In Montgomery County, school officials passed up at least$12 million because they didn't agree with Maryland state officials on how teachers should be evaluated.
State and county education officials in the D.C. area have been sparring with increased intensity recently over who has the best ideas for educating students, in bureaucratic battles that have put millions of dollars at stake and, some say, compromised children's learning.
Students in Fairfax County could miss out on subjects like science and social studies to comply with Virginia's plan to increase physical education -- and it would cost the school system at least $18 million.
In Montgomery County, school officials passed up at least $12 million because they didn't agree with Maryland on how teachers should be evaluated.
Alexandria City Schools want to extend their calendar to increase students' learning and test performance, but need a waiver from the state to start school before Labor Day.
Calendar of issues Disagreements on how to run schools aren't new for the states and counties, but lately, they've been a weekly occurrence. A sampling: » Jan. 13 Maryland announces how much -- at least $12 million -- Montgomery County would have received for Race to the Top. » Jan. 25 the Maryland State Board of Education overturns Montgomery's decision to reject two charter school applications. » Feb. 1 The Virginia House of Delegates passes a bill mandating 150 minutes of K-8 physical education, following the passage of a similar bill in the Senate. » Feb. 15 The Virginia Senate votes 38-2 to approve the House's physical education bill, now ready for the governor. » March 2 Inspired by the events of Jan. 25, Maryland lawmakers hold a hearing on creating guidelines for counties to review charter school applications.
When it comes to educating your children, who knows best: the county, or the state?
Fairfax school officials say it would cost $18 million to $24 million in staffing alone to add 150 minutes per week of PE to its K-8 curriculum, as mandated by a state bill to combat obesity that passed in both chambers and awaits Gov. Bob McDonnell's approval.
"School divisions can either incur a very large unfunded local expense to hire new physical education teachers or extend the school day to preserve currently available instructional time or they can reduce instructional time that is currently dedicated to core academic subjects," said Fairfax County School Board Chairwoman Kathy Smith and Superintendent Jack Dale in a letter to the governor.
Art, music, foreign language, science and social studies are on the chopping block to make room for more PE, they said.
Virginia also forbids local districts from starting classes before Labor Day -- something many Northern Virginia school systems say they are interested in to increase classroom time.
While Alexandria is applying for a waiver, Arlington spokesman Frank Bellavia said Arlington gave up on applying for waivers from the state after being shut down multiple times, and now lobbies to change the state law.
But the tension isn't limited to one side of the Potomac.
Montgomery County declined at least $12 million in federal funds because it was tied to implementing Maryland's teacher evaluation system.
"At the local level, we have the best picture of what our kids need, and one of the challenges we constantly have is to not have the state make determinations on what is best for our children," said Montgomery school board President Christopher Barclay.
On Jan. 25, the Maryland State Board of Education handed down a scathing ruling against Montgomery's school board, overturning its rejection of two charter school applications. The state charged Montgomery's board with holding biases against charters, and Ashley Del Sole, a founding member of Global Garden Public Charter School Inc., said she is grateful that the state provides oversight.
"Because each county sets up their own review regulations, they can decide if they want to have a charter school in advance, and set up a review process that makes it impossible," Del Sole said.
A resident of the "red zone" -- a poorer area of the county with more at-risk students -- Del Sole said she was frustrated that the school board shuttered a charter school for students underserved by the district.
Inspired by Global Garden's experience, a Prince George's County delegate is proposing state-level criteria for reviewing charter school applications.
"I'm hopeful that if this bill will pass there will be a level playing field for everyone," Del Sole said.
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