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Parents, students hash out change in start times for Montgomery County schools

By WTOP Staff

BURTONSVILLE, Md. – For the first time since 1993, Montgomery County Public Schools could change their bell schedules.

In the Paint Branch High School cafeteria Monday night, parents and students sat at tables in small groups to talk about what the proposed changes would mean.

Under a proposal from Montgomery County Schools superintendent Dr. Joshua Starr, high school classes would start 50 minutes later at 8:15 a.m. instead of 7:25 each morning. Middle schools would start 10 minutes earlier and elementary start times would remain the same — but the school day would be extended by 30 minutes.

Emonike Ekpeso, a 12-year-old 7th grader at Earle B. Wood Middle School, says the later start time for high schools seems fair, but she has concerns.

“The challenge is that after school activities would be later, and there’d be less time for homework,” Ekpeso says.

Ekpeso explains that when students are given essays to write, it “takes forever.” And so, if her school day shifts later, she could find herself staying up later to get homework done.

Parent Gloria Bellman says she favors a later start time for her high school-aged daughter. With the current 7:25 a.m. start time, her daughter walks to the bus stop in the dark. But Bellman has children in middle and elementary school as well.

“I’m still not sure of the extended time for the elementary [schools]. Not against it, I just need more information,” says Bellman.

Darrel Drobnich, a parent of two elementary school students, said he wants his two children, now in elementary school, to have the later start time.

“Because I think the [positive] impact on the health and safety of students has been very well proven,” he says.

And he says he has no reservations about extending the elementary school day by 30 minutes.

School officials asked the groups to tick off the pros and cons of changing the bell schedules. One student, standing up to speak in favor of a later start time said, “Students will come to school with a better attitude.”

That prompted John Landesman, with the school system’s Office of Community Engagement to ask, “Promise?”

The meeting at Paint Branch High School is the first of four public roundtable discussions. For the list of times and locations, visit the Montgomery County Public Schools website.

WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report. Follow @KateRyanWTOP and @WTOP on Twitter.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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