Staff Report

DRAFT

May 4, 2010

Ms. Nancy S. Grasmick, State Superintendent of Schools
Maryland Department of Education
200 West Baltimore Street
Baltimore, MD 21201

Dear Ms. Grasmick:

Over the past year, the Prince George’s County Public Schools have embarked on a series of boundary changes to balance enrollments at County schools. A key factor in those discussions and decisions has been the State Rated Capacity (SRC) of each school, which has allowed us to track from year to year the percent utilization for each of the schools within Bowie.

Recent concerns expressed by parents at Whitehall Elementary School, who will be affected by a boundary change in the fall, have raised questions about how and when the State makes these calculations. To help us better understand this process, we would appreciate your providing us with information about how SRCs are calculated for each school. Specifically, we would be interested in receiving answers to the following questions:

What factors go into calculation of the SRC? (Is there a specific formula?)
How often is the SRC updated?
Is the SRC of all schools in a particular area, cluster, region or school system updated at the same time so that comparisons are valid?
If a school changes how a particular space is used from year to year, is the SRC recalculated every time the change in use is made?
Are there different standards for different grades and for special programs within comprehensive schools (i.e. ESL or autism classes)?
Are modular units and temporary classrooms included in the calculations?
What are the current SRCs for the attached list of schools and when were they last updated?
Is the frequency of updating the SRC consistent across the State?
When non-classroom space is being used for teaching (i.e. a library being used to house a regular class) is that considered in calculating the SRC and reflected in the final numbers?
If decisions about State funding for new schools are being made in part on the basis of the SRC of existing local schools, is there any validation that the SRC is current and accurate before such decisions are made?
Is the SRC formula being calculated and applied in the same way across the entire State?

We have always viewed the SRC as a quantitative way of comparing how crowded schools are in Bowie. The concerns raised by some of our constituents have called that into question. We are hopeful that your explanations will clear up the confusion and assure us that the standards are being applied consistently within Bowie, the County and the State, especially in light of the fact that SRCs are being used to make adjustments in school boundaries.

Sincerely,

Bowie City Council
G. Frederick Robinson
Mayor

Attachment

cc:
Senator Douglas Peters
Delegate James Hubbard
Delegate Gerron Levi
Delegate Marvin Holmes
County Council Member Ingrid Turner
County Council Member Samuel Dean

Attachment

The City of Bowie respectfully requests the current State Rated Capacity (SRC) and the date the SRC was updated for the following list of schools in the Bowie area:

Heather Hills Elementary
Highbridge Elementary
Kenilworth Elementary
Northview Elementary
Pointer Ridge Elementary
Rockledge Elementary
Tulip Grove Elementary
Whitehall Elementary
Woodmore Elementary
Yorktown Elementary

Benjamin Tasker Middle
Samuel Ogle Middle

Bowie High
Tall Oaks Vocational High

Chapel Forge Early Childhood Center
C. Elizabeth Rieg Regional School