ED COMMITTEE #4 October 27, 2008 Update MEMORANDUM October 23, 2008 TO: Education Committee FROM: Essie McGuire, Legislative AnalysteuQno SUBJECT: _ Update-MCPS Graduation Venues Today the Education Committee is scheduled to receive update information regarding the Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) practices for selecting graduation venues for high schools. ‘The traditional venue for graduation for MCPS high schools is the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Constitution Hall in downtown Washington, D.C. Beginning in FY08, MCPS allocated some funds to expand options for graduation venues. The original plan for FYO8 stated that high schools with graduating classes greater than 500 could choose to hold the graduation ceremony at the Comcast Center and that they would contribute $5,000 toward the cost. As MCPS implemented the plan for FY08 this spring, it encountered some difficulties with price changes for the Comcast Center being different from what was budgeted, and some confusion in and among school communities as to who was eligible and what costs might be required. Councilmembers heard many concems and complaints from constituents regarding the new practices and how decisions were being made, Asa result, MCPS reviewed its budget and practices, and Councilmembers requested follow-up information on the status of the FY09 budget and graduation venues. MCPS provided this update information attached on circles 1-2. This information states that the FY09 budget includes $29,000 per school for the four schools with the largest graduating classes. Circle 1 outlines the process for large schools to select their graduation venue. MCPS reports that this process is underway for the class of 2009, but that graduation venues have not yet been finalized. Circle 2 details the costs of the available venues and the costs that a school may be responsible for if it does not choose to use DAR Constitution Hall.As context for today’s discussion, Council staff has compiled below all MCPS high schools in order of size of the grade 12 class. This table presents grade 12 enrollment as reported in the Schools at a Glance for the last school year, SY2007-2008. This is intended only to give a sense of the relative size of schools; the size of the grade 12 enrollment does not necessarily equate to the size of the graduating class and clearly does not reflect 2009 class sizes. SY07-08 Grade 12 Enrollment, by school Blair 695 Einstein 395 Wootton 601 Watkins Mill 391 Magruder 530 Paint Branch 386 Gaithersburg 526 Damascus 380° Sherwood 526 Seneca Valley 349 Churchill 514 Edison 320 Northwest 486 Northwood 320 W. Johnson 482 Kennedy 318 Whitman 470 Rockville 293 Blake 476 Wheaton 281 R Montgomery 448 Clarksburg 263 Quince Orchard 448 Poolesville 224 Springbrook 409 lmeguire 2008 graduation venue update 1008 doeGraduation Venues The Committee would like general update information on the policies and practices of assigning school graduation venues. Please address: the venues available for high school graduations, the class sizes that require large venues, the costs of graduation venues, the funds allocated for graduation venues, how schools are assigned a venue, and what costs if ‘any they may be responsible for. © Update information on the policies and practices of assigning school graduation venues ‘There is no Board policy on school graduation venues. On March 3, 2008, a memorandum was sent to high school principals about the June 2009 Commencement Ceremonies and the process for identifying venues and dates for the Commencement Ceremonies, Our traditional graduation venue is the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Constitution Hall on 18” Street, NW, in Washington, D.C. In addition, the FY 2009 Operating Budget includes funding to allow the four largest high schools the option of graduation at the Comcast Center at the University of Maryland. The smallest high schools are given the option of using Strathmore Arts Center as an alternative venue. + Venues available for high school graduations DAR Constitution Hall Comeast Center Strathmore Arts Center Mount St. Mary's University Showplace Arena Home School Site © Class sizes that require large venues Schools with a projected graduating class larger than 500 students may consider holding their commencement at the Comcast Center. The FY 2009 budget includes $29,000 per school for a Comcast Center graduation for the four schools with the largest graduation classes. The cost for ‘two graduations in a single day was projected to be $42,000, and the estimated contribution for each school was $13,000. The four principals with the largest graduating classes used their stakeholder feedback processes to determine whether or not to hold the commencement ceremony at the Comeast Center. Stakeholders for this process included both the parents and the students of the graduating class. Results of the stakeholder feedback were shared with the community superintendent for the school. If any of the four high schools with the largest graduation classes elected not to use the Comcast Center, this option was offered to other schools graduating classes projected above 500 in order of the size of the schools’ projected graduating classes.* Anticipated costs of graduation venues DAR Constitution Hall Seats 3,700 Estimated 2009 cost: $ 5,700 Strathmore Arts Center Seats 1,800: Estimated 2009 cost: $11,000 ‘Mount St. Mary’s University Seats 4,000 Estimated 2009 cost: $ 3,000 ‘Showplace Arena Seats 4,500 Estimated 2009 cost: $ 8,000 Comeast Center Seats 17,900 (1 ceremony per day) Estimated 2009 cost: $56,000 2 ceremonies per day) Estimated 2009 cost: $40,000 G ceremonies per day) Estimated 2009 cost: $31,000 * Funds allocated for graduation venues Montgomery County Public Schools has budgeted $246,950 for FY 2009 graduation ceremonies. © Process on how schools are assigned a venue Schools are not assigned a venue, A random selection process for commencement date and time selection is held with the high school principals and representatives from the Montgomery County Association of Administrative and Supervisory Personnel (MCAASP). Schools are provided time to confer with their graduation stakeholder group. Following this, the Office of School Performance contacts principals in the order of their random selection number to select available venues and graduation times. © Costs schools may be responsible for The following details the estimated costs that schools are responsible for when selecting a venue: DAR Constitution Hall No additional cost Strathmore Arts Center Costs > $5,700 Mount St. Mary’s University Costs > $5,700 Showplace Arena Costs > $5,700 Comcast Center Costs > $29,000 Home School Site Costs > $1,600