The start of the 2025-2026 school year in the County is now just days away. Teachers from Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) returned to the classroom this week ahead of the first day of school on Tuesday, Aug. 26, and ahead of the school system’s first-ever Transition Day. That will take place on Monday, Aug. 25 for students attending a new school for the first time. School buses will run on Monday to transport transitioning students to their new schools.
Inspector General Report on Background Checks
MCPS made a lot of news over the summer. That included the release of a Montgomery County Inspector General’s report which found 4,900 school employees had not undergone a Child Protective Services (CPS) background check. The purpose of the background check is to screen potential hires to make sure they do not have a history of child abuse or neglect.
The report also found 12,000 employees have outdated criminal history checks. That is more than a third of the 30,000 people who work for the school system.
“We want to make sure everyone is safe. We don’t want to have bad actors working in our system,” said School Board member, Laura Stewart (District 4-Wheaton, Silver Spring, Takoma Park). She also reported feeling confident the problems uncovered will get resolved soon.
MCM also spoke with Brigid Howe, the President of the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (MCCPTA).
“The lack of background checks was really concerning to us. As a parent, you send your child to school with the assumption that the person in front of the classroom has been fingerprinted, undergone a background check, and that those checks will be done on a recurring basis,” Howe said. “To hear that this has not been consistently done is disappointing and shocking,” she added.
Howe said she is glad the administration has owned up to the problem and is now trying to fix it. “We have requested that the school system provide regular public updates on its progress,” Howe said.
While this was a breakdown in the background check process, Howe said she wants to know if there are other procedures or processes not working properly throughout the school system. She said this unknown worries her.
Grading Policy Changes
Meantime, the school system is changing its grading policy this academic year. This includes how teachers will calculate final grades. This academic year, teachers will now average the numeric grades students earn each marking period, instead of rounding letter grades.
Teachers also will grant students two opportunities to redo an assignment or test per marking period, if a student’s grade is below 70 percent. Those reassessments will not apply for end of course assignments, tests, final research papers or essays.
The school system is tightening its lateness policy. Teachers will not accept late assignments during the final five school days of a marking period. Students cannot turn in late work more than 10 days after the original due date.
“I don’t think there is any parent who doesn’t understand why this is happening. But where I think parents have a concern is this is changing for everyone, and there is not a transition for students who are currently in high school. There’s going to be less flexibility for them, and it’s going to feel more challenging,” Howe said.
“In general, there’s been positive feedback. But there are some parents of 11th and 12th grade students who are concerned about the switching taking place midway through their children’s high school career,” Stewart said.
Some parents and students also feel the school system did not consult with them enough before the administration implemented the change. Stewart said she will urge the Board’s Policy Committee to solicit more feedback in the future when big changes take place.
Updated Student Code of Conduct
The administration also is changing the Student Code of Conduct. It spells out the consequences and disciplinary actions MCPS will take if students violate policies about drug possession, bomb threats, and violence against other students and staff. Some violations will have stricter penalties than in years past.
Changes to Cell Phone Policy
The school system is changing its cell phone policy for the 2025-2026 school year. Students can use their phones before or after school. Elementary and middle school students must keep their phones off during the school day while high school students can use them during lunch and between classes.
Redistricting Under Discussion
Redistricting also is a major concern for many parents and students. MCPS is opening three new schools, Crown High School in Gaithersburg, Charles W. Woodward High School in Rockville, and Northwood High School in Silver Spring in the fall of 2027.
“This represents a $600 million investment in high schools,” Stewart explained.
One of the main goals of the expansion project is to relieve overcrowding at some schools. However, the expansion means boundaries will change and some communities will shift to new schools.
MCPS shared with families the initial options for redistricting several months ago. The next part of the review will happen in September. The school system will release the next round of maps after taking into account public feedback it received from the community.
“We’re in a listening mode right now. My goal is to hear as much from the community as possible,” Stewart said. “Reaction is mixed. There’s one thing about people, many don’t like change. They want to stay where they are. That’s good news. People like their schools,” she added.
“Everyone who cares about this boundary study process should pay attention when the new maps come out in September, and be on the lookout for opportunities to provide feedback. There will be a feedback loop,” Howe said.
Next Steps
Once the community weighs in, the results will go to the hired contractors who will then come up with a final plan to present to School Superintendent, Dr. Thomas Taylor. He will review and perhaps modify the final option before bringing it to the School Board for consideration. The Board will have the final say on redistricting. A vote is expected this spring. Before that happens, public hearings will take place during the winter and early spring.
“Some of our boundaries are 40 years old. Since we are building new schools this is a really great opportunity to look at the boundaries and say do these match the current patterns in our community. Is there an opportunity to shorten commutes? Is there an opportunity to ensure that we don’t have unintended segregation in our schools,” Howe explained.
Changes to Magnet Program Structure
Redistricting is not the only change that will take place in the fall of 2027. The school system also plans to change its magnet program structure. Currently, there are some schools that offer specialized programs like Montgomery Blair High School. It offers a concentration in math, science, and computer science to students who apply and get accepted. MCPS is proposing to scrap the current plan and replace the countywide model to a regional model. This would divide the County into six regions, and allow each region to offer magnet programs.
“Just like our boundaries have not been looked at in 40 years, some of our programs are the same as they were 40 years ago. The County and the world are so different today than they were in the 1980s. We really need to examine whether the ways we deliver education and special programming in 1985 are the way we should deliver them in 2025 or 2027 when these changes go into effect,” Howe told MCM.
Concern for Student Immigrants
The County has a large amount of students who come from different countries. Though student’s citizenship and residency status is not tracked by MCPS, the Trump Administration’s immigration policies worry people like Howe.
“We are a welcoming place for every student, no matter their country of origin, no matter the language they speak. I believe the goal is to continue that kind of support. I fear we are going to see immigration enforcement happening at school parking lots, school bus stops, and maybe in school buildings,” Howe said.
She said she is hoping to hear reassurance from the School Board about its position on this issue. Howe is concerned any immigration enforcement at or around school buildings will be traumatic for the community.
Next School Board Meeting
The School Board will hold its next meeting on Thursday, Aug. 21. Members will address a host of issues that will impact the start of this school year. They also will discuss topics that will impact the school system for years to come, including a presentation about future school repairs. The Board will discuss a framework for prioritizing its Capital Improvement Program. Stewart said tight budget constraints makes it critically important for the school system to use monies it receives as effectively as possible. She said the framework will help guide the Board as it makes future decisions.
