Gazette Letter: Weast received poor report card from MSDE

Gazette: School system needs intervention

Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Jerry Weast just received a poor report card from the Maryland State Department of Education.

As part of ongoing efforts to improve results for students with disabilities, states must make a determination annually about the performance of each local school system in meeting targets such as high school graduation rates. Each system is assigned to one of four levels: meets requirements, needs assistance, needs intervention, or needs substantial intervention. This May, using a results-based rubric, Maryland determined Montgomery County Public Schools to be needs intervention, year three.

Montgomery County Public Schools' noncompliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has persisted over many years. Weast and the Board of Education need to demonstrate more effective efforts at improving educational outcomes for Montgomery County students with disabilities.

Kathleen Gilhooly, Bethesda