Moore’s changes to education spending could hurt students in poverty the most

 In the Baltimore Banner, by reporter Liz Bowie, Jan. 28, 2025. Full story here.

Gov. Wes Moore is proposing to rewrite major portions of Maryland’s landmark education law, cutting nearly one-fifth of the new funding the state promised schools by 2029.

While Moore has portrayed his bill as “pausing” pieces of the 10-year plan, the effect will be felt most by students living in poverty and immigrant students learning English. The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future was designed to boost achievement for all students, but it particularly concentrated money at schools with the largest numbers of poor children and the lowest achievement.

Neither the governor’s office nor the Maryland State Department of Education have released figures on how much less each school district would receive than was promised under the Blueprint. But according to rough calculations by the state’s largest teachers union, Baltimore City and Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties — all districts with significant numbers of poor students — stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars each over four years in both state and local money.

At the same time, Moore would redirect $110 million a year toward new education initiatives to grow and train the teacher workforce, ensure children read proficiently by third grade and improve math instruction, all of which are priorities for Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Carey Wright. Those initiatives aren’t specifically targeted toward poor children.

MCPS: Maryland’s First Business-Focused Public Charter School -- Applications Opened for the 2025-2026 School Year

MCPS Charter School Opening Fall 2025 

MBLI – Maryland’s First Business-Focused Public Charter School

• Opening with Grades 6 & 7
• (Adding a new grade each year through high school grade 12)
• Open to All Montgomery County Students
• No Cost to Attend

applications | Mecca Business Learning Institute

Reports of gun, medical emergency led to lockdown, shelter-in-place at Kennedy High

A lockdown after reports of a student with a gun and a shelter-in-place due to a medical emergency Thursday at John F. Kennedy High School are highlighting ongoing safety issues in the Silver Spring school, according to PTA President Ricky Ribeiro.  

Principal Vickie Adamson sent a community letter sent to the Kennedy High community Thursday, saying students notified security staff at the end of fifth period that “a student may be in the possession of a gun.” According to the school’s bell schedule, fifth period ends at 12:48 p.m. School staff called 911, and the school went into a lockdown at 1:01 p.m., according to the letter.  

According to police radio transmissions, Adamson called 911 at 12:56 p.m. after several students reported that they saw a student with a gun in his waistband...

...“These incidents are the culmination of what I have been complaining and advocating about for years,” Ribeiro said. “[There] has been a security problem at the school.”.. 

Reports of gun, medical emergency led to lockdown, shelter-in-place at Kennedy High   - Bethesda Magazine

Marylanders with developmental disabilities ‘scared, angry, concerned’ about looming $200 million in cuts to services

Maryland disability advocates are worried about the more than $200 million in proposed fiscal 2026 budget cuts to the state’s Developmental Disabilities Administration, fearing that access to needed services could be decreased.

Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, called for the $200 million reduction to the agency’s funding in his fiscal 2026 budget proposal following increased costs for the state. The cuts are just some pieces of a larger effort to resolve the state’s $3 billion budget deficit.

Spending for the DDA, which pays for services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has increased by more than $500 million over the last two years. The governor’s proposed reduction, described by Maryland Budget Secretary Helene Grady as “one of the most difficult” proposals in the budget, aims to bring next year’s funding back to fiscal 2024 levels.

Advocates and those who rely on DDA services are concerned about what could lie ahead in the next fiscal year. They’re also grappling with the impact of proposed cost-cutting measures on the agency’s funding in the current fiscal year...

Marylanders with developmental disabilities ‘scared, angry, concerned’ about looming $200 million in cuts to services

Will Bird Flu Close Down MCPS Bus Depots?

As bird flu is detected in more and more places in the United States, health officials are taking action.  In Massachusetts, bird flu testing has led to the closing of a park.   

What will happen here in Montgomery County?  

For example, the MCPS Shady Grove Bus Depot is covered with goose poop from the flocks of geese that live on top of the MCPS bus maintenance building.  If bird flu is detected at that location, will the bus depot be shut down?  The depot has goose poop on all of the pavement and stepping in goose poop is virtually guaranteed as staff and school bus drivers walk to their offices and onto their school buses.   

This is the same bus depot where feral cats are being kept by MCPS employees.  The feral cats live under the 4 office trailers used at the site for MCPS DOT Dispatch, Human Resources, Training and one trailer is the "lunchroom" for the MCPS bus drivers.   

Here’s how Maryland schools will respond to potential immigration enforcement on campuses

Maryland’s State Superintendent of Schools Carey Wright sent out guidance on how the state’s 24 school systems should respond to federal immigration agencies now that President Donald Trump’s administration has removed the “sensitive location” designation that previously made schools off-limits to enforcement efforts.

In a memo issued Thursday, Wright reminded school officials that while verification of residency was needed for students to enroll in schools, documentation of citizenship status was not.

“I want to ensure that every student — regardless of immigration status — receives the support they need from our educational system. Every child deserves access to a quality education, and it is our responsibility to uphold that right.”..

Here’s how Maryland schools will respond to potential immigration enforcement on campuses - WTOP News

Report: Extracurricular Activities Offered Across Montgomery County Public Schools

Montgomery County Office of Legislative Oversight 

Memorandum Report 2025-1

...

Major Findings. OLO found the following: 

1. As of 2023, The Office of Extracurricular Activities is collecting extracurricular offerings and participation data across all schools.

2. The costs associated with participating in extracurricular activities vary based on activity and equipment/supply needs. However, since 2018, there is no flat fee required for participation in extracurricular activities at MCPS. Further, the Department of Recreation offers afterschool programming at no cost for students at select schools.

3. MCPS elementary schools provide a range of afterschool programming for students and work with childcare providers to provide afterschool childcare in many schools. Most of these programs charge monthly tuition, although childcare vouchers and scholarships are available. 

4. For high school extracurricular data collected, OLO found that the number of extracurriculars offered increased from 2019 (pre-COVID) to 2023 (post-COVID). While the data collected was from yearbooks and may not reflect all extracurriculars offered, OLO heard anecdotally from several MCPS employees at different high schools that they saw an increase in the number of extracurriculars available from 2020 to 2023. 

5. OLO found several relationships in the high school data, summarized below. 3 After reviewing data, OLO found opportunity gaps in extracurricular offerings by race, ethnicity, and income, similar to past OLO findings. Schools with a student population that have a high-income, Asian and White students, tend to offer more extracurriculars while schools with a student population that have a low-income, Black and Hispanic/Latino students tend to offer less extracurriculars.  

Specifically: 

• Dropout Rate. High schools with low dropout rates (≤5.0) offered more extracurriculars on average, compared to high schools with dropout rates greater than 5%. 

• Chronic Absenteeism Rate. High schools with lower rates of chronic absenteeism (below 30%) offered more extracurriculars on average, compared to high schools with rates of chronic absenteeism above 30%. • Habitual Truancy. High schools with lower rates of Habitual Truancy (≤9%) offered more extracurriculars on average compared to schools with higher rates of habitual truancy greater than 10%.

 • FARMS Rates. Analysis of data shows schools that offer more extracurriculars tend to have lower rates of students eligible to receive free and reduced-priced meals (FARMS). 

• Academic Achievement. Data implies students at schools that offer more extracurriculars tend to have higher SAT scores and a higher percentage of students meeting Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) requirements. 

 6. Middle schools had similar findings between the number of students participating in afterschool sports and outcome data: • FARMS Rates. There is a strong negative relationship between participation in sports and FARMS rates. The schools with a higher number of students participating in sports tend to have lower FARMs rate

Attendance Rate. There is a moderate positive relationship between participation in sports and attendance rate. The data show schools with higher sports participation rates generally have higher attendance rates. • Race/Ethnicity. Data show schools with higher rates of sports participation tend to have a larger percentage of Asian and White students while schools with lower rates of sports participation tend to have a larger percentage of Black and Hispanic/Latino students.

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/OLO/Resources/Files/2025_reports/OLOReport2025-1.pdf

MCPS Updates and Posts Procurement Manual

The MCPS Procurement Manual is back on the MCPS website.  

Years ago, the Procurement Manual was available on the MCPS website.  But then, too many people read the Procurement Manual and saw where it was not being followed.  It was removed from the MCPS website.

The Parents' Coalition posted our copy to this blog so that the Procurement Manual could still be read.

Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland: What MCPS deletes, we provide...

The Procurement Manual is now back on the MCPS website with a 2024 edition. 

Here's another copy of the 2024 Procurement Manual in case the MCPS link is removed again.  

2024 MCPS Procurement Manual by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland on Scribd

Philadelphia: First suspected case of bird flu in Philadelphia detected in snow goose

ABC6 Action News 

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The Philadelphia Department of Health said Wednesday that the city's first suspected case of avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, was detected in a snow goose earlier this month.

The sick goose was found in the 1200 block ofN. 59th Street near Carroll Park in West Philadelphia on Saturday, Jan. 11.

The bird flu diagnosis came from preliminary in-state testing, city officials said.

Anyone who was in the area of Carroll Park and may have had direct contact with a sick snow goose on or around Jan. 11 is asked to contact the Philadelphia Department of Public Health's Division of Disease Control at215-685-6741.

Residents who live nearby were surprised to learn a goose was in the park in the first place...

First suspected case of bird flu in Philadelphia detected in snow goose near Carroll Park - 6abc Philadelphia

Fauquier High School takes extreme measures to remove 100 unwanted vultures

 Fauquier High School takes extreme measures to remove 100 unwanted vultures | FOX 5 DC

Clearing the Way: Addressing MOCO’s Challenges with Student Safety

This past week, we experienced three snow days. While I was among those grateful for the unexpected break right after winter break, my appreciation quickly turned to frustration when I returned on Thursday morning. The student parking lot was still not fully cleared, and building services had to come in on their days off to handle the situation (for which they did an outstanding job and deserve recognition). At that moment, I felt a surge of emotion.

Is MOCO neglecting its responsibilities? Where is the funding designated for clearing student parking lots? It’s disheartening when the county supposed to support us seemingly fails. I felt a mix of anger and betrayal. This county prides itself on prioritizing its students, yet when we need assistance, we are often left in the cold—literally.

I recognize that funding challenges are intricate, and I don’t have all the details. Nevertheless, I believe the county must improve its communication with students and parents.

That morning, I thought, “Why was the parking lot still being actively plowed when I arrived, and why did they allow people to drive even though it was still hazardous?” It was alarming that one of my friends lost control of their vehicle while attempting to park due to the ice...

Clearing the Way: Addressing MOCO’s Challenges with Student Safety – The Current

PowerSchool Breach Highlights Growing Cybersecurity Risks in America’s Schools

MCPS uses PowerSchool. PowerSchool confirmed earlier this month that it was hacked. PowerSchool is MCPS' student information system. The complete article is here, at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies website. Reported by Senior Policy Analyst Jiwon Ma and intern Mario Riofrio.

PowerSchool, a cloud-based software provider for K-12 schools, confirmed on January 7 that hackers breached its systems late last year, affecting thousands of school districts across the United States and globally. PowerSchool admitted on January 15 that the unnamed hackers accessed all of its 60 million student and teacher records, underscoring the urgent need to integrate cybersecurity into school infrastructure protection strategies and adopt stronger measures to mitigate cyber threats.  

Hackers Stole Student Social Security Numbers 

PowerSchool helps schools manage information and communication needs, using the platform to manage grades, attendance, and other student records. Hackers breached the platform using compromised credentials available on the dark web, pilfering student names and addresses, and, in some cases, Social Security numbers and medical records. Press reports indicate PowerSchool paid a ransom to the attackers in exchange for assurances that they would delete the stolen data. 

Hackers Increasingly Target Schools for Sensitive Data 

The PowerSchool data breach illustrates a growing trend in cyberattacks, which have shifted from traditional ransomware attacks to ones paired with data theft extortion. Instead of encrypting systems and demanding payment for their release, hackers now engage in dual extortion, stealing the sensitive information — instead of or in addition to encrypting it — and threatening its exposure to pressure victims into paying a ransom.  

Meanwhile, American school districts are increasingly exploited by criminal hackers looking for easy targets. From January 2023 to June 2024, at least 83 cyberattacks targeted U.S. K-12 schools. While the number of reported ransomware cases dropped between 2023 and 2024, the true number of incidents is likely higher. Since October 2024, victims have reported at least another 85 additional incidents, reflecting an alarming trend.  

Initial Efforts to Improve Cybersecurity Need a Jumpstart 

Over the past two years, the Biden administration has attempted to focus efforts on the cybersecurity of schools, organizing a “Cybersecurity Summit for K-12 Schools” in August 2023 that featured initiatives by technology companies to provide free and low-cost cybersecurity tools and services. PowerSchool itself partnered with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to offer free and subsidized cybersecurity training and resources to K-12 schools.  

Meanwhile, late last year, the Federal Communications Commission launched a pilot program to provide $200 million to schools and libraries to purchase cybersecurity products. Building on this momentum, the White House Office of the National Cyber Director announced in December 2024 that thanks to federal funding, all K-12 public schools in Rhode Island will implement a cybersecurity service designed to block harmful websites and protect student data.  

MCPS Keeping Feral Cat Horde at Shady Grove Bus Depot. School Bus doors do not lock. Feral Cats can Enter Buses

Take a look at Google Earth at the MCPS Shady Grove Depot located 16651 Crabbs Branch Way in Rockville, Maryland.  Take a "drive" around the property and you will see that there are a number of work trailers.  They are the same type of classroom trailers that are used for students, but these trailers are used for MCPS staff.  

At one of the work trailers at the MCPS Shady Grove Depot, the Google Earth image shows a small door opened under one of the work trailers and a person with multiple bowls.  

The bowls are apparently to feed feral cats that are being kept under the trailers.  

How many feral cats are being kept at the Shady Grove Depot?

Keep in mind that MCPS school bus doors do not lock.  State law prohibited school bus doors from locking and so school buses are kept in gated depots.  

However, the locked gates do not keep animals, including dozens of feral cats, from entering the school buses at night.  

The next day, MCPS students use those same school buses.  

WTOP: Violence, mold, asbestos: Staffers at Montgomery Co. alternative school voice safety concerns

Teachers and staff at a building that houses two Montgomery County, Maryland, schools — which cater to students with additional needs — claim the school system is not doing enough to ensure students and staff have both a healthy and safe place to learn.

One half of the Blair G. Ewing Center on Avery Road in Rockville has been home to one alternative learning school known by staff as “Avery Road.” The school is one of three that serves students who have behavioral issues or other learning difficulties that require they be removed from their prior public school.

At the beginning of this school year, a second school, known as “Cloverleaf” in Germantown, relocated to the vacant side of the Blair Ewing facility. Two staff members who spoke with WTOP said they arrived to find mold and even warnings about asbestos.

“When we first came in, we had visible mold on ceiling tiles and walls and floors. We had leaks in some of the bathrooms that dripped and flowed down the wall when it rains,” said one teacher WTOP will refer to as “Teacher A.”..

Violence, mold, asbestos: Staffers at Montgomery Co. alternative school voice safety concerns - WTOP News

Video appears to show former Maryland principal stomping on foot of kindergartner with autism

ROCKVILLE, Md. - A new video has surfaced allegedly showing a principal stomping on the foot of a kindergarten student with autism. The incident reportedly occurred last year at Ritchie Park Elementary School in Montgomery County. Andrew Winter, who was reassigned to Rock Creek Valley Elementary before withdrawing, is now at the center of controversy...

Video appears to show former Maryland principal stomping on foot of kindergartner with autism | FOX 5 DC

  

Public School Funds, including over $100,000 from @mcps, used to play games in Board of Education indoctrination.

 

https://x.com/MABE_News/status/1879217367546536204

Teenager found guilty of mass violence threat after writing school shooting plot

 Teenager found guilty of mass violence threat after writing school shooting plot

Former Wootton Student Found Guilty of Threat of Mass Violence

Alex Ye, 19, of Rockville, was found guilty on one count of Threat of Mass Violence Wednesday. Ye faces a maximum of ten years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb, 28.

Judge Cummins presided over a two-day bench trial which concluded on Dec. 10, 2024, and issued her verdict Wednesday at the Circuit Court for Montgomery County.

Ye was arrested on April 16, 2024, after an investigation prompted by a 911 call from a concerned associate. Ye and this individual were communicating over Instagram and Ye sent a file containing a written 129-page manifesto about a high school shooting. In the book, Ye also mentioned the possibility of carrying out a shooting at an elementary school...

Former Wootton Student Found Guilty of Threat of Mass Violence - Montgomery Community Media

Serious Incidents in School Slightly Down; More Consistency Needed

So far this school year, there have been 7,603 security incidents, of which 19.6% were considered serious.

During the same time last year, about 22% of the incidents were considered serious.

Of those serious incidents, 6% concerned fighting and attacks on others, 6% concerned drugs and 5% dealt with knives and other weapons, according to a Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) report that was discussed during the Board of Education’s (BOE) Thursday meeting.

About one in seven of the incidents concern truancy, which includes students wandering the halls and not being in class. Medical emergencies also are included when they disrupt the school day.

During this school year, there have been 71 incidents involving knives. Last school year, by the same time there were 75. So far this year, there have been 84 serious fights. Last school year, by this time there were 115 reported, according to Shauna-Key Jorandby, director of student engagement.

Drug incidents are up, rising from last year’s 82 to this year’s 91...

Serious Incidents in School Slightly Down; More Consistency Needed - Montgomery Community Media

Thomas Taylor's $13.9 Million Dollar Mistake

On October 10th the Montgomery County Board of Education agreed to purchase $13.9 million in diesel school buses after discussing the acquisition in a closed session.  

We know that the Board of Education had come to a closed session agreement because the final purchase of the diesel buses was put on the October 10th CONSENT AGENDA.  Consent Agendas are for items that are believed to be unanimous ahead of time.

We also saw the September 26, 2024, Board of Education Closed Session minutes where the ACQUISITION of diesel school buses was recorded.  That would probably be when Superintendent Taylor was able to determine that the Board of Education would unanimously vote for his $13.9 million purchase if he put it on the October 10th Consent Agenda.  

The Parents' Coalition pointed out that this major purchase was being conducted behind closed doors without any transparency or public discussion.  We said that was a problem.

We were correct. 

When the October 10, 2024, Agenda Item for the purchase of $13.9 million in diesel school buses was posted, the Parents' Coalition researched the Resolution.  We called Sourcewell the organization referenced in the Superintendent's Resolution, and we researched the contract that was supposedly being used.  

Superintendent Taylor's Resolution did not add up.  The cited contract did not include the vendor in the BOE Resolution.  

ABC7 reported on the Board of Education's vote to spend $13.9 million on diesel school buses.  In response to that report the Board of Education put out a statement confirming that the acquisition of diesel buses was "covered" in a Closed Session. The Board attempted to claim that was a permitted Closed Session matter.  We will see what the Open Meetings Act Compliance Board has to say about that.   

Not only was the purchase of diesel school buses a change from the Board of Education's stated goal of becoming a 100% electric school bus district, but the Resolution itself did not use a contract that was going to provide for the purchase of diesel school buses from a company in Virginia.  

Superintendent Taylor's Resolution did not make any sense, was not transparent, and did not provide any opportunity for the public to comment on this major change from the Board of Education's stated goal of a 100% electric school bus fleet. 

On October 10, 2024, the Montgomery County Board of Education sat in silence and passed Superintendent Taylor's Resolution without discussion.  Why did they do that?  Because they had already discussed the acquisition of diesel school buses in a Closed Session on September 26th.  On October 10th they sat with their mouths closed and rubber stamped a Resolution to spend $13.9 million without ever seeing the contract or confirming the details.  

And now today, Superintendent Taylor has put forth another Resolution to correct the major mistake in his October 10th Resolution. 

Just as the Parents' Coalition had discovered, his October 10th Resolution was not correct. 

The Montgomery County Inspector General has previously cited the Board of Education for approving Resolutions that claim to be "bridge contracts" but, in fact, are not really using the contracts they claim to be "bridging".  

It is easy for MCPS to fake a Resolution for a procurement when the actual contract is never made public, and the contract is never even seen by the Board of Education members.  

In this case, the Superintendent was able to put forth an inaccurate Resolution on October 10th to spend $13.9 million and the Board of Education happily voted unanimously to approve that expenditure without exerting any oversight.  

Today they will attempt to fix that $13.9 million mistake. 

Again, the Resolution will be on the Consent Agenda.

Electric bus manufacturer Lion Electric suspends operations at Channahon plant

 https://abc7chicago.com/post/lion-electric-suspends-operations-channahon-plant-joliet-bus-maker-announces-hundred-layoffs/15619343/

Help The Hechinger Report investigate special education

Our journalists want to hear from teachers, students and parents who have experience with special education in K-12 schools

More than 7 million students nationwide are entitled to special education services in K-12 schools. Services can include access to assistive technology, small-group instruction, extra time to take tests and a range of therapies. In most states, graduation rates for students with disabilities are lower than their peers and the quality of the education they receive varies greatly. 

We’d like to learn more about how students with disabilities are learning in schools today and if they are getting the education they’re entitled to receive.

We need to hear from people who can help us ask the right questions as we report this story about special education. Fill out the form below to share your thoughts with our staff. We will contact you if we want to publish any part of your response to us...

https://hechingerreport.org/special-education-survey/?fbclid=IwY2xjawHWVSZleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHaU48ZVSit8SmOPRzV77mpaH_gzaj1OYr3zlo2aV4LFaGFZGDQHwCo2j7w_aem_sMfvganbqBflTyJBp5QEOg

Federal judge grants settlement approval in FieldTurf USA lawsuit that included N.J. schools (But Not for MCPS. MCPS Did Not Bother To Participate.)

A federal court judge has given final settlement approval to a proposed class action multi-district lawsuit by plaintiffs in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and California who claimed they were sold defective synthetic field turf by FieldTurf, USA...

...The total settlement value for more than 1,200 class action members nationwide exceeds $50 million in cash and in credits, according to Law.com.

The settlement on Friday allows plaintiffs to each collect cash from the class action or they can claim credits to have FieldTurf install new artificial turf. Each is entitled to $7,500 in cash compensation or $50,000 in credits for new turf, Law.com reported...

https://www.nj.com/middlesex/2024/12/federal-judge-grants-settlement-approval-in-fieldturf-usa-lawsuit-that-included-nj-schools.html

Governor Wes Moore puts a pause on ‘The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future’ education spending plan

 Story by Ronnell Foreman. Full article here. From WMDT ABC47.

EASTERN SHORE, Md. – Governor Wes Moore has announced a pause to the blueprint education spending plan. The project titled ‘The Blueprint for Maryland’s Future’ is a $3.9 billion-dollar spending concept over 10 years for the public education system.

The legislation, which passed in 2020, is currently being put on the shelf by Governor Wes Moore. This is because the state faces $2.7 billion in budget deficits. Maryland State Senator of District 38, Mary-Beth Carozza, understands the problems at hand.

“The realization is hitting that the Blueprint spending plan is not funded fully. Now in Maryland, we’re facing a budget crisis.”

Governor Moore hopes to evaluate the entire plan. However, Senator Carozza believes the state needs to look for answers at the local level first.

2025: Spending Authorization without posting contracts and in some cases, without competitive bids.

The Agenda for the January 9, 2025, Board of Education has been posted.  

No details yet, but we do see this one very interesting Agenda Item:

6.2 Expenditure Authorization to Enter into Contracts of $25,000 or More

As it stands now, the Board of Education never even reads or sees the contracts they vote to authorize.

Anything over $25,000 is supposed to come before the Board of Education for "approval" under Board of Education Policy DJA.   

But as we have documented repeatedly, MCPS staff are adept at buying millions of dollars under the table by breaking up the purchases into smaller units.  

Remember Promethean Boards purchased 3-5 at a time and never voted on by the Board of Education for a total in the tens of millions.  And more recently the surprise purchase of tens of millions of BOXLIGHT screens.  And these are just two of such purchases, there's more. 

Governor Wes Moore changed Maryland law to permit public school staff to spend more without Board of Education oversight, but that doesn't mean the Montgomery County Board of Education has to follow his lead.  

Will the newly elected Board of Education members vote to increase waste, fraud and abuse of public-school funds?  Find out on January 9th.