Teacher reductions in Baltimore County high schools
Some Baltimore County high school principals have been calling teachers down to the office to tell them they have been excessed as detailed in a story today. Other principals have been holding the information close to the vest, perhaps because they have not finished doing schedules that will tell them how many students have signed up for each class. But teachers in those schools tell me that the process of not knowing has been stressful.
The cuts were dished out evenly over the schools, with declining and increasing enrollments taken into account when the number of positions a school would get was calculated. In addition to the teacher cuts in a chart that accompanies the story, the county has excessed 30 of the 66 mentor teachers in schools. So many schools will see a reduction in the total staff that is greater than the teacher cuts. Schools with larger numbers of new teachers will be particularly hard it by the shifting of mentors. I have gotten a lot of different numbers from different sources. I went with what I got from the union because it had a number for each school, and Cheryl Bost said she thought the numbers were pretty accurate. The union's data seemed to be between the worst case scenerios I heard and the best case scenerios. For instance, the number of teachers who will be excessed at Dulaney ranged from 11 to 17. The union said the reductions at Dulaney would be 13.5 teachers.
Numbers of high school students will see changes in the classes being offered next year. Anyone with details about what programs will be lost at their schools can comment here.
Baltimoresun.com's 
Comments
My understanding if that principals are to have their organizational charts in to Dr. Hairston by this coming Friday, March 18. These charts will identify who is teaching how many sections of what for next year. That means that there should be no mysteries as to who is being cut.
I am also concerned that some principals, especially in the central area, may use detracking as a way of simplifying their way out of a dilemma. It is far easier to schedule 90 students into three sections of a single course (e.g. Honors English 9) than it is to schedule them into one section of one course (e.g. Honors English 9) and two sections of another (e.g. Standard English 9). What are known as "singletons" and "doubletons" are the bane of high school schedulers!
Posted by: George Nellies | March 13, 2011 11:52 PM
TABCO numbers are not always matching with what Principals are telling people. For instance, one school listed on the chart as losing 16-17.5 teachers is losing 20. Another listed as losing fewer than 10 is losing 12. Something's a bit off in terms of counting, though it's easy to see why with the craziness.
I am curious about how/why the determination was made to slash and move classroom instructors so deeply while not moving some administrative-level/Greenwood folks out of "top heavy" positions and to classrooms instead (or perhaps in addition).
Posted by: Mary | March 14, 2011 4:23 PM
I am curious as to why the TABCO list of the estimated number of high school positions being cut in Baltimore County does not include three schools: Carver Center, Sparrows Point, and Western Tech. While I have no information on either of the latter two, I do know that there have been cuts at Carver. Further, the list shows that Loch Raven High School is losing only one teacher. That is completely inaccurate. The actual number is 6.1 Loch Raven has cut one full position from each of the four major departments--English, Math, Science, and Social Studies--as well as a partial position in Music and another partial in World Languages. Additionally, the DO (work/study) program and its coordinator's position have been cut for the next school year.
Posted by: George Nellies | March 14, 2011 5:05 PM
Baltimore County has lost its way. The leadership cares little about what is in the best interest of the children we serve. Salaries are paid by taxpayers to fund American Reading Company, to pay a select group of teachers known as LDW to do the bidding of a retired employee at the behest of the one left to do the bidding of the retired employee, purchases for thousands and thousands of dollars to the friends of Joe and Barbara. All this continues while the important investments (our kids) pay the price for adult greed. I am disgusted with the superintendent. There is no end in sight until he is gone and hopefully those cruel self-serving appointments along with him. Joe and company...you should feel absolute shame!!!!! NEW SCHOOL BOARD, NEW SUPERINTENDENT NOW...get rid of the 100 Book consultant and friend of the board and spend the money properly. It is about time.
Posted by: Retiring with great sadness for the mess that is left | March 14, 2011 7:37 PM
At least the County has this level of conversation. The City continues to cut positions in schools using the principals as the knives. We'll cut at least 8 at our school.....
Posted by: City Life | March 14, 2011 9:40 PM
Can someone please fill me in on the relationship between BCPS and ARC? It seems like a good program, but who has the time for it?
Posted by: Jack | March 15, 2011 6:12 PM
Lansdowne High School cut 18.8. Morale is very low after teachers were told yesterday about being excessed - good teachers. And the majority were not anywhere near retirement age.
Posted by: BCPS teacher | March 16, 2011 6:36 PM