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Montgomery County endorses plan to reimburse Rock Terrace students

By WTOP Staff

WASHINGTON – No one knows exactly how much money was moved in and out of the accounts set up for disabled students at the Rock Terrace School in Rockville.

But, in an effort to rebuild trust shaken by the discovery of the fiscal mess, the Montgomery County School Board has endorsed a plan crafted by school superintendent Dr. Joshua Starr.

Under the plan, the schools would calculate how much students involved in work- study programs should get. Using data going back to 2006, students who were issued W-2’s would be reimbursed at the same amount listed on their W-2 forms. Other students involved in the school’s in-house work-study program would get a flat $200.

Starr was scheduled to brief the board on the plan, but left the meeting early saying he was under the weather. Instead, Chief Operating Officer for the schools Larry Bowers briefed the board. Starr’s plan didn’t require a board vote, but the members of the board did take a vote to endorse the action.

School Board President Philip Kaufman endorsed the vote, with a slight qualification. “I know we’ve said from the get-go that we wanted to restore trust. I’m not sure whether or not this plan does this, but I think it’s the best we can do under the circumstances.”

Rebecca Smondrowski, who chairs the board’s Special Populations Committee, looked pained as she raised her hand to endorse the plan.

“I was reluctant,” she explains. “I believe we would have been best served if we could have had an external company review this.”

But Smondrowski went on to say she voted to endorse the plan since she was told if parents could provide some documentation that their child was entitled to a larger dollar amount, that the board would work with that parent.

Board member Michael Durso, a former school principal, was the lone no vote on the board.

“I just have to ask myself would we be better off having this discussion or being investigated by an outside group? Because I just think there are some credibility issues here.”

The school’s investigation began when the fiscal problems came to light last spring. Since then the principal at Rock Terrace, Dianne Thornton, resigned. School officials say there’s no evidence of malfeasance.

The Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office is investigating to see whether there was any criminal action. Officials with the State’s Attorney’s Office say they cannot comment on that investigation.

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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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