Board of Education Update

At its April 30 meeting, the Montgomery County Board of Education approved updates to the 2026–2027 school year calendar, adopted the new Amplify Desmos math curriculum, and advanced several curriculum development initiatives to strengthen instruction across grade levels. The Board also voted on the Superintendent’s recommendation to revoke the charter of the M.E.C.C.A. Business Learning Institute (MBLI), adopted stronger background screening requirements for employees, and postponed a decision on student meal price changes. Celebrations included National Volunteer Week and National Student Leadership Week, recognition of state champion teams from Walt Whitman, Quince Orchard, and James Hubert Blake high schools, and updates on the election of the next Student Member of the Board.

Read the Board of Education Update: May 1, 2026

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En su reunión del 30 de abril, el Consejo de Educación del Condado de Montgomery aprobó actualizaciones al calendario escolar 2026–2027, adoptó el nuevo plan de estudios de matemáticas Amplify Desmos e impulsó varias iniciativas de desarrollo curricular para fortalecer la instrucción en todos los grados. El Consejo también sometió a votación la recomendación del superintendente de revocar la autorización de la escuela chárter M.E.C.C.A. Business Learning Institute (MBLI), adoptó requisitos más estrictos de verificación de antecedentes para empleados y pospuso una decisión sobre los cambios en los precios de las comidas estudiantiles. Las celebraciones incluyeron la Semana Nacional del Voluntariado y la Semana Nacional del Liderazgo Estudiantil, el reconocimiento de equipos campeones estatales de las escuelas secundarias Walt Whitman, Quince Orchard y James Hubert Blake, y actualizaciones sobre la elección del próximo Estudiante Miembro del Consejo.

Lea la actualización del Consejo de Educación: 1 de mayo de 2026

Celebrations

National Volunteer Week

Board Member Julie Yang recognized National Volunteer Week (April 19–25, 2026), honoring the impact of volunteers across the district. Empowering the Ages, led by Leah Bradley, was recognized for supporting students in multiple schools. Honorees included Principal Daniel Walder and Yelica Barrera-Laverde (Diamond Elementary School), Kasey Merrey (Kensington Parkwood Elementary School), Sally Cameron (Northwood High School) and Winona Lennon (Flower Valley Elementary School).

National Student Leadership Week

Student Board Member Anuva Maloo recognized National Student Leadership Week (April 24–30), celebrating student leaders who uplift their school communities. Honorees included Hali Duong, Tracy Espinoza, Thandi Labor and Krish Putta, with special recognition to Ms. Shella Cherry for her leadership of student programs. 

MCPS State Champions

The Board celebrated state champion athletic teams for their outstanding achievements, including the Walt Whitman High School coed wrestling and girls’ basketball teams, the Quince Orchard High School girls’ wrestling team and the James Hubert Blake High School’s boys’ basketball team, recognizing their excellence, teamwork and success. 

Middle School Update: New Dedicated Support Time

In a significant move to bolster student success and equity, the Montgomery County Board of Education unanimously passed the Dedicated Student Support Time Item introduced by the Student Member of the Board, Anuva Maloo. The resolution asks for a standardized, weekly "Advisory Period" across all MCPS middle schools.

What This Means for Students:

• Guaranteed Time: A weekly blocked time dedicated to student needs.
• Flexible Support: Students can use this time to seek academic help, dive deeper into subjects they love, or explore high school opportunities.
• Clear Schedules: To ensure everyone can plan ahead, schools would provide a quarterly schedule outlining these dedicated sessions.

By formalizing this time, MCPS aims to increase student agency and ensure that every middle schooler, regardless of which building they attend, has the support necessary to succeed. The Superintendent will review the program's impact after one year, with the potential to expand the model to high schools in the future. Read the memorandum. 

Upcoming Meetings

Meeting Calendar

*Agenda will be available seven days prior to the Board Business meeting.