THE HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION MSEA NEA

2107 LAUREL BUSH RD SUITE 201

BEL AIR, MARYLAND 21015 TELEPHONE: 410-838-0800 FAX: 410-638-9045 www.harfordcea.org

October 28, 2015

Ms. Barbara Canavan

Superintendent of Schools
Harford County Public Schools
102 S. Hickory Ave
Bel Air, MD 21014

Dear Ms. Canavan,

In my capacity as the HCEA president, I am required to serve as chief spokesman of the Association. As
such, it is my responsibility to communicate the will of our members, the HCEA Representative
Assembly and the HCEA Board of Directors. On Thursday, October 22, 2015, the HCEA Representative
Assembly voted unanimously to present a specific list of budgetary recommendations to you for your
consideration as you develop the superintendents proposed budget. The recommendations are as follows:
Eliminate Instructional Facilitator Position
With few exceptions teachers see instructional facilitators as purely evaluative positions. Currently,
HCPS expends $1.34 million on instructional facilitators. These funds could be better utilized to support
strategic professional development opportunities and to compensate teachers for steps lost during the
salary freeze.
Set System-Wide Enrollment and Staffing Metrics
Currently there exists no discernable staffing metric to determine the number of assistant principals or
other staff dedicated to each building. The ratios of students to administrators, as well as the ratios of
students to staff are inconsistent and inequitable. Consistent staffing ratios for administration and
instructional staff throughout Harford County schools would ensure that all buildings receive an equitable
distribution of staff.
Implement Depot Busing for Harford Technical High School
For several years, students at every magnet school with the exception of Harford Technical High School
have utilized depot stops for transportation. It seems only logical for students at Harford Technical High
School to utilize the same bussing. This would ensure that depot busses maximize potential savings.
Reduce or Eliminate Funding for Conference Attendance
HCPS should reduce or eliminate funding for employees to attend conferences. While these may be
valuable opportunities, these funds could be better used to support strategic professional development
opportunities and to compensate teachers for steps lost during the salary freeze.
Reduce Central Office Administrative Staff
Currently, 155 administrative and non-classified staff are assigned to central office for a total cost of
$14.399 million. While we applaud efforts to consolidate and eliminate unnecessary positions, more cuts
are needed.
Re-Examine School Allocations
Currently, principals receive categorized per pupil allocations to support programming at their schools. It
is unclear whether these allocations are justified by existing programing. One example of this is the
allocation for gifted and talented services in secondary schools.
Ryan Burbey, President
Jamie Sapia, MSEA UniServ Director
Larry Ginsburg, MSEA UniServ Director

Kathleen Mader, Vice President

Thomas Fare, Secretary/Treasurer

THE HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION MSEA NEA

2107 LAUREL BUSH RD SUITE 201
BEL AIR, MARYLAND 21015 TELEPHONE: 410-838-0800 FAX: 410-638-9045 www.harfordcea.org

Re-Examine Sports Programs

While we agree that sports are a relevant and important aspect of providing a quality public school
education, it is unclear if the current athletics programs support community interest or are cost-effective.
Re-examining the interest levels, coaching positions allocated and operational costs of each program at
each high school would allow HCPS to ensure that funds are spent efficiently on programs which hold the
greatest interest to school communities and Harford County as a whole.
Limit Travel Distance for Interscholastic Athletics and Extracurricular Activities
Longer travel distances substantially increase costs. While these activities are an important part of public
school education, more efficiency must be employed in scheduling.
Address Excess Capacity Issues
According to the November 17, 2014 enrollment report HCPS had 6,500 empty within schools across the
county. If projections hold true, this number will balloon to 7,600 empty seats by 2021. This excess
capacity issue must be addressed. HCPS must create a sustainable means of addressing capacity issues
within schools and across the county.
Establish System-Wide Minimal Program
Currently there is no systemic approach to programing. Some elementary schools are departmentalized,
while others are not. Some middle schools have foreign languages, while some do not. In order to provide
equitable educational opportunities for all students there must be a systemic approach to programing.
Consolidate Middle School and High School Busing System-Wide
For decades North Harford Middle School and North Harford High School have utilize consolidated
busing. There is simply no defensible reasoning why this cannot be implemented in all middle and high
schools located in close proximity to one another. This would create greater efficiency in the
transportation budget by eliminating busses, which currently operate well under capacity.
Implement Transportation Opt-Out for High School Drivers
High school students who opt to drive to school and apply for a parking pass should be required to opt-out
of bus transportation. This would provide a more accurate count of children who are actually riding the
bus each day. There is no reason to reserve seats on busses for students who have no intention of using
them.
Implement and Capture System-Wide Parking Fees for High School Drivers
Currently, some high schools charge a fee for issuing parking passes to students. These fees should not
remain controlled by the schools, but rather should be recaptured and redistributed equitably within the
budget. All high schools should implement a parking fee to offset costs of maintaining of parking lots.
Consolidate Bus Routes
Currently, HCPS busses operate well below capacity. Many busses circulate nearly devoid of students.
Reduce Non-Public Special Education Placements
HCPS spends an exorbitant amount on non-public, special education placements. These funds could be
recaptured by designing and implementing programs which meet the needs of students to whom nonpublic placements are currently provided.
Eliminate PSAT Testing
While students must now pay for the cost of PSAT testing, it still occurs free of charge within the school
day. This is an unnecessary and burdensome program.
Reduce Local Standardized Testing Mandates
According to a 2014 Baltimore Sun article, HCPS requires among the most locally mandated testing in
Maryland. In addition to the instructional time lost when administering these tests, there is a financial
cost of producing, implementing and monitoring these tests, which could be recaptured if a less onerous
approach to locally mandated testing was implemented.
Ryan Burbey, President
Jamie Sapia, MSEA UniServ Director
Larry Ginsburg, MSEA UniServ Director

Kathleen Mader, Vice President

Thomas Fare, Secretary/Treasurer

THE HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION MSEA NEA

2107 LAUREL BUSH RD SUITE 201
BEL AIR, MARYLAND 21015 TELEPHONE: 410-838-0800 FAX: 410-638-9045 www.harfordcea.org

Establish and Enforce System-Wide Cost Savings Measures for Supply Usage
HCPS must implement a systemic approach to managing supply costs. Substantial savings could be
realized by simply implementing two-sided printing system-wide. Other supply costs could be reduced
through large-scale purchasing rather than school based purchasing.
Establish and Enforce System-Wide Cost Savings Measures for Recycling
Every ounce of waste that is recycled rather than placed in trash dumpsters saves the system money.
HCPS pays for trash removal, but not recycling. Currently many recyclables end up in the trash due to
carelessness and lack of monitoring.
Eliminate School Usage Funding
Currently, schools which are used more often receive additional bonus funds. Ultimately, this creates
an inequitable funding structure.
Eliminate Voluntary Summer School Programs
Summer school has not proven to be an effective remediation. Students who do not receive ESY services
mandated through IEPs should not receive free summer school.
Reduce Summer Curriculum Development Funding
Summer curriculum development often leads to select teachers receiving additional funds to develop
curriculum which may or may not be useful system-wide. The goals of summer curriculum development
could easily be accomplished within professional development days were time and resources dedicated to
a systemic approach of accomplishing these goals.
Utilize Open Source Materials When Available
HCPS currently makes significant expenditures purchasing and replacing texts which are available in
open source formats. Similarly, much of the content being taught throughout our schools is available
through open source documents.
Reduce System-Wide Consumable Usage
HCPS should not purchase or implement programing which requires the purchase of publisher created
consumables.
Partner With HCC to Consolidate Duplicative Programing
Advanced coursework, such as IT classes, which are currently available at the community college need
not be offered through public schools. Students should be encouraged to enroll in community college
classes which meet their individual needs. HCPS should partner with Harford County College to create
an efficient, efficacious, vertically aligned system of public education.
Partner with Harford County Government to Consolidate Duplicative Services
It simply makes no sense for HCPS and Harford County Government to operate duplicative departments
which perform the same function. Savings could be realized through greater cooperation. One glaring
example of this is snow removal. Last year, Harford County Government spent nearly a million dollars
on snow removal overtime. Seemingly, at least part of this could have been offset through cooperative
agreements with HCPS.
Increase and Capture Gate Charges to Defray Costs of Sports and Extracurricular
Events
HCPS should calculate the cost of staging various events and set the gate charges to offset the costs to
include staffing and energy resources. These gate charges should be recaptured from schools and
equitably redistributed through the budget.
Reduce Legal Fees by Utilizing HCPS Internal Counsel
HCPS currently employs a general counsel who receives a salary of $146,788.20. Yet, HCPS employs
outside counsel and consultants for a plethora of issues. Seemingly, these tasks should fall under the
purview and responsibilities of HCPS internal counsel.
Ryan Burbey, President
Jamie Sapia, MSEA UniServ Director
Larry Ginsburg, MSEA UniServ Director

Kathleen Mader, Vice President

Thomas Fare, Secretary/Treasurer

THE HARFORD COUNTY EDUCATION ASSOCIATION MSEA NEA

2107 LAUREL BUSH RD SUITE 201
BEL AIR, MARYLAND 21015 TELEPHONE: 410-838-0800 FAX: 410-638-9045 www.harfordcea.org

Reduce Legal Fees by Fostering Greater Cooperation with HCEA

HCPS has incurred significant legal expenses simply because administration and various administrators
refuse to make legitimate attempts to cooperate and compromise with HCEA. Many of the issues that are
creating additional legal fees arise out of failure on the part of administration to follow the Negotiated
Agreement and failure to allow HCEA appropriate access to its unit members.
Eliminate all Testing Preparation Classes, Programs and Expenditures
Currently, HCPS utilizes a variety of supplemental test preparation programs, classes and materials. One
example is SAT prep class in high schools. Testing preparation classes and programs run counter to
accepted pedagogy.
Establish System-Wide Expectations for the Number of Periods Per Day Each Teacher,
Department Chair, Specialist, etc. Must Actively Teach Students
Currently, there is no systemic approach to the assignment of minimal teaching duty, particularly in
secondary schools but also with regard to specialists within elementary schools.
Establish System-Wide Minimum Class-Size Expectations
There currently are no system-wide minimum class size parameters or expectations. This inherently
creates an unequitable and inefficient staffing model.
Monitor and Report Students Who Receive High School Attendance Waivers
Students who are released on waivers for a portion of their day in high school reduce the number of
students actually enrolled in classes at any particular time. Thus, staffing allocations can become
disproportionate. Without monitoring the number of students who are approved for waivers, it is
impossible for HCPS to properly allocate staffing.
We recognize that these recommendations denote a level of sacrifice by all stakeholders. We also
recognize that if implemented these recommendations could result in staff reductions and reductions in
services. However, we feel that in order for HCPS to create a sustainable system, significant changes
must occur.
For too long HCPS has expected its staff and teachers to absorb increased cost of doing business and
inefficient implementation of programing through stagnant wages. This failed strategy is having a
profound deleterious effect on our schools. Likewise, it threatens future funding structures as our staff
exit to other local school systems. Creating a sustainable school system is not merely defined by
honoring our salary commitments to teachers but rather by establishing the protocols, practices and
procedures necessary to ensure that HCPS can honor its commitments to all stakeholders, including
teachers, even in lean budget years. Ultimately, we believe these measures are necessary to create such
an environment.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.
Sincerely,

Ryan Burbey
President-HCEA
Ryan Burbey, President
Jamie Sapia, MSEA UniServ Director
Larry Ginsburg, MSEA UniServ Director

Kathleen Mader, Vice President

Thomas Fare, Secretary/Treasurer