based on your choice, it seems you are a teacher who cares. Hopefully, you won’t soon, out of necessity, be forced to choose otherwise.
Kharn: Students who have elected to take on the challenge of an A.P. class should do so in an environment that is more conducive to learning than a ‘regular’ class. Wouldn’t you agree that if there is any type of class that should be shielded from unreasonable class-size increases it should be an A.P. class?
Ed:
No, I do not agree.
If a student can’t handle an AP class in a room of 40 students, they’re not ready for college and should not be in the class.
Kharn: Why must a 15 or 16 year old student taking AP World History in 10th grade necessarily already be ready for college?
If they’re in an AP class, they’re attempting to earn college credit.
I would argue that AP classes should be reserved for upperclassmen, underclassmen should require a glowing personal recommendation from the prior year teacher and consent of the AP teacher after meeting the student.
Kharn: Like I stated above, in my experience AP and college classes are two totally different things. This statement comes from my own experience and from the following source:
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/april/advanced-placement-courses-032213.html
Additionally, I think it is fair to note that a number of colleges are reducing (or outright eliminating) the amount of credit that they give out for AP’s, citing how subjective they can be in terms of the amount of knowledge and experience gained.
Thus I think it is unfair to judge a 40-person AP class with a 40-person (or even 400-person) college class.
No. Class size is not a legal subject of bargaining. Grading is guided by a teacher’ professional responsibility.
*I think everyone can agree on the issue of class-sizes.
*A Teacher:’ It is a shame that you have to choose between a raise and a manageable class-size, but based on your choice, it seems you are a teacher who cares
I should have proof-read this BEFORE hitting ‘Post-Comment.’ haha
khorn: How do you know if a kid can ‘handle’ an AP class? Are there entrance exams like Honors classes? If not, are they then being supported or dissuaded by guidance to drop the class if they feel that they can not handle it? Are you suggesting that only students in AP classes are ready for college? If a student can’t handle an AP class in a class size of 40, then they’re not ‘ready’ for college; what about 41? 42? 50? Are you then saying teachers should also be able to ‘handle’ an AP class of 40 or more, thus directly impacting the student’s ability to also ‘handle’ the class?
Your comparison of undergraduate level classes and high school A.P. classes is flawed. For one, high school A.P. teachers would be raked over the coals if they were observed teaching like a college professor; i.e. a class size of 40 or more renders group work and student collaboration impossible, thus impacting a teacher’s observation.
Mr. Burbey: Out of curiosity, not criticism: if class-sizes is the major inhibitor of student achievement, why is it not then a ‘legal’ issue? Can it be?
Class size should be a topic of bargaining. However, the law currently does not permit it.
There are guidelines for student/teacher ratios in science and technical classrooms for safety reasons. They are set by osha and sometimes strengthened by msde or hcps. However, those regulations are rarely followed in science classrooms. If an accident ever happened and was investigated, hcps would likely be at fault in nearly every science classroom in the county. All other classrooms are only required to meet regulations set by the state firemarshall. Even if class sizes were capped and hired more teachers to teach the extra sections, there are unlikely enough classrooms in existing schools to house those extra sections.
Science Teacher: That is an interesting, yet sad consideration. It would truly be telling if a tragedy would consequently become the catalyst for legal standards regarding class sizes.
While it is true that there are many schools in Harco that would not be able to house additional sections, there are some that can. I’m sure there is at least ONE vacant classroom at any given time in some of the larger schools like C.M.W., Bel Air and Edgewood.
Not to call those schools out, I’m just curious as to how some schools and specifically administrators are dealing with this issue and whether or not their strategies are effective.
Mr. Burbey: What would you consider to be a reasonable number of subjectively-graded assignments (essays, not scantrons) in a given High School marking period? County exams, mid-terms and finals excluded.
If this were to happen, how many want to bet that the teacher would ultimately bear the blame, and not the county for putting them into this situation?
It is a sad situation, when you think about it – there are a lot of high school science classes in this county already pushing over 30 students in a class, when the recommended size is no more than 28:
http://mdk12.org/instruction/curriculum/science/safety/equipment.html
So what is a science teacher to do?
Maybe the school could bring in a substitute teacher or other assistant to decrease the student to teacher ratio during chemistry lab days? The teacher could also pre-position supplies and necessary equipment inside the hoods prior to class, so that students would not have to transport them, reserving student movement only for the reductant (for example).
The number of assignments and assessments really depends class to class and teacher to teacher.
The intent of this article was to point out the hypocrisy of the Craig administration who professes to reduce spending and down size, but practices expansion and special interests spending. While addressing school budgeting shortfalls is a very important issue, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that Mr. Craig does not practice what he preaches. One either reins in spending or one doesn’t. It would appear that Mr. Craig doesn’t not since the county has adequate funding for real estate purchases in Havre de Grace. Hopefully he wouldn’t justify the purchase under the pretense that the county had a random surplus again. Remember the surplus that supplied county employees with a bonus (accept teachers). If this in the case, the real estate purchase, is a byproduct of a surplus than Mr. Craig doesn’t deserve the office he runs because a gross miscalculation of funds once is poor management, but twice is incompetence. If this is the case, he should not be considering a run for Governor. Period.
Don’t forget that the teachers’ bonus was cancelled due to HCEA’s attempts to have it considered a permanent salary increase and not a one-time event.
NO. The teachers got the same puny half bonus that all the rest of the county employees got. The second half of the bonus was canceled by the County Council.
The end if the world must be coming. Kharn, cdev, and moneytree are finally acknowledging that Burbey has a point and Craig was bit misleading. Wow. This is a historic day.
I’ve never been a big fan of Mr Craig, I’m definitely not putting any time or money towards his quest for higher office. And while I agree with Mr Burbey that Mr Craig has not lived up to his small government position, that does not mean I agree with Mr Burbey’s conclusion that Mr Craig should throw the entire county into debt via the bond market to pay teachers additional money. Small failures at maintaining a political position does not require invalidating that position and switching to the opposite approach.
I didn’t say, “Mr Craig should throw the entire county into debt via the bond market to pay teachers additional money.” What I said and have said repeatedly is that we should honor our employees’ contracts, including the county workers and sheriffs. If a project is not worth financing, we should not do it when we “can’t pay our employees”. Quite frankly, I think far too many projects have been undertaken.
Not sure about employees of the Sheriff’s Office, but county employees don’t sign contracts.
It is my understanding that the county employees and sheriffs have a negotiated agreement (contract) which applies to all individuals within their bargaining unit.
Khan, I understand where you are coming from. You support small government, and want spending cut, but educating children is costly. You want waste reduced and money turned back to the citizens when and/if possible. Sadly, this will probably never happen. And while I agree that spending should be reduced when possible, I don’t think it’s fair to penalize public servants who have no overtime potential. According to the data put forth, teachers who were hired in 2008 are only making $42000. I’m not sure how teacher survive on that income, especially when they are paying student loans. Things have changed and cost have increased more rapidly than income.
Hypocrisy that blatant needs to be called out for what it is. Fiscal restraint requires careful and necessary use of taxpayers money. Craig’s filthy enrichment of his friends in multiple instances, not just the filthy chemical park deal is impossible to square against raises for employees. Perhaps all the schools could relabel themselves farms, and your principals developers – heck he’d be throwing money at them.
What? What?