Leaders of the MECCA Business Leadership Institute in Gaithersburg, Montgomery County’s only charter school, plan to attend the Board of Education’s work session Thursday to refute what they say are inaccurate allegations against their school.
BOE members expect to vote later this month on a recommendation by the school district to revoke its charter.
According to Montgomery County Public Schools, the school has failed to comply with special education laws and protect student privacy. The school district also expressed concerns about transportation, financing, staffing and communications.
MECCA was sent an order of noncompliance in November of 2025 that was signed by Superintendent Thomas Taylor.
“We are addressing all the claims,” said LaChaundra Graham, CEO of MECCA.
There has been a plethora of letters and emails between MCPS and MECCA concerning issues at the charter school.
Graham told MCM that just because MCPS has made claims “does not mean they are accurate.” She said the school’s special education program is fully staffed and that her presentation this Thursday will show that.
There was an earlier issue concerning the number of students allowed to attend the charter school. MCPS had approved the attendance of up to 250 middle school students, but MECCA was seeking to teach 290 students.
Currently, 100 students attend the school. That number is much smaller than when the school opened. Graham said there were several reasons for the decrease in enrollment, but that it mainly had to do with the fact that the school opened in a temporary facility in Bethesda when parents had expected the school to be in Gaithersburg–its current location.
Between 250 and 260 students have submitted applications to attend for the next school year.
The Montgomery County Education Association sent a letter in September of 2025 stating the charter school was not following the union’s collective bargaining agreement.
“We take the collective bargaining units of all labor unions and our charter agreement obligations seriously,” said MECCA officials in a letter responding to accusations.
Graham is optimistic that her school will be permitted to continue its operations.
“We would hope so,” said Graham, adding that the claims MCPS has made “are not accurate about what is actually happening in school.”
When asked if she believed MCPS was coming down particularly hard on its only charter school, she replied, “I think they are pushing harder. Why that is, it’s not clear. MCPS would have to be the ones to answer that.”
The school was initially rejected by MCPS but received new life when the Maryland Board of Education urged MCPS to work with the charter school to see if it could open in the county for the 2025-26 school year.
The school currently is home to sixth- and seventh-grade students. If allowed to remain open, a new grade will be added each year through high school, allowing it to ultimately serve grades six through 12.
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