The K-12 Math workgroup is continuing its work. The timeline calls for continued meetings through the spring with preliminary recommendations to be issued in December and a preliminary comprehensive plan by the end of March. A part of this plan will be an ideal state for the math program involving curriculum, assessment, instructional practices, teacher preparation and development, and acceleration practices. These topics are the work of sub-groups. The sub-groups are conducting research involving academic articles, policy documents and the practices of school systems around the nation and the world. Three guest speakers have addressed the group- Dr. Skip Fennell from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Mr. Steven Leinwand of the American Institutes for Research, and Dr. James Hiebert from the Univeristy of Delaware. MCEA members sit on each of the sub-groups. The workgroup will continue to gather data from staff, students, and the community. You can access more info at www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/math/workgroup.
What are your ideas to improve math in MCPS? Please post a comment below.
Doug Prouty, MCEA President
Monday, September 28, 2009
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Update on Class Sizes
Earlier today, MCEA's President, Doug Prouty, and I met with the Chief Operating Officer, the Deputy Superintendent, and the leadership of the two other unions. (This meeting - the "Associations/Deputy/Chief Operating Officer Committee", or ADC, occurs every two weeks). One of the primary topics today was our ongoing monitoring of class sizes. Key data from the most recent reports are:
* The average elementary school class size is currently 20.8
* There has been an increase in the number of elementary combination classes
* the number of oversized middle school and high school classes is about identical to where we were this time last year (still too many - but due to improved scheduling, there has not been an increase in the number of oversized classes, even though more than 1,000 additional students have enrolled in MCPS than anticipated in the budget)
* MCEA has beealso been inquiring about oversized classes in Pre-K, where in recent years late enrollments during the school year have driven a number of classes above the recommended guidelines. The good news is that MCPS is now planning for the addition of three more Pre-K classes to accomodate students still enrolling, rather than driving existing class sizes up over the recommended maximums.
MCEA and MCPS continue to work on individual situations where there are significantly oversized classes to see what accomodations can be made.
Tom Israel, MCEA Executive Director.
* The average elementary school class size is currently 20.8
* There has been an increase in the number of elementary combination classes
* the number of oversized middle school and high school classes is about identical to where we were this time last year (still too many - but due to improved scheduling, there has not been an increase in the number of oversized classes, even though more than 1,000 additional students have enrolled in MCPS than anticipated in the budget)
* MCEA has beealso been inquiring about oversized classes in Pre-K, where in recent years late enrollments during the school year have driven a number of classes above the recommended guidelines. The good news is that MCPS is now planning for the addition of three more Pre-K classes to accomodate students still enrolling, rather than driving existing class sizes up over the recommended maximums.
MCEA and MCPS continue to work on individual situations where there are significantly oversized classes to see what accomodations can be made.
Tom Israel, MCEA Executive Director.
Monday, September 21, 2009
How the Health Insurance Crisis Impacts MCEA Members
For those who didn't see it, there was a well written article in Sunday's Washington Post entitled "You Have No Idea What Health Costs: If You Did, You Might Just Want Real Reform". The article did a good job of explaining the disconnect between what consumers pay and what health care actually costs. To read the article, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/19/AR2009091900112.html.
This issue has real and immediate meaning for MCEA members. This year, the cost of health insurance for MCPS employees increased by more than $20 million. Next year (2010-2011), those costs are projected to increase by an additional $20 million.
Almost all of the MCPS insurance plans are 'self-insured' - that means the insurance company just gets a flat administrative fee per plan participant. The increased costs are due strictly to the increasing volume and costs of health care services provided to MCPS employees.
As the Post article reports, nationally over the past decade health insurance premiums have increased by 138%, and the cost of the average family plan is projected to rise to more than $30,000 by 2019.
Even folks like us - who have health insurance through our employer - face a health insurance system that is unsustainable. Health care reform that meaningfully controls the escalating cost of health care, is in all our interests.
Tom Israel, MCEA Executive Director.
This issue has real and immediate meaning for MCEA members. This year, the cost of health insurance for MCPS employees increased by more than $20 million. Next year (2010-2011), those costs are projected to increase by an additional $20 million.
Almost all of the MCPS insurance plans are 'self-insured' - that means the insurance company just gets a flat administrative fee per plan participant. The increased costs are due strictly to the increasing volume and costs of health care services provided to MCPS employees.
As the Post article reports, nationally over the past decade health insurance premiums have increased by 138%, and the cost of the average family plan is projected to rise to more than $30,000 by 2019.
Even folks like us - who have health insurance through our employer - face a health insurance system that is unsustainable. Health care reform that meaningfully controls the escalating cost of health care, is in all our interests.
Tom Israel, MCEA Executive Director.
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Benefits Updates
Yesterday MCEA representatives participated in the bimonthly meeting of the Joint Employee Benefits Committee (JEBC). The Committee meets every two months to oversee implementation of MCPS benefit plans. Key updates included:
* HEALTH PLAN OPEN ENROLLMENT SEASON - is coming, October 26 - November 13. This is the time when you can switch between health plans, or change your coverage, to be effective January 1st. Because our health benefits are guaranteed by our contract, there are no changes in benefits. There will be three Health Information Fairs: 10/27 at Blake HS, 11/3 at CESC, and 11/10 at Clarksburg HS - all from 3 - 5pm.
* FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS - Members will also be able to enroll in the medical and child care FSA plans for 2010. Our contract continues to provide a $100 match for the first $100 you set aside in a medical FSA. Usage of the new FSA debit card continues to increase, making use of the accounts even easier. 90% of FSA debit card transactions are now verified automatically, reducing the need to keep receipts. Watch for more information. FSA accounts are an easy way to save real money on your health care and child care expenses.
* DEPENDENT ELIGIBILITY AUDIT - Last year, MCPS required all health plan participants to verify eligibility of their dependents. While the paperwork was a hassle, the result was that 970 ineligible dependents were withdrawn or dropped from the plan, saving the Benefit Trust Fund an estimate $4.85 million. (The cost of the audit was about $300,000). That savings means that the premiums for health insurance for next year will not increase as fast as they would have otherwise.
Tom Israel, MCEA Executive Director
* HEALTH PLAN OPEN ENROLLMENT SEASON - is coming, October 26 - November 13. This is the time when you can switch between health plans, or change your coverage, to be effective January 1st. Because our health benefits are guaranteed by our contract, there are no changes in benefits. There will be three Health Information Fairs: 10/27 at Blake HS, 11/3 at CESC, and 11/10 at Clarksburg HS - all from 3 - 5pm.
* FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS - Members will also be able to enroll in the medical and child care FSA plans for 2010. Our contract continues to provide a $100 match for the first $100 you set aside in a medical FSA. Usage of the new FSA debit card continues to increase, making use of the accounts even easier. 90% of FSA debit card transactions are now verified automatically, reducing the need to keep receipts. Watch for more information. FSA accounts are an easy way to save real money on your health care and child care expenses.
* DEPENDENT ELIGIBILITY AUDIT - Last year, MCPS required all health plan participants to verify eligibility of their dependents. While the paperwork was a hassle, the result was that 970 ineligible dependents were withdrawn or dropped from the plan, saving the Benefit Trust Fund an estimate $4.85 million. (The cost of the audit was about $300,000). That savings means that the premiums for health insurance for next year will not increase as fast as they would have otherwise.
Tom Israel, MCEA Executive Director
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