NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE
MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND BRANCH
BOX 2165 ROCKVILLE, MD 20847-2165
NAACP Montgomery County Maryland Branch
Testimony provided by Byron Johns, Education Committee Chair
Board of Education Public Hearing regarding the Superintendent’s
Recommended FY2017 Operating Budget
January 14, 2016
On behalf of the NAACP Montgomery County Md. branch Education Committee, Parents’
Council, and the African American students and families that are served by MCPS, we are
appreciative of this opportunity to offer comments on the Superintendent’s Recommended
FY2017 Operating Budget to the Board of Education. Our Partnership with MCPS has been
longstanding and we believe is a unique value to our communities.
First, I would like acknowledge Mr. Bowers, his Administration and staff, and the Board of
Education, for the continued dialog on addressing the Achievement Gap. This persistent
problem can no longer be tacitly accepted as a “fringe” issue as it has been for decades in
public education. The NAACP Montgomery County branch is delighted that our county’s
Superintendent of Schools has taken a leadership position on increasing MCPS’ Strategic
Priority focus on equity and cultural proficiency, literacy and math, career readiness, and
partnerships. We also strongly concur that achieving progress against these priorities
requires a greater focus on accountability and human capital management. We have a very
talented and well compensated workforce – the BOE and MCPS Leadership must expect &
hold the organization accountable for productivity and results aligned to the strategic goals
and commensurate with our investment.
While the NAACP supports the Superintendent’s Recommended FY2017 Operating Budget
of $2.45 billion to ensure adequate per pupil funding, we simultaneously are deeply
concerned that the proposed FY 2017 budget does not demonstrates an effective alignment
to the Strategy or Priorities stated. Given that MCPS is a "majority minority" district, and
over the past 4 years, the academic achievement gap for minorities has widened at virtually
every level – from 2nd through 12th grade – it is wholly inadequate to allocate only 2% of
the $135 million increase directly towards "improving student achievement and closing the
achievement gap".
More than 98% of the requested budget increase is directed at
maintaining the status quo processes, programs, and staffing and does not reflect the urgency
of this critical issue for African-American and other minority families. Increases in MCPS
budgets must result in increased achievement for all students, including disadvantaged
students.
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE
MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND BRANCH
BOX 2165 ROCKVILLE, MD 20847-2165
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The NAACP urges MCPS/BOE to better align our education investments and resources
towards the counties Strategic Priorities. Ultimately we believe there is a need to more
tightly link spending with student achievement and closing the achievement gap. We
believe it is time for MCPS to conduct a thorough Cost-Benefit analysis of the many
programs within MCPS that have been initiated over the years. Programs that serve lower
priority interests should be reduced or eliminated and resources directed towards
"improving student achievement and closing the achievement gap". MCPS must examine
and prune those practices and programs that have not been shown to increase student
achievement.
Montgomery County must face the fact that there is a widening achievement gap for black
and brown student achievement. MCPS must acknowledge the magnitude of this
challenge for our majority minority district and “stop putting band aides on bullet
wounds”.
Thank you all for supporting our children – angels and urchins alike!