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METCO Merits More. The History and Status of METCO
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1 METCO Merits More The History and Status of METCO No. 74 June 2011 A Pioneer Institute White Paper in collaboration with The Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard Law School by Susan Eaton and Gina Chirichigno
2 Pioneer s Mission Pioneer Institute is an independent, non-partisan, privately funded research organization that seeks to improve the quality of life in Massachusetts through civic discourse and intellectually rigorous, datadriven public policy solutions based on free market principles, individual liberty and responsibility, and the ideal of effective, limited and accountable government. Pioneer s Centers This paper is a publication of the Center for School Reform, which seeks to increase the education options available to parents and students, drive system-wide reform, and ensure accountability in public education. The Center s work builds on Pioneer s legacy as a recognized leader in the charter public school movement, and as a champion of greater academic rigor in Massachusetts elementary and secondary schools. Current initiatives promote choice and competition, school-based management, and enhanced academic performance in public schools. The Center for Better Government seeks limited, accountable government by promoting competitive delivery of public services, elimination of unnecessary regulation, and a focus on core government functions. Current initiatives promote reform of how the state builds, manages, repairs and finances its transportation assets as well as public employee benefit reform. The Center for Economic Opportunity seeks to keep Massachusetts competitive by promoting a healthy business climate, transparent regulation, small business creation in urban areas and sound environmental and development policy. Current initiatives promote market reforms to increase the supply of affordable housing, reduce the cost of doing business, and revitalize urban areas. Pioneer Institute is a tax-exempt 501(c)3 organization funded through the donations of individuals, foundations and businesses committed to the principles Pioneer espouses. To ensure its independence, Pioneer does not accept government grants.
3 METCO Merits More The History and Status of METCO Susan Eaton Gina Chirichigno Contents Executive Summary 1 Introduction 3 The METCO Story 3 What is METCO? 4 METCO by the Numbers 8 METCO Demographics 10 METCO s Enabling Legislation: The METCO Bill 15 METCO s Track Record 16 How Do Families, Students and Alumni Assess METCO 22 METCO in the Context of Intense Regional Inequalities in Metro Boston and Springfield 24 Conclusion and Recommendations 25 About the Authors 29 Endnotes 30
4 METCO Merits More Executive Summary Massachusetts METCO program (Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity) enables about 3,300 students who live in Boston and Springfield to attend opportunity-rich suburban schools. Since the vast majority of the students in METCO are either African American or Latino and most suburban districts remain overwhelmingly white, METCO fulfills two goals: it creates a degree of racial and ethnic diversity and provides students who d otherwise attend challenged school districts the opportunity to attend schools with reputations for rigor and excellence. METCO is one of eight voluntary interdistrict school desegregation programs in the United States and the second longest-running program of its kind. This paper describes the structure and history of METCO and summarizes what is known about the academic achievement and experiences of students who participate in the program. We argue that given METCO s generally positive track record, its enduring popularity and the well-established benefits of racial and ethnic diversity in schools, educational leaders should seriously consider expanding METCO, should provide more incentives to suburban districts to participate and should conduct more rigorous, transparent analyses of the program. METCO Merits More makes the following findings: Popularity & Funding: METCO enjoys enduring popularity among urban families, suburban educators and state legislators. In the program s initial year, just seven suburban communities participated in METCO. In 2011, 37 districts are participating in METCO. In 2011, about 900 students were on the METCO waiting list for kindergarten placement for the following school year; about 600 were on the list for first grade, and 600 for second grade. Most METCO students are placed in suburban schools between kindergarten and second grade. In spite of its popularity, METCO has faced budget cuts in recent years, forcing local communities to cut back on services. In 2008, METCO s budget was $20.2 million. Three years later, in 2011, lawmakers slashed METCO s budget to $16.5 million. Achievement: Before outlining the encouraging data on METCO student performance, it is important to stress that these trends are likely the result of many factors and cannot be attributed solely to the METCO program. In order to remove the other potential influences on achievement, it would be necessary to compare METCO with a control group made up of students who are similar to METCO students but who did not participate in the program. (This study is beyond the scope of this brief). Thus, we present data only to demonstrate that METCO students are performing well in what are highly competitive academic environments, and doing so in spite of the stresses that long bus rides and early morning risings that the program requires. METCO students consistently graduate high school at far higher rates than the state average and higher than students in Boston and Springfield. In 2009, 93 percent of METCO students graduated high school on time compared with 81.5 percent of students statewide, 61 percent in Boston and 61 percent in Springfield. Test scores from 3rd, 6th and 10th grades show that on average, from 2006 to 2010, METCO students, who are overwhelmingly African American and Latino, tended to dramatically outperform their African American and Latino counterparts both in Boston and Springfield. With rare exceptions in Math in some years, METCO students, on average, also outperformed Boston and Springfield students overall on the MCAS, even after factoring in the MCAS scores of White and Asian students in those cities. Diversity & Long-Standing Inequality: More than half of METCO students come from low-income families, compared with 74 percent in Boston and 84 percent in Springfield. 1
5 Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research A higher share of METCO students are categorized as having special education needs (25 percent in 2010) than the share of students so designated in Boston (19.4 percent) and Springfield (22.8 percent). The state and the METCO officials should provide accessible data and information about the structure of the program, the student-selection process and student performance. METCO is the only program designed to redress the long-standing racial and economic segregation of the Commonwealth s public schools. As recent reports in 2009 and 2010 show, the state s schools are intensely segregated and African American and Latino families are far more likely even than low-income white families to live in low-opportunity neighborhoods characterized by unemployment, higher crime rates, fewer job opportunities, poorer transportation infrastructure, low graduation rates and inadequate school resources. As discussed in this report, racial and economic diversity are associated with a host of educational and social benefits, while racial and economic segregation tends to contribute to lower achievement and graduation rates. METCO Merits More makes the following recommendations: The state should provide adequate, reliable funding for the METCO program and state educational leaders should publicly endorse and promote the program. The state should find new ways to support school districts participating in METCO program, possibly by tying building reimbursements to participation and offering competitive grants for teacher training or innovative programs that enhance the educational experience of METCO students and help foster positive relationships between METCO students and resident students. State officials should appoint a working group or advisory committee to explore the feasibility, cost and community interest in expanding the METCO program to provide more students from other challenged urban communities access to high-performing public schools. 2
6 METCO Merits More Introduction The nation s second longest-running program of its kind, Metropolitan Council for Educational Opportunity (METCO) enables approximately 3,300 students from Boston and Springfield, the vast majority of them either African American or Latino, to attend opportunity-rich suburban schools. This research paper describes the structure and history of METCO, and summarizes what is known about academic achievement and the experiences of students who choose to take part in this program. Given METCO s generally positive track record, its enduring popularity, and the wellestablished educational benefits of racial and ethnic diversity, we urge educational leaders to seriously consider expanding the program and providing more funding to participating suburban districts. Meanwhile, we urge the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) to conduct regular analyses of METCO student performance, tracking educational attainment, attendance, graduation, and suspension rates and other outcomes, methods for student selection, and processes for maintaining the waiting list. Similarly, we urge educators in suburban districts that enroll METCO students to confront the challenges METCO students often face in overwhelmingly white suburban schools challenges that might best be resolved through careful attention to school climate. The METCO Story Nearly a half century ago, a group of African- American parents took action to remedy educational inequality in Boston, laying the groundwork for what would later become METCO. In the mid-1960s the Operation Exodus movement began with mothers and fathers organizing to transport their children from overcrowded predominantly African-American schools to under-used and better-resourced city schools. 1 Under the leadership of Exodus organizers Ruth Batson and Ellen Jackson, this grassroots movement was institutionalized. With cooperation from suburban educators, the program (operating under the name METCO ) transferred African-American students out of the city into affluent, white schools just beyond the city line. In its first official year, 1966, the Carnegie Foundation funded the program, enabling about 220 African-American children to attend suburban schools in Arlington, Braintree, Brookline, Lexington, Lincoln, Newton, and Wellesley. Soon afterward, the state began paying for METCO by providing annual grants to a growing number of participating suburban districts. Forty-four years after its start, 37 suburban communities enroll 3,300 students who live in Boston and Springfield. METCO s story of grassroots protest, interracial coalition building, peaceful voluntary desegregation and growing popularity has long been overshadowed by Boston s infamously violent busing struggle of the 1970s. METCO, born about a decade before busing, has enjoyed growing political support over the decades. Many Boston state legislators, such as Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz (D-Boston) and Representative Shirley Owens-Hicks (D-Boston), along with legislators from affluent suburban districts, such as Representative Jay Kaufman (D-Lexington) and Representative Kay Kahn (D-Newton) have been strong supporters of the program. United States Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) also supported METCO as a state legislator representing Wrentham. In 2007, United States Senator John Kerry (D-MA) called METCO a success story and national model. 2 However, with each budget cycle, the program s advocates must lobby for adequate funding and the program has suffered cutbacks in recent years, leading to reductions in services such as tutoring, staffing and late transportation. As this brief shows, the state dollars provided for METCO fall far short of actual per-pupil costs. This means that suburban METCO communities, increasingly struggling with budget concerns 3
7 Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research themselves, are underwriting a share of the costs related to the program. Curiously, METCO has been largely left out of public discourse and policy discussions related to education reform in the state. As policymakers pay positive attention to other choice-based measures such as charter schools, we argue that METCO should receive at least equal attention and adequate funding. Further, educational leaders should give serious, careful attention to expanding METCO in the future so that it might provide more families meaningful educational choices in a context of well-documented, long-standing, and vast regional inequalities. What is METCO? Goals, Participation, Admission, and Structure Goals - METCO has two distinct, but compatible goals. It is both a school-choice program and a purposeful school desegregation program. As a school-choice program, METCO provides students who live in Boston and Springfield access to smoothly functioning, often quite affluent schools that enjoy reputations for academic excellence and rigor. Meanwhile, METCO creates some degree of racial and ethnic diversity in suburban communities where otherwise there would be little to none. Participation - Why do parents and children participate in METCO? In recent decades, journalists have written perennial stories of African-American and Latino parents apparent disenchantment with mandatory busing in Boston and elsewhere. However, reporters tend to miss another revealing story: METCO is extremely popular among students and their families, even though it buses students much farther distances than typical desegregation plans. In 2011, about 900 students were on the waiting list for kindergarten placement for the following school year; approximately 600 were on the list for first grade, and 600 for second grade placement. Surveys show that urban parents tend to enroll their children in METCO so their children might receive a better education. In a 1996 study conducted by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard, 73 percent of parents surveyed cited a school s academic program(s) as the most important reason for sending their children to METCO. 3 A quarter of parents surveyed had signed up their children for METCO before their sons and daughters were a year old. 4 Why do suburban districts participate in METCO? In the suburbs, support for METCO has grown over time. In its initial year, just seven suburban districts participated in METCO. In 2011, 37 districts participated in the program, 33 located within the Boston metropolitan area and four near Springfield. Since the beginning, educational leaders in the suburbs have spoken publicly about the benefits METCO brings to their communities. The 2007 comments of Tom Scott, executive director of the Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents and a former superintendent in the METCO-participating district, Concord- Carlisle, are typical. Speaking at a meeting with state education officials, Scott said: I know that the program has been highly successful and has huge benefit not just for the kids coming into the district, but for all the kids in the district... I know that that s felt by virtually all of the superintendents... Generally, METCO enjoys the support of the educational leadership in its participating suburban communities. Occasionally, elected leaders and residents have questioned their districts participation in METCO. However, even when community members publicly reexamine their participation in METCO, as they have in Lincoln and Lynnfield, elected leaders invariably decide to continue their participation in the program. Some districts engage in community education related to METCO, sponsoring forums or information sessions for interested residents. 4
8 METCO Merits More The events in the suburban community of Lynnfield most clearly underscored the basically strong support for METCO. In 1999, the school superintendent in this nearly all-white, middleclass town complained of the poor relative academic achievement of some METCO students and threatened to end its program. The reaction was swift. Hundreds of people showed up to protest the superintendent s statements, including many white Lynnfield residents. The school committee members immediately refocused the debate on how to improve METCO students academic performance. During the controversy, a racially diverse collection of educational leaders from other suburban METCO communities spoke on television and radio broadcasts, acknowledging some of the METCO students academic difficulties while focusing on ways the program benefits both students from Boston and the otherwise isolated white students who are living in an increasingly diverse country. 6 Admission Families in Boston begin their application process by placing their children s names on the METCO waiting list. Each year, METCO officials invite several thousand families who are date eligible from that waiting list to information sessions, which are held in the fall for the upcoming school year at the METCO, Inc. office in Boston. Parents must then complete a folder with more detailed information and supply various forms of documentation in order to be referred to a district. These folders are forwarded to suburban districts where officials had projected open seats. Suburban districts then offer placements based upon available seats in the district. Students do not have a choice about which district they will attend, but they do have the choice to accept or decline a placement and remain on the waiting list. METCO officials do attempt to keep siblings in the same district. The METCO waiting list rolls over each year, so older students do remain on this list. It takes an average of five years for students on the METCO waiting list to start the admissions process and be referred to a district. However, according to METCO officials, districts prefer to enroll students in the earliest grades. Thus, a student s chance of being placed in METCO decreases considerably after the second grade. As said, about 2,100 students are currently on waiting lists for grades K through 2, according to METCO officials. (At the time of publication, it is unclear how many seats will be available in suburban districts next year, but, according to officials, the program places about students annually). 7 In Springfield, the application process is different. There, families apply to the METCO program through the Springfield Public Schools. Participants are selected through a random lottery. There are no entrance examinations or other requirements for entering METCO. Students with special education needs are permitted to enroll in the METCO program, as are students who have limited English proficiency (LEP). Since METCO is a vehicle for meeting the goals of the state s Racial Imbalance Act (RIA), which promotes racial and ethnic diversity in public schools, applicants to METCO are nearly always nonwhite. In keeping with the stated purpose of the RIA, METCO places participating students into predominantly white suburban districts. Structure The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) oversees the METCO program and ensures that participating suburban school districts get METCO funds. The DESE contracts with METCO, Inc., a non-profit corporation based in the Roxbury neighborhood, to be the Bostonbased service provider. METCO, Inc. handles registration and referral of students, and also offers academic counseling, tutorial services, summer school and other support services to participating students. In Springfield, the city s public school district administers its METCO program. Until the early 2000s, DESE employed a staff person who was responsible for monitoring and/or communicating with METCO districts and METCO, Inc. on the Department s behalf. 8 5
9 Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research Soon after the federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) went into effect, DESE eliminated this position as part of a larger restructuring effort. The central office, METCO, Inc., with a FY2011 budget of approximately $1,151,000 is located in Boston s predominantly African-American Roxbury neighborhood. (METCO, Inc. receives about 6 percent of the state s overall allocation to the program.) METCO, Inc. staff members accept applications to the program, hold regular information sessions, oversee placement and transportation, coordinate special programs such as college tours, work directly with state officials who allocate funding and counsel and advise parents and students considering the program. METCO, Inc. also coordinates tutoring services and summer academic support programs for METCO students in Boston. Each year, the METCO Parent Legislative Committee (MPLC) organizes an event at the Massachusetts Statehouse where METCO supporters, parents, and students give presentations and meet with elected leaders and other officials to talk about METCO. METCO, Inc. staff also coordinates meetings of METCO directors and superintendents in host districts. A 22-member board of directors, which includes former METCO parents, superintendents, suburbanites and alumni, oversees METCO, Inc. In 2003, the Massachusetts Commissioner of Education created the 12-member METCO Advisory Committee (MAC). The committee includes representatives from METCO Inc. and also suburban-based METCO directors, suburban superintendents, and parents of METCO students. Members are designated by METCO s various stakeholder groups, with a chair (a superintendent from one of the METCO receiving districts) appointed by the Commissioner of Education. The state created MAC in response to suburban districts concerns about the security of program funding. Unlike the state s advisory councils, MAC does not have legal status and represents an organized, but largely informal, means of increasing communication amongst METCO s major stakeholders. In the beginning, MAC met 4-5 times a year with DESE representatives to discuss funding and other aspects of METCO, including issues related to transportation, enrollment and program administration. 9 In more recent years, however, MAC has been largely inoperative (the last meeting was held in Fall 2009). Jeff Wulfson, the associate commissioner for school finance and district support, has facilitated MAC for the Department. In the suburbs, METCO directors, counselors and tutors work with METCO students and their families, maintain files and keep track of student progress. They often act as advocates for students and coordinate informational or social programs for students and families. Some directors and counselors attend parent teacher conferences. District level METCO staff members represent METCO s interests at school committee meetings and other district meetings. Most METCO directors have offices within METCO schools; others, stationed at district central offices, make frequent visits to students and teachers at the schools. Some METCO directors and coordinators belong to the METCO Directors Association (MDA), which was founded in The MDA aims to ensure that METCO offers a high quality educational and social experience for all students, by providing professional development and student/parental empowerment opportunities. The METCO Directors Association Conference, held annually, provides staff development and information for educators and community members who work with METCO students in suburban school settings. The MDA has also held conferences for high school and middle school students, to help them develop leadership skills and [enhance] the continual development of students toward responsible and informed citizenship in the urban and suburban environments in which they live and learn. 11 6
10 METCO Merits More Table 1: Student Demographics, METCO Sending & Receiving Districts (including METCO students) % White % Black % Latino % Asian % Multi- Race % Low Income # of METCO Students # of Students in District BOSTON n/a 55,371 SPRINGFIELD n/a 25,141 BROOKLINE ,472 LEXINGTON ,182 LINCOLN ,050 NEWTON ,765 BEDFORD ,429 SHARON ,426 BELMONT ,974 WESTON ,388 WAYLAND ,738 ARLINGTON ,713 CONCORD ,894 BRAINTREE ,377 WELLESLEY ,868 CONCORD CARLISLE ,245 NEEDHAM ,311 LINCOLN SUDBURY ,615 DOVER MELROSE ,767 NATICK ,734 LONGMEADOW ,102 SUDBURY ,164 HAMPDEN WILBRAHAM ,600 WESTWOOD ,100 WALPOLE ,954 SHERBORN SWAMPSCOTT ,256 FOXBOROUGH ,867 LYNNFIELD ,353 EAST LONGMEADOW ,850 READING ,392 DOVER SHERBORN ,150 MARBLEHEAD ,232 WAKEFIELD ,360 HINGHAM ,058 SOUTHWICK TOLLAND ,797 COHASSET ,496 SCITUATE ,278 7 Sources: METCO Numbers: Race Demo: SES Demo: District Size:
11 Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research METCO by the Numbers Demographics and Funding Demographics - Since 1966, tens-of-thousands of men and women from Boston and Springfield have graduated from suburban high schools through METCO. 12 During the school year, 3,336 students from those cities are enrolled in nearby suburban schools through METCO. 13 The vast majority of these students live in Boston, with just 146 from Springfield. In , 75 percent of METCO students were Black, 17 percent were Latino, 3 percent were Asian, with 5 percent classifying themselves as other, which could include biracial/multiracial students. 14 Among the 37 school districts that currently accept METCO students, enrollments range from a high of 422 METCO students in Newton to a low of eight students in Sherborn s elementary and middle schools. The town of Lincoln has the largest share of METCO students relative to its overall enrollment (9 percent). 15 Other districts where METCO students make up a relatively large share of overall enrollment include Weston (7 percent), Concord (6 percent) and Wayland (5 percent). (See Table 1 on previous page for a breakdown of METCO enrollments in each suburban district.) 16 Even with the addition of METCO students, the vast majority of the student enrollment in these suburban districts remains overwhelmingly White. Currently, 13 of the 37 METCO districts are more than 90 percent White, even with the addition of METCO students. In only two of the districts (Brookline and Lincoln) do Black and/ or Latino students make up more than 15 percent of the enrollment. 17 In several districts, METCO students make up nearly the entire Black and Latino school enrollment. 18 Tables 2 and 3: Student Demographics, METCO Sending Districts Boston Black Latino Asian White Low Income Springfield Black Latino Asian White Low Income Source: Enrollment By Race/Gender Report, Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, accessed on May 5, 2011, enrollmentbyracegender.aspx; Selected Populations Report Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, accessed on May 5, 2011, selectedpopulations.aspx Commonwealth as a whole). Tables 2 and 3 detail these demographics. In , Massachusetts public school students, on average, had student populations comprised of 13.9 percent Hispanic students, 8.1 percent Black, students and 4.9 percent Asian students. (See Figure 1) On average in , 29.5 percent of students in Massachusetts public schools came from families with low incomes. (See Figure 2) The two METCO sending districts Boston and Springfield have racial, ethnic and socioeconomic profiles that differ markedly from most of their suburban neighbors (and the 8
12 METCO Merits More Figure 1: Percentage of Black, Latino, Asian and White Students, Statewide, Boston and Springfield, Figure 2: Share of Low-Income Students Statewide, METCO, Boston, and Springfield 9
13 Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research METCO Demographics There are substantial differences in income levels and English language proficiency between the METCO population and the general student population in Springfield and Boston. Students in the urban schools are more likely to come from low-income families and to be English language learners (ELL). However, neither could METCO students be categorized as an elite group, as some detractors have charged. Income - In 2010, more than 50 percent of METCO students came from families that earned low-incomes that qualified students for free or reduced-price lunch (FRL). Also important, is that the share of low-income METCO students qualifying for FRL has increased slightly since (See Figure 2). The share of low-income students is far higher in Boston and Springfield currently 74.4 and 84.2, respectively. Parent Education - A 1997 Harvard survey found parent education levels of a sample of METCO parents to be similar to the education levels found among parents in Boston. 19 However, no current data exists with which to compare METCO parent education levels with those of public school parents in Boston and Springfield. Special Education - Meanwhile, a higher share of METCO students are categorized as having Special Education needs (25 percent in 2010) than the share of students so designated in Boston (19.4 percent in 2010) and Springfield (22.8 percent in 2010). 20 (See Figure 3) English Language Proficiency - In 2010, about 30 percent of students in Boston and 14 percent in Springfield had limited proficiency in English. Less than 3 percent of METCO students have limited English proficiency. (See Figure 4) The data offers a complex picture. Boston and Springfield educate far higher shares of students with limited English proficiency, a challenge that METCO districts do not confront in nearly the same concentrations. Meanwhile, 1 in 2 METCO students come from low-income families and 1 in 4 METCO students have special educational needs. It is crucial to acknowledge that demographic realities place enormous burdens upon urban educators. But this data also challenges the assumption that METCO students represent an elite educational group. Funding & Supporting Legislation Funding - There are three components to METCO funding. First, the state funds METCO in the form of special METCO grants allocated to suburban districts on a per-pupil basis. Two, the state also provides receiving districts a transportation reimbursement. Third, since the suburban METCO districts count METCO students in their official enrollment each year, this can increase the amount of a district s so-termed Chapter 70 aid that the state provides to cities and towns. In Fiscal Year 2011, the per pupil METCO grant is about $3,100 for each enrolled METCO student. As part of the METCO reimbursement, the state also provides each district an allocation for transportation, with specific amounts being determined on a district-by-district basis. In the past, adjustments have been made at the request of districts, and are based on the number of METCO students served by the district, the sizes and number of buses needed, and the distances traveled. (The total grant for transportation in FY 2011 is about $6 million an average of about $1,800 per METCO student). Each school district receives some funding from the state for education under the Chapter 70 Aid program. Because METCO receiving districts count METCO students as part of their official enrollment, and enrollment is one factor in determining how much Chapter 70 money a district gets, METCO students may very well bring in more state money to a district, albeit indirectly. However, whether or not METCO students increase the size of Chapter 70 allocations and by how much would depend on a range of 10
14 METCO Merits More Figure 3: Share of METCO and Urban Students with Special Educational Needs Figure 4: Share of METCO and Urban Students with Limited English Proficiency 11
15 Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research factors particular to a district. State officials use a complex multi-variable formula to determine the size of each grant. Such variables include enrollment, share of students with special needs, share of low-income students and the ability of a community to raise a state-determined adequate amount of education funding through local taxes. The sizes of these Chapter 70 allocations vary widely, depending upon these and other variables. For example, if one were to divide Chapter 70 allocations for 2010 by official enrollment, the city of Newton received about $1,200 per student and the towns of Concord and Lynnfield received $1,177. By comparison, Boston received about $3,570 in Chapter 70 aid per student and Springfield received $9,610 per student. Even with the addition of Chapter 70 aid, though, METCO-related dollars (typically $4,900 per student for a METCO grant plus transportation allocation) coming into receiving districts does not begin to match the per-pupil expenditures either in the suburbs or urban areas. To give a sense of the funding gap, in 2010, Lincoln spent $21,811 per student, Concord spent $16,438 per student, Newton spent $16,597, and Wayland spent $15,219. The per-pupil expenditure for Boston in 2010 was $16,666. Springfield spent $13,605 per student. In FY 2011, total funding for METCO was about $16.5 million, which represents a reduction from recent years. 21 (See Figure 5) In addition to the per-pupil costs, state allocations must cover the salaries of METCO directors/ coordinators in each school district. Supporting Legislation METCO is best understood as part of Massachusetts long and mixed history of efforts to address entrenched racial inequalities in educational opportunity. Massachusetts struggle with educational opportunity is part of a larger, rich history in which issues of political inclusion and national identity were debated, decided, and contested in the context of public education. 22 The complexity of this history is especially pronounced in Boston and its surrounding areas. Here in the birthplace of public education, state and local commitments to the concept of common schools collided with a conflicting discomfort with racial integration. What happened in Massachusetts shaped our nation and its education system in important ways, and thus continues to have far-reaching implications. Figure 5: METCO Funding Levels FY FY
16 METCO Merits More Despite having effectively abolished slavery in and established by law the nation s first free public school system six years later, 24 intentionally segregated schools operated in Massachusetts until 1855, with varying levels of state and local government involvement. 25 Massachusetts first segregated school was a private school created by African-American parents who were frustrated that the benefits of citizenship, in the form of public education, did not extend to their children. Opened in Boston in 1788, this school (which operated for only a short time), was created in response to a failed petition seeking legislative recognition that African-American children were equally entitled to public education. Another private school (later to be known as the Abiel Smith School) opened in 1798, educating Boston s African-American children as parents continued to petition the city for public funding. 26 Between 1810 and 1820, segregated schools began to receive public funding. 27 This period of ostensibly voluntary segregation was short lived, though the issue of integration sharply divided the African- American community. 28 Charging that Boston s African-American schools were inadequate, African-American parents began petitioning the Boston School Committee in 1844, requesting the abolition of separate schools. However, the Committee resolved that, separate schools for colored children [are] not only legal and just, but [are] best adapted to promote the education of that class of our population. 29 This was reinforced in 1849 when the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, in Roberts v. Boston, found no constitutional basis for the civil rights lawsuit that had sought to end segregation in schools. 30 There, segregated schools were found not to run afoul of an 1845 state statute prohibiting unlawful exclusion from education. 31 And so, Roberts gave rise to the separate but equal doctrine, which was adopted by the United States Supreme Court some 40 years later in Plessy v. Ferguson, the decision that defined the rights of African Americans across the nation from 1896 to State lawmakers in 1855 responded to Roberts by passing the nation s first law prohibiting segregated schools (a similar bill had been rejected in 1851, not long after Roberts was decided). The Legislature s reaction signals that attitudes about race and education in Massachusetts were not in line with the Roberts decision. The United States Supreme Court chose to ignore the Massachusetts Legislature s direct rejection of Roberts when it sanctioned segregation in Plessy. Despite the theoretical protection the 1855 law afforded, it did not always alter the way that school districts operated. About a century passed with little or no active enforcement of the 1855 law. Many schools in Massachusetts would remain more or less racially separate institutions for about a century. While racial isolation undoubtedly arises from a mix of tangled forces, some of them linked to historical discrimination, others due to economic inequalities, suburban zoning policies and personal choice, history suggests that educational leaders in Massachusetts continued to engage in acts of intentional segregation for years to come. Two legal scholars writing about desegregation in Boston in the 1970s noted that, even after the United States Supreme Court s 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education, much of this nation was unwilling to deal affirmatively with the problems of racial segregation in public education. 33 Achieving desegregation in Northern cities, they wrote, clearly would necessitate a remedy more drastic than anything attempted in the first decade after Brown. 34 This was, in part, due to the fact that the Brown decision applied to de jure segregation segregation that is enforced or supported by law. However, the demography of the North was largely considered to be the result of de facto segregation (segregation in practice or actuality as opposed to codified and/or supported by law) and thus far more difficult to prove and to remedy through the courts. In part because of the de jure/de facto distinction, racial isolation and its attendant, social inequality, remained largely intact in Massachusetts metropolitan areas. 13
17 Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research In 1965, Massachusetts took a bold step to address this longstanding and tacitly accepted educational equity and racial isolation by passing the Racial Imbalance Act (called An Act Providing for the Elimination of Racial Imbalance in the Public Schools ). Unaddressed educational inequalities in Boston were a major impetus for the law and its passage came after black parents protests about low school quality and lack of access to more successful, better-resourced schools. 35 Boston s African-American parent activists and civil rights advocates voiced their complaints about inequality and segregation to the state and asked lawmakers for relief. The resulting Racial Imbalance Act authorized the Massachusetts Board of Education to do two things: 1) fund voluntary efforts to increase racial diversity and/ or reduce racial isolation; 36 and 2) require local school districts to adopt their own integration plans. 37 The Racial Imbalance Act was the product of bi-partisan cooperation and the first state law of its kind. 38 A prior version of the law had been proposed by Governor John Volpe. Its writing was informed by a 132-page report, Because It Is Right EDUCATIONALLY, issued in 1965 by the Advisory Committee on Racial Balance in Education. As passed, the law compelled school districts to address segregation, regardless of its cause, in any school with a student body comprised of more than 50 percent students of color (referred to as non-white students ). 39 Thus, it became official Commonwealth policy to encourage all school committees to adopt as educational objectives the promotion of racial balance and the correction of existing racial imbalance in the public schools. 40 Importantly, the law also required racial balance to be an objective in all decisions involving the drawing or altering of school attendance lines, establishing of grade levels, and the selection of new school sites. 41 As part of the law, school district officials each year were required to submit statistics on student demographics for each of their schools. If any schools were out of compliance, school districts were notified in writing by the Massachusetts Board of Education, and were required to devise corrective plans. Districts maintained control over how to accomplish racial balance. The Racial Imbalance Act provided support to racially imbalanced districts (including consultation with the Board of Education, which could make recommendations to districts when proposed plans were deemed insufficient), but it also provided for judicial enforcement and allowed the Board of Education to withhold funding from districts that [did] not show progress within a reasonable amount of time. The Act also established an advisory committee on racial imbalance, which was to inform the Massachusetts Board of Education in its pursuit of racial balance. 42 As legislators and educators learned lessons about the challenges of reducing segregation, the law evolved. In fact, a considerable amount of state funding was once available to facilitate district compliance with the Racial Imbalance Act. In 1974, a near rewrite of the original law eliminated the Massachusetts Board of Education s authority to order school redistricting in place of increased financial support for districts attempting to reduce and/or eliminate racial imbalance. Grants made available through the 1974 amendments became known as Chapter 636 funding, which provided funds to school districts with approved racial balance plans. These funds were used to create parent information centers, assist in recruiting, training and supporting teachers of color and provide in-service trainings, among other things. Financial incentives also included subsidies for school building construction and improvement, as well as grants for magnet school programs. In November 2001, however, the Board of Education voted to approve the Commissioner s FY 2003 state education budget, which eliminated Chapter 636 funding (some funding for parent resource centers remained intact, but was moved under a different line item)
18 METCO Merits More Adjustments to the law made it possible for districts to receive up to 90 percent funding for building and/or expanding schools (instead of the typical school building assistance rate of 75 percent), if such construction was for the explicit purpose of reducing or eliminating racial imbalance. 44 Later, in 2004, legislators transferred oversight of school building assistance funding from the Commissioner of Education to that of the newly created Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA), an independent agency with seven official members and a 17-member advisory board. The legislation did not specifically require the authority, or the advisory board, to include within their memberships individuals familiar with issues related to integration. In addition, this law eroded financial incentives that were once given to districts seeking school building assistance in an effort to reduce racial isolation. 45 Recent amendments have added incentive points for districts for things like energy efficiency and seeking alternatives to construction, but no competitive preference is extended to applicants seeking to increase racial integration and/or reduce racial isolation. In light of the changes discussed above, METCO represents the state s main vehicle for attempting to achieve the goals of the RIA. And yet, in theory, the RIA continues to encourage educational leaders to adopt as educational objectives the promotion of racial balance and the correction of existing racial imbalance in the public schools. 46 However, the active pursuit of these ideals, as well as the financial and political support required to sustain such efforts, is limited. Segregation itself is often not legally actionable, due to the clear legal distinction between de jure and de facto segregation. Thus, lawyers, educators, and policymakers have come to rely less on desegregation as a vehicle for expanding educational opportunity, though research continues to demonstrate that there are harms associated with racial and poverty concentration. While the value of court-ordered desegregation as a mechanism for equalizing educational opportunity may be up for debate, from an education policy perspective, whether and to what extent voluntary programs that reduce racial and poverty concentration improve academic and life outcomes for historically marginalized populations remains to be an important education policy question. As state and local education leaders make decisions about which reform strategies to support and employ, there is good reason to be aware of, and consider, METCO s track record. METCO s Enabling Legislation: The METCO Bill As previously noted, METCO began operating in 1966, prior to the Commonwealth s formal endorsement of the program. The 1965 Racial Imbalance Act provided a framework for school districts to consider and ensure racial equity, but legislation enacted in 1966 created the formal mechanisms for voluntary, state-supported interdistrict integration. 47 State funding followed in Sometimes referred to as the METCO bill, this legislation allows students residing in other towns in which racial imbalance exists 48 to attend public schools in a town where they do not reside if such town has adopted, and its board approved, a plan to eliminate racial imbalance. According to the law, the state is to provide financial assistance to any town that adopts a plan for the elimination of racial imbalance in other towns, so long as it meets the state s approval. Although this legislation provides that the school committee of any town may adopt a plan, no new districts have joined the program since the mid-1970s when Melrose and Bedford signed on. In fact, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education s website states that [a] school district could join the METCO Program at any time by getting initial approval from its school committee and by contacting the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. However, given the low reimbursement and the declining 15
19 Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research funding for the program, it is unclear exactly how a school district could afford to join unless METCO funding were increased. 49 METCO s Track Record Explanation of Data Limitations, Student Achievement as Measured by the MCAS, Graduation Rates and College Attainment Summary MCAS data from 3rd, 6th and 10th grades show that on average, from 2006 to 2010, METCO students, who are overwhelmingly African American and Latino, tended to dramatically outperform their African American and Latino counterparts both in Boston and Springfield. With rare exceptions in Math in some years (discussed below), METCO students, on average, also outperformed Boston and Springfield students overall on the MCAS, even after factoring in the MCAS scores of White and Asian students in those cities. The most notable differences, though, are observed in the strikingly high graduation rates earned by METCO students. These rates far surpass not only the rates found in urban centers, but also surpass state averages recorded in each of the five years examined. While these data are encouraging signs for METCO, it is also extremely important to recognize the limitations of this data. Because of self-selection bias, the high relative performance of METCO students revealed here cannot be fairly attributed to the METCO program itself. This is because the very qualities that plausibly cause METCO students and their families to choose the program say, perseverance, foresight, planning, drive, ambition might themselves be factors contributing to higher relative academic performance. So, in order to remove those potential influences, it would be necessary to compare the performance of METCO students to a control group that is similar in important ways, but whose members did not attend METCO. This might include students who signed up for METCO but who did not get in and thus remained in their home districts of Boston or Springfield. Absent this kind of analysis, which is beyond the scope of this brief, we cannot conclude definitively that participation in METCO itself explains METCO students higher student achievement. In other words, it is plausible that METCO students would be performing at similar levels if they had remained in the Boston or Springfield schools. That said, this data does paint a clear picture of METCO students relative academic success in what are typically highly competitive college-preparatory academic environments. What s more, METCO students tend to perform well even given the host of challenges they face, including early risings and long bus rides to and from school. As discussed in this brief, METCO students, while perceiving increased opportunities in suburban schools, also are commonly challenged by cultural conflicts, stereotyping and feelings that they are not fully accepted by teachers and students in their school communities. Because of the media s and policymakers predictable focus upon short-term data outcomes, we must make it doubly clear here, that we are not arguing that METCO, alone, drives higher test scores. Similarly, we recognize that the comparably lower scores registered by students in Boston and Springfield s public schools are likely in large part due to immense challenges beyond the control of educators. Suburban educators simply do not face such challenges in concentration, which is precisely one reason why we are recommending that more students be given the chance to attend less overwhelmed public schools of the sort found not far from the city line. A regular and more thorough exploration of METCO student achievement would be immensely valuable and likely enhance the program by allowing local educators to see where students might be making progress and where they might not be reaching their full potential. This could drive a more effective allocation 16
20 METCO Merits More of resources. Moreover, even in spite of the encouraging data we present here, we do not believe it fair to judge METCO s worth or any program s worth on test scores and shorterterm quantitative data alone. Rather, we argue that it is important to preserve METCO and put energy and resources into improving it because it effectively provides thousands of students access to well-functioning, opportunity rich schools and creates racial and ethnic diversity, which is linked to numerous educational benefits for students of all racial backgrounds. Interviews with graduates of METCO, explored in this brief, demonstrate that many of METCO s benefits were manifest long after graduation and while tangible, are not easily quantifiable. METCO s worth, we argue, should thus be judged over the long term and based on multiple measures, including assessments from students who experienced the program. MCAS Reading and English Language Arts In Reading and English Language Arts, far higher shares of METCO students consistently scored in the Proficient and/or Advanced categories on the MCAS when compared with Black and Latino students in Boston and Springfield. This is true in all three grades and all consecutive five years examined. Similarly, METCO students outperform Boston and Springfield students overall in these subjects in all five years. Importantly, the small gap between METCO student performance and state overall performance is largest in third grade (5 percentage points in 2010) but consistently narrows or else disappears entirely and in one year even reverses by 6th and 10th grades, with METCO students scoring above the state average. (See Figures 6-8). MCAS Math In Math, the share of METCO students scoring in the Advanced and/or Proficient categories on MCAS has fluctuated during the five years examined. Again, though, the gap between state average performance and METCO performance is largest in grade 3 (in 2010 a difference of 14 Figure 6: MCAS Reading 3rd Grade METCO, Boston, Springfield and State Averages 17
21 Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research Figure 7: MCAS English Language Arts 6th Grade METCO, Boston, Springfield and State Averages Figure 8: MCAS English Language Arts 10th Grade METCO, Boston, Springfield and State Averages 18
22 METCO Merits More percent points) but, in most years, tends to narrow by 6th and 10th grades. (See Figure 9). In 6th grade Math, METCO students outperformed all categories of students except for the state average. (See Figure 10). By 10th grade, the gap between METCO and state average performance narrowed considerably since third grade. (For example, in third grade in 2007, the gap here was 21 percentage points but in 10th grade that year, the gap was just 6 percentage points). In 10th grade, METCO students outperformed all categories of students (except for the state average) in four of the five years. In 2009 and 2010 METCO students outperformed all categories of students, except for the state average where a 9 percentage point gap remained. (See Figure 11). High School Graduation METCO students consistently graduate high school at far higher rates than the state average and all other categories of students we examine here. For example, in 2009 (2010 graduation data was not yet available for METCO students), 93 percent of METCO students graduated high school on time compared with 81.5 percent of students statewide, 61 percent in Boston and approximately 61 percent in Springfield. The lowest graduation rates and highest dropout rates are observed in Springfield, particularly for Latino students, with 33 percent dropping out in The dropout rate for METCO students 2.8 percent in 2009 is by far the lowest among all categories of students in all years for which data is available. For example, in 2009, 9.3 percent of students statewide dropped out. (See Figure 12) Figure 9: MCAS Math 3rd Grade , METCO, Boston, Springfield and State 19
23 Pioneer Institute for Public Policy Research Figure 10: MCAS Math 6th Grade , METCO, Boston, Springfield and State Figure 11: MCAS Math 10th Grade , METCO, Boston, Springfield and State 20
24 METCO Merits More Figure 12: Graduation Rates , METCO students, Boston, Springfield and State Figure 13: College Attainment, State, Boston and Springfield, to 2008/
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With our newest TechSpace location opening in Houston in 2017, we decided to scope out a few of the hot, new Houston startups coming to town. With cost of living below the national average, a diverse young population and a mix of industries it's no wonder Houston is becoming an increasingly popular startup spot!
America's fourth largest city by population has a lot going for it – from aeronautics and transportation to its well-known oil and gas industries the city is a leader in both oilfield equipment and healthcare, and home to an impressive 25 Fortune 500 companies.
With NASA's Johnson Space Center located in Houston and the Texas Medical Center playing host to over 50 research labs and healthcare institutions, as well as Johnson and Johnson's incubator and an accelerator, the city has an impressive expertise beyond energy. Houston also has a well-established startup scene with incubators such as the Houston Technology Center and ongoing support from local institutions such as Rice University.
Here's a look at some up and coming Houston startups that are well worth keeping an eye on.
Ebio is a clean-tech startup that uses microbial and photosynthetic systems to convert biomass wastes and sunlight into biofuels. The startup has a proven and patented one-of-a-kind technology that increases ethanol production by using productions waste as feedstock. The startup aims to increase ethanol production by 20% annually, a significant increase in an industry that is predicted to be worth $120 billion USD by 2022.
Funding: Undisclosed Amount in 1 Round
Wavve Stream produces advanced, patented water filtration technologies that improve the ability of existing filtration systems and membranes to remove contaminants. The company's first product is Bio-bead technology designed for water filter manufacturers. The materials used in beads are food grade components, making them a safer option for purifying water. Wavve's initial market focus is on the removal of Nitrates, Phosphates and total organic carbons.
Funding: NA
A-76 Technologies creates anti-corrosion coating and lubricant to prevent rust for a wide range of industries. The company's product works in high-humidity, high salinity environments and at a range of temperatures from -30°F to more than 500°F. Originally designed to prevent rust on newly manufactured equipment, the startup recently expanded into household products applications under the Rust Patrol brand.
Funding: $5M in 2 Rounds from 5 Investors
Aprenda Systems offers cloud-based software that enables healthcare providers to update information, such as changes in office hours or plan coverage. The platform then updates the databases used by hospitals and health insurance companies, which stops providers having to be frequently contacted by organizations trying to verify the information. It's an easy way for providers to collect, maintain and share information about themselves to organizations or people that need accurate and timely data.
Funding: NA
Swan Solutions' Knocki turns any surface into a remote control. The smart device gives users control of their favorite functions from any surface. Place Knocki on your front door and receive an instant text message if someone knocks the door, knock twice on a wall to ring your lost phone or tap on your nightstand to turn off a lamp and set your alarm. Knocki comes with a wide variety of automated functions and also works with IFTTT, Wemo, Nest, Tasker, and a growing list of 3rd party automation tools and smarthome APIs.
Funding: $800k in 2 Rounds from 2 Investors plus $1.14M Product Crowdfunding
DimDrop allows teams to easily create and track all of their mobile communications with customers. The company's cloud-based platform allows organizations to quickly build apps that are location aware. The startup's aim is to improve communication between communities through their location based communication apps. Using the service, local governments, schools etc. can deliver location based alerts and messages.
Funding: NA
GroupRaise connects local communities looking to fundraise with restaurants where they can host their events. The platform is an online marketplace for reservations for between 20 and 200 people at restaurants. A percentage of the sales of each meal is donated to a charitable cause. The platform helps community groups find a place to throw fundraisers and is a new way for restaurants to drive business during slower periods.
Funding: NA
MacroFab offers a self-service cloud based end-to-end electronics manufacturing platform. The manufacturing and operations solution allows hardware teams to get their products to market faster and easier. The cloud platform is a world first and gives complete control over the entire product life cycle via web user interfaces or APIs. This enables hardware teams of any size to quickly and easily automate all product operations.
Funding: $2.7M in 3 Rounds from 1 Investor
IntuiTaps is designed to make it easier to perform spinal punctures. The handheld device is the world's first tactile imaging platform designed specifically to help position and guide a spinal needle for LPs and anesthesia. The tool provides guidance and analytics to reduce accidents and makes it easier for physicians to succeed on the first go. The startup aims to improve efficiency while decreasing procedural costs and increasing patient and physician confidence.
Funding: NA
Decisio Health is a clinical intelligence platform designed for clinical care teams. The platform delivers all the information needed for clinicians to treat patients right at their bed. The offering is the first FDA cleared product that provides the flexibility to meet all the needs of clinicians in acute care settings. It also gives hospital administrators, quality managers, and clinical researchers detailed access to their hospital's clinical data to see how they are performing.
Funding: $7M in 3 Rounds from 3 Investors
Rig Chat is a cloud based vendor management solution for the oil and gas industry. Companies and individuals involved in the sector can catalog, share details and rate the products and services from their suppliers. Suppliers can in turn showcase the performance of their products on-site while operators can see exactly how different products and suppliers perform to quickly find the best solution. Rig Chat addresses the lack of performance information in the energy industry with a patent pending failure tracking system for products.
Funding: NA
Petrolessons is the first knowledge marketplace dedicated to the Oil and Gas industry. The company offers a platform for oil and gas training. From introductions to midstream, to oil and gas contracts and a look at shale gas in Quebec, it's an online classroom for professionals in the energy industry. Anyone with knowledge of the industry can share lessons on the platform, which is well based to serve the local Houston energy community and beyond.
Funding: Undisclosed Amount in 1 Round

subset: commoncrawl


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Today, the executive cheffing is left to Shanna Merriweather, who is putting out a regularly rotating menu to compliment the hodge-podge of mainstays that have been engraved on Trio's menu after years of favorable diner reviews. I stopped into Trio's recently to sample this Little Rock staple to see what's new, also allowing myself to explore some of those long-time favorites. I must admit, I was rather pleased with what Trio's was putting out.
We started with a duo of appetizers. The first was a warm brie with mango chutney and almonds paired with green apple slices and water crackers. I've had this dish a number of times, and I typically find that it sounds better on paper than it actually tastes. However, Trio's version was quite the opposite. The cheese was perfectly soft and creamy on the interior with a slightly hardened rind that is easily pierced by the lightest touch of a knife. The sweet, gelatinous mango chutney and crunchy almonds added another wonderful layer of texture and flavor that made this dish one of the greatest highlights of the night. It's a substantial slice of brie, but I assure you, my dining companion and I had no reservations about wiping that plate clean. Secondly, we ordered a creamy white queso. The luscious melted cheese was simply adorned with a garnish of diced tomato and salsa verde and paired with hot, thin tortilla chips. Again, what could have easily been a boring, uneventful dish turned out to be superb. The cheese had a lovely creamy and silky texture, not the gooey, sticky glob-like stuff some places serve as cheese dip. Substandard cheese dip does not fly in this town.
Chef Merriweather's menu is eclectic and playful, but also skillfully done. She knows her way around a person's palate and is delivering in the dishes she produces. If you're looking for more reasons to visit Trio's soon, how about the promise of a grilled beef tenderloin with sugar-plum and cabernet demi-glace, or roasted West Texas quail with Cointreau liqueur and navel orange glaze served with a savory mushroom bread pudding? Trio's might not be the trendiest number in town, but it certainly scores high in my book.
8201 Cantrell Rd.
Little Rock
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|The City's Firefighting Bureaucracy can be Streamlined Without Sacrificing its Effectiveness
|A number of statistics provide reassurance that streamlining the City's firefighting bureaucracy, will not risk adequate fire protection for the city's residents. The number of fire deaths has steadily declined since 1980 and was over 50 percent lower from 1995 to 1999 as compared to the five-year period 1980 to 1984. The 19 deaths that occurred from fires in 1999 were the fewest in the City's modern history.Likewise, the number of structural fires has dropped significantly over the last six years. There were over 60 percent fewer residential fires between 1994 and 1999, and over 57 percent fewer commercial structure fires during the same period.The streamlining of the BCFD should occur throughout the fire suppression bureaucracy. Engine companies and truck companies can be reassigned and stations consolidated. There are four Assistant Chiefs; two would suffice. The BCFD currently has eight battalions, each with one Chief per shift, for a total of thirty-two individuals holding the title of Field Battalion Chief. The BCFD's records reflect that these field commanders averaged 1.2 fire responses per day, amounting to only 43 minutes of time on fire emergencies. Four of the City's eight Battalion Chiefs logged less than one response per day and two other Battalion Chiefs averaged less than 1.15 responses per day. Therefore, a reduction of battalions along with a reassignment of their chiefs is in order.Each engine and truck company requires four persons to staff it. The staffing must be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. While this requires redundant staffing, the BCFD's "staffing factor" is 5.5 persons for every position. Peer companies in jurisdictions such as Baltimore County and elsewhere require fewer than five persons for each position.
There are a number of reasons for BCFD's high staffing factor. Baltimore City firefighters receive a large amount of leave time; when their hours off are totaled, their leave is the equivalent of more than nine weeks each. Management is accorded little discretion to deny a concentration of leave requests on particular days, exacerbating the leave problem. Moreover, in order to staff non-fire-fighting positions, a number of firefighters are permanently detailed to the Fire Academy, headquarters and elsewhere, leaving open positions behind.
The net result is extraordinary overtime costs. To fill all the fire suppression positions and provide the minimal staffing of the engine and truck companies with the excessive high staffing factor has required many callbacks. Last fiscal year, over $7 million in overtime was spent to staff the relatively inactive firefighting positions. Significant savings, without layoffs, can be achieved from the streamlining recommended.
Introduction: Fire Department


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Message Recap
Ever notice that in the first five books of the Bible God instructed his people to build altars to sacrifice in very specific ways and places? And that He demanded very specific sacrifices be made? There is a reason.
This week we continued our journey deep into the 5th book of the Bible, Deuteronomy, where we learned that you will become what you worship.
God Gives the Israelites a Place to Worship
One of the most interesting facts that Pastor Miles shared with us this weekend was that when the Israelites built an altar to sacrifice to God, it was raised off the ground--off of the land that had been cursed, thanks to Adam and Eve. God wanted to separate his sacrifice from the earth.
Another fact about these altars is that they were made of unchissled rocks. This was God's way of ensuring that we don't try to create an image or do anything that would even resemble something that we could worship in His place.
In a past message, you will recall that the first rule of the Ten Commandments is that we shall not have any other god before Him (if you don't recall, you can read about it on this website or purchase the sermon at the Rock Pile bookstore).
Commandment two is that we shall have no carved images to represent our Lord, thus even the altars were to be unchissled.
God is a God of Detail
The Lord was also very specific of where these altars were to be located. In Deuteronomy 12:5, 12:11, and again in 12:12, the Lord specifically said that he will choose the places for these altars, not the Jews.
There were three reasons for God to choose these places:
- to avoid jealousy and division among the people for not having a place to worship
- to foster accountability and to avoid following the cults of the land
- to develop unity among the people, since the people were to worship together
There are two kinds of offerings; tithes and offerings. Tithes are 10 parts or 10% of what God has given you (also known as your income). This part of our giving is for the operation of our church. Offerings are for special projects or needs of the church that is above and beyond our tithe.
But we must remember that God wants a cheerful giver, He wants us to be happy when we give to Him and the church. Giving and tithing are important as God's mission can only be completed if God's family works together.
MObedience MOmentum
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Today we have been learning how to create a positive digital footprint using thinglink.
Sometimes it is a fun way to share music and images but we thought it would be better for our learning to be shared on it.
Here is my thinglink about the Hay Park Way. The Hay Park Way is to be respectful, resilient and responsible.