On Thursday, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS ) made a presentation to the Board of Education (BOE) about a new system wide approach to address student conduct.
The code was developed in response to a districtwide community survey of educators that included Superintendent Listening Sessions and more than 20 school-based community meetings.
According to the presentation,” MCPS is updating the Student Code of Conduct and our support strategies for the 2025–2026 school year to re-establish higher expectations for student behavior.”
Acknowledging that kids make mistakes and can engage in unsafe, unsavory and inappropriate behavior, the presentation of the new code asserted,”it’s our job as a community to teach them a better way.”
School safety for students, staff and campus remains the primary goal of the new code which aims to teach and support self-control and behaviors suitable in school and in future success in life.
The new Code would follow these guidelines:
● Restore safety and positive student discipline as a priority
● Clearly communicate expectations for student conduct
● Increase student accountability for serious violations of student code of conduct
● Elevate restorative justice as key rehabilitative strategy following consequences
● Enhance partnership with parents/families to hold mandatory readmission conferences as a requirement of returning to school from an out-of-school suspension
The presentation included charts outlining inappropriate actions, consequences, revisions to former policies and parent and school interactions post code violation.
Preparation for the new policies addressed all aspects of the new disciplinary guidelines. They included professional learning for staff, student orientation and classroom lessons, parent/guardian and community communications and ongoing feedback and monitoring.
To see the presentation click here.
