So if the money made it to the schools late where was the hold-up? Did BCPSS take too long turning in Title 1qualification paperwork? Did parents take too long filling out the lunch application paperwork? Did the Federal government take too long sending out the checks? Did BCPSS take too long distributing the money? Somebody needs to know or the same thing will happen again this year.

How dare BEN put this out, BEN has done little to nothing to help our schools once they complete the training. First of all if BEN knew anything then they would know that if the schools did not spend the given funds by the end of the school year then those funds are excess. The schools are aware of this and they have chosen not to do the right thing. Title 1 funds are given to Title 1 Schools to spend on parent involvement only. It is not to be used for computers, supplies, furniture, or school trips. When the Office of Parent and Community Involvement was still active, they assisted the schools in understanding that the schools must stay in compliance with the mandates of Title 1 and NCLB. By having meetings with the administrators to make sure that they were staying in compliance with doing all that they could to keep parent involved. Unfortunately there were schools like Garrison who did little to nothing to help get parents more involved. The schools were to keep parents informed of what a SIT_school improvement team was as its purposes and for those who are still unaware-at least 2 parents are to be in attendance at all meetings, teachers, a union rep. and a community person. Parents as well as the community are the Stakeholders that are mentioned in the FCE(family community engagement) Policy, but because the policy has never been discussed at PTA/PTO meetings, back to school night or a parent involvement meeting, the parents as well as some in the community knew little to nothing about why it was important and how they could be a positive part in making our schools better. Unfortunately, this was not always the case and until lthe last 2 years the schools were not checked on fully until a full staff was hired. There were informational workshops for parents as well as resource sessions for schools and parents so that they could both understand the importance of working togather.That staff has now been reassigned to places far away and the Office of Parent Involvement is no more. I truely hope that those schools who have learned from LaVerne Sykes and the now defunct Office of Parent Involvement, School, Family and Community Connections or Parent Involvement as it had been called, will continue to thrive and remember what the Assistants who went to schools daily, who worked long nights and weekends (with no comp time) brought to their schools. It was these few who put togather the 4 Community Conversations that the CEO came and took over as his own although parent involvement was already doing it. What has become of those community conversations, what has become of the mayors answers to the session that she came to on North Avenue. As for those schools who thought that the Title 1 funds was for them to spend as they saw fit and not for the purpose that it was truely meant for--they have no one to blame but themselves. Some schools have refused and will continue to refuse to allow parents to be more involved and until the CEO takes his head out of his and Morris' a** it will continue but will be worse now that the Administrators have full reign on how the money their schools get are to be spent. MSDE and USDE are still going to come out to investigate why some of our schools did not stay in compliance with so much help that was given to them. My biggest fear is that now that Michael Sarbanes and Michael Carter are now over this new Family Connections office, there will be less and less parent involvement and more and more of the wrong community organizations coming in on the political side to "help out". Mayor Dixon too must watch out because those of us who know the truth know that Sarbanes is only on North Avenue to get as many community people in his corner so that when he runs for Mayor he will have these votes and our children and our schools will suffer. I am hoping this year that on Back to School Night , parents will stand up and ask the Principals to explain the FCE document, what a School Improvent Team is and who is on it, and if the school even has one. Question the home-school compact, parents were to be a part of it before it goes out to schools, ask to see the sign in sheet, the agenda. Ask the questions and do not let them sidestep the issue. Parents and community members ARE the STAKEHOLDERS. Back to School Night is not just about getting to know the teachers and seeing where your childs class(es) will be. Find out how you can help to be a part of parent involvement. Is there a parent room, are there resources available to parents, what can you as a parent do or who do you know that could come and speak with parents at a workshop. Its not just about having BGE come out and speak. A school can have GED classes for the parents, (Title 1 money can help with that) If there are sessions that could be beneficial to parents, Title 1 money can be used to rent a van if the place is located in Annapolis. If we do not continue to keep our parents informed we will lose them again. I congradulate those many schools who have rose above and stayed in compliance, did all they could to better their schools and I applaud the parents who refused to take no for an answer and came into the schools and asked questions. Keep it up. Help your friends whose schools may be like yours, go with them, look around. Every school, especially Title 1 schools has an "open door" policy. Though the door may not be completely opened to you, you will have to continue to push your way lightly and somewhat slowly through until you have gained the trust and support of the school. It will not be easy, but its better than doing nothing. I have written about these matters over the past months and no one listened until BEN put it out there. Why? Because Sarbanes as well as a few on the Board are also members of BEN. Again, this is a conflict of interest and should not be allowed to continue. I have not written anything that is untrue and things that I have stated are coming out everyday.

"I have not written anything that is untrue" is a bold statement!

I take issue with the idea that schools needed North Ave to tell them how to remain in compliance. Perhaps many schools failed to use all of their Title 1 money because they had become dependent on North Ave but I'm not convinced that this was a necessary role for North Ave to play. I do not think this is too large of a responsibility to place on the individual schools. If they can't handle it than that's a display of their own incompetence not the CEO's.

I would say your claim about Sarbanes' ulterior motives is much closer to opinion than it is "truth."

P.S. Calamity, why do you hate paragraphs so much?

It's pretty hard to pull anything out of this stream-of-consciousness post, but I wonder about the "wrong community organizations" that might now be involved. What does that mean?

I also don't understand if the issue was that the schools got the money too late (per the original post) or if they don't have a clue about spending it (per "Calamity").

Corey--If you are unaware of the mandates of Title 1 spending, NCLB, mandates that must be meant by schools (which is why they need help) then you are one of the many that need to come to the schools to find out everything it entails.
I don't hate paragraphs I just didn't use them. My "opinion" about Sarbanes will be shown and then I expect you will have less to say about what I know and do not know. It's good to know that you apparently read it all and these were the only things in question. Thanks

Title I money comes with a lot of strings attached (think buckets and buckets of federal regulations). Believe it or not, sometimes it really is hard to spend the money. If it's spent on the wrong thing (the whole supplant vs. supplement concept), we get in trouble with MSDE and USDE and end up having to give the money back.

Actually Title 1 money can be spent on a variety of things, not just on parent involvement as Calamity states. Many schools have funded extra para's and teachers who provide extra help of extra opportunities for students in need. Schools fund extra supplies and books for students in need.

If you want to read about title 1:

http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg1.html

I know that there are some time line issues with when the system provides information on how much money schools have, but that's no excuse for not spending the money. I remember a few years back (2 or 3, not 10) when we would get word that we had x amount to spend and 2 days to submit the requisitions. That didn't happen last year that I remember, but I don't always remember things I should:-)

Having said that, there's always a need to fill. Heck, my school will take any money, title 1, 2 or any other title, that someone has laying around.

The Title 1 office has always been helpful in figuring out how to spend the money in accordance with the buckets of strings. I don't give out compliments easily to offices within BCPSS, and this is limited to being helpful when a school has questions, but there it is. A compliment from me. For those who have followed my other posts, it doesn't happen often.

You may not know it, but we are not talking about a lot of money here. Schools may get between $500-$11,000. It all depends on the return of the student free lunch applications. It is about an even split as to the number of principals that actually share the amount of money received with parents. Most often, someone in the school is assigned the sole responsiblity of deciding what to do with this money. No conversation with parents at all, about what they would like to do with the money. There is suppose to be a meeting with parents to discuss how to spend these dollars. Yes, they are for parent activities, but some parents choose to purchase items for their room, pay for a teacher to teach GED after school, etc.

I think the point we are missing, is how this information became available to the BEN organization. They are a group that is supposedly dedicated to the training of parents in the BCPSS. But someone needs to inquire into how these trainings are presented.

You can't give parents information and tell them to go to there respective schools with other parents, approach the principal without an appointment, and demand that you sit in on a school improvement team meeting. Most of these parents don't realize the concept of the meeting, for most times student information is being discussed that should not be shared with others. You need dedicated parents that will chair a committee, work on proposals, etc., to attend these meetings monthly.

Find out from BEN what their followup is to the training of these BEN Ambassadors. Who keeps in touch with the graduates? Who comes out to schools with them? How many funders have they lost in the past 3 years because of their low parent participation numbers?

It is nice to be radical when you need to be. But, you can't always use the line "my father marched with Malcolm; I grew up in Harlem", and believe that that makes you special. You can't tell a parent that is living below the poverty line that you make $600 an hour when you go out to speak, when they may be living without electricity right now. How much of the BCPSS information is being shared with BEN by Mr. Sarbanes, who is a BEN board member? Was this information shared with BEN at their Roundtable with Dr. Alonso present? Or was this information passed on by Mr. Sarbanes and the BEN executive director in casual conversation? Is this not a conflict of interest between BEN and the BCPSS? Another of BEN's board members sits on our School Board. Is that how BEN gets all of its' privileged information?

I believe that BEN, like the BCPSS, should look at our parents as valuable individuals, and not just as numbers to fulfill the requirement of your funders. The BCPSS is already looking as our kids as just a number.

When will BEN and the BCPSS respect us parents and our kids, as the ones who cause them to get PAID? Without our children and our dedication, they would have no jobs.

Oz--Thank you so much, I was beginning to think that no one would state the facts as they are instead of as they perceive them to be due to lack of knowledge.
Thank you for giving more insight to those who are unaware of BEN, Sarbanes and others which is what I meant by the wrong community people having input in the schools. I hope that now, more Principals, parents and teachers who have done well with Parents and parent involvement in their schools will stand up and tell the truth also. As for the Ambassadors from BEN, they too may begin to speak out. Our schools need support but its not until we start putting it out there for everyone to question will it start being paid attention to.
Those who are not a part of this particular part of the system will never understand because they like the parents in some cases choose not to know.
They would prefer to believe whatever sounds good instead of the facts as they are.
Thank you also for making it clear about the buddy system that needs to be questioned with BEN and Sarbanes.
I am very emotional about how I feel about this issue and am glad that you have put maybe a little better insight into what I was trying to say. Unfortunately, I do let my anger get the best of me.
Until next time.....

Interesting Observations--Title 2 funds are used for paras not Title 1 funds. There is a difference between the two and how the funds are to be spent.
Title 1 funds are as I stated and not for school trips unless for parents, not for computers, copiers and the like unless for the benefit of the parents which is utilized in the parent room or something close to it depending on the size of the school.
Schools have a seperate budget from the Title 1 money and are to use it per the law. If it was not used at all then it goes back to Title 1, it does not carry over.
They have the entire school year to use the funds and most who care do, those who don't wont. Like it or not that 's the way it is.

So the CEO has decided to have a meeting on Wednesday at the BEN roundtable to discuss BENS most pressing concerns and suggestions? BEN is not a part of the Mayors Office, MSDE or USDE.
BEN is just trying to get more information to use that they really have no need to know.
BEN has at least 2 people on the inside giving them way too much of the wrong information.
If BEN has a right to know the things they are asking from the CEO to tell them, then the CEO should first have a meeting about the same issues with all BCPSS parents so that they can address these concerns and to get a better understanding.
Also, most Back to School Nights begin on the 17th during that same time. The CEO should have had principals discuss any issues at these meetings that he felt are for them. If he doesn't feel the parents should know then why should BEN?

Title 2 is more for professional development and title 1 funds are to support those students - through adding programs or staff or materials - who fall into the FARMS range.

Calamity, I am not sure where you are getting your information about these title funds, but a quick review of the Web sites from the DOEd would clear up some of the misinformation you have been given. You are correct in stating that computers and the like aren't good for title 1 funds, but incorrect in stating that para's cannot be paid from title 1 funds. You are also correct in stating that title 1 doesn't carry over, but the title 1 office can help any school figure out how to spend their money and they are happy to do so.

I remember a few years back (2 or 3, not 10) when we would get word that we had x amount to spend and 2 days to submit the requisitions.