Foose Presents $721 Million Budget

The budget is an increase of 2.5 percent over the fiscal year 2013 budget.

  Howard County Schools superintendent Renee Foose presented a $721 million operating budget to the Board of Education Thursday that includes cuts in transportation and supplies while adding funds to pay for new staff, higher enrollment and mandatory increases in employee benefits and retirement costs. The proposed fiscal year 2014 budget is a 2.5 percent, or $17.4 million, increase over the fiscal year 2013 operating budget. The $489.4 million requested from the county makes up about 68 percent of the budget, and is a 1.5 percent increase from fiscal year 2013, according to Foose. There are a total of $9.9 million in cuts from transportation funds, supplies and the elimination of 12 positions through attrition, when retirees' positions …

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County Schools Not Selected as Finalist for Race to the Top Grant

Howard County Schools are no longer in the running for a $20 to $30 million federal grant.

  Howard County Public Schools was not one of 61 school districts selected as finalists for a federal Race to the Top district grant that could have netted local schools up to $30 million in federal money. The nearby school districts of Baltimore County and Baltimore City were both selected among the finalists, which were announced last week. But Howard County wasn't able to obtain the approval of the teacher's union for the grant application, which was one of the requirements. "It is disappointing that we will not be able to accelerate our efforts to personalize learning for students in our highly impacted schools with the infusion of $30 million from the federal government," said Supt. Renee Foose. "I am delighted to hear that both …

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H.R. Pufnstuf

5:19 pm on Monday, December 10, 2012

Mark- Haha, very intelligent comment. Your teachers have clearly exceeded my expectations (at least in absolute value terms).   more ›

$30 Million Grant Application Fails to Receive Union Signature

School Board approves grant, but Howard County Education Association says it doesn’t have enough time to vote on it.

  A potential $30 million federal grant to Howard County Public Schools may be dead before the application is even submitted to Washington. The issue has pitted new Superintendent Renee Foose squarely against Paul Lemle, the president of the Howard County Education Association. Foose said Lemle has a "political motive" to promote candidates the organization supports before the upcoming election, while Lemle claims the school’s central office didn’t involve the teacher’s union in the grant writing process and that this Race to the Top grant will continue to tie teachers’ evaluations with standardized test scores. The grant, if awarded, would provide the county’s schools with $20 million to $30 million to help teachers use technology to …

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Report: Foose Asks Staff to Revisit Redistricting Plan

Foose said she wants to make sure impact of poverty is addressed in process.

  Howard County Schools Superintendent Renee Foose told a crowd of parents at a listen and learn session this week that she has asked her staff to re-examine redistricting plans, according to Explore Howard. At the forum Monday, one specific focus she addressed was the need to balance out the impact of poverty on schools being redistricted, wrote Explore Howard.  A committee is scheduled to present its redistricting plan to the Howard County Board of Education later this month. The redistricting proposal is being created as a new elementary school is set to open in the fall of 2013 on Ducketts Lane in Elkridge. The new elementary school is needed to accommodate current school overcrowding and with it, shifting students is necessary to …

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New Superintendent to Create Accountability Office for School System

Renee Foose says she's establishing environment of transparency, efficiency in Howard County.

Transparency is one of the first orders of business at her new job, according to the new superintendent of the Howard County Public School System. To gain what she called a “higher level of accountability” and a “higher level of service to schools,” according to the Howard County Times, Renee Foose, 45, is creating the office of accountability within the school system. Through Aug. 2, the school system is seeking applicants for its new position of Chief Accountability Officer. The officer will produce an annual accountability report and oversee applied research, program evaluation, student assessment, internal auditing operations and technology operations and support, according to the job description. The salary range is $105,536 to $192,…

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See the New Superintendent's Entry Plan: HCPSS Newsletter

The new superintendent will present her "entry plan" Monday. Read about that and dig into the school's budget in the HCPSS Newsletter.

$250,000 Contract Approved for New Howard County Schools Superintendent

The four-year, $250,000 annual contract for Howard County's new superintendent Renee Foose was unanimously approved Thursday.

The Howard County Board of Education formally approved superintendent Renee Foose’s contract at a reception on Thursday in Ellicott City. Foose was selected as the new superintendent on March 27. On Thursday, she signed a four-year contract that will pay her $250,000 annually, according to the Howard County Times. In addition, Foose will receive a $700 monthly vehicle allowance and $25,000 for relocation costs, according to the article. (Foose must live in Howard County as part of the deal) Tell us in comments: How would you like to see Foose improve Howard County schools? Foose, 45, previously served a year as the deputy superintendent for Baltimore County schools. Foose was paid $214,000 in her old job. Before Baltimore, Foose served as…

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Mark

6:27 pm on Tuesday, August 7, 2012

The retirements are not a surprise. When a new sheriff comes to town, it happens. HCPSS was full of cronyism and hopefully Foose will get rid of it. Her job is the problem. Its all the assistant supers, etc getting high salaries for doing not much of anything. The system is way too top heavy.   more ›

School Board Hopefuls Question Superintendent Search

Two incumbents revealed information about process of selecting the school system's new leader.

Some candidates running for the three open seats on Howard County's school board said the Board of Education lacked openness in its decision this week to select Renee Foose, deputy superintendent in Baltimore County, as the new superintendent of Howard County schools. That contention was supported by at least one member of the current school board. “I am very pleased with the candidate we ended up with,” said incumbent Allen Dyer. “However, the process was fatally flawed." School board candidate Ann De Lacy agreed during a forum hosted by the Greater Elkridge Community Association on Wednesday. "I do have a problem with the transparency," she said. De Lacy and some of the 12 other school board candidates at the forum expressed concern that…

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Report: Howard County Picks Foose as Superintendent

Renee Foose, deputy superintendent of schools in Baltimore County, will take office after Sydney Cousin steps down.

The Howard County Board of Education has selected Renee A. Foose as the new superintendent of schools, according to the Howard County Times. Foose had been serving as the deputy superintendent of schools in Baltimore County since April, 2011. Prior to that, Foose worked in several capacities for the Montgomery County School System, including as a teacher, director of school performance and assistant superintendent. "She is our first choice, and we are so thrilled she said yes," French told the Times of the board's unanimous decision to choose Foose. After contract negotiations and an official approval from the state superintendent, Foose will step into the position July 1, when current superintendent Sydney Cousin steps down.  Residents …

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Talk of New Superintendent Lights Up Internet

The congratulations were plentiful, but criticisms of the BOE's appointment of a new superintendent took center stage online.

The Howard County Board of Education (BOE) has chosen a new superintendent. According to a statement from the Howard County Public School System and BOE Chairperson Sandra French, Renee A. Foose will assume the superintendent position July 1. The announcement was sent at noon, about 12 hours after board members finished their deliberation, which included input from the community, according to board member Allen Dyer.  “I got home at about 12 a.m.,” he said. Howard County residents have taken to the Internet to discuss the appointment. Scores of "Congratulations" and "Look forward to working with you" tweets peppered Twitter, but elsewhere residents expressed concerns. One blogger questioned the announcement Monday of the other finalist, S…

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