No BOE Vote/No Budget for Move Leads to: ‘Hasty, haphazard, sloppy’: Community meeting raises concerns about plans for alternative education

A community meeting about Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) relocating an alternative education program from Silver Spring to the Flower Valley and Manor Lake neighborhoods of Rockville became chaotic Thursday night as Rockville residents largely voiced their opposition to the move. 

“That is not what we were told,” one audience member in the Flower Valley Elementary School cafeteria called out during the MCPS presentation. “Can we see the data? Since we can get a straight answer?” another one asked.  

Dozens of community members from the two neighborhoods were gathered for a meeting hosted by councilmember Natali Fani-González (D- Dist.6), who represents the area, after the community raised concerns for safety and security and for a lack of transparency from MCPS on the move.  

“MCPS did not get off to a good start,” Del. Vaughn Stewart (D- Montgomery County), who lives in the neighborhood, said at the Thursday meeting.  “It appeared hasty, it appeared haphazard, it appeared sloppy, and that’s not the way that we want this relationship, and this partnership, and this program to start off.” ..

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/07/11/community-meeting-concerns-alternative-education/

BOE Authorized MCPS Staff to Evaluate Possible Locations, Not to Completely Move a Program without a BOE vote or public notice.

WUSA9 reported on a Montgomery County community that was surprised to learn that MCPS was moving a program for middle and high school students to their local elementary holding school. 

The community isn't the only group that is surprised. The Board of Education is surprised too. 

The plan has never come before the Board of Education for discussion, there has not been a feasibility study, and there is no funding in the MCPS budget for any renovations or modifications to the holding school.

In May of 2024, the Board of Education discussed the lease of the space being used for the Ewing @ Plum Orchard Alternative Education Program. That's apparently a Level 2 Program for middle and high school students.  The lease was up and apparently the BOE wanted to discuss possibilities for relocating the Program.  

Instead of presenting the BOE with possibilities, requesting funding, and obtaining a BOE vote, someone in MCPS administration made their own decision to move the Ewing @ Plum Orchard program to an elementary holding school. 

WUSA9 reported on the surprise announcement. 
 

 

Program Moving with out Board of Education Vote. WUSA9: "The lack of transparency from MCPS I think is the most frustrating for residents,” she said.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Some residents in Montgomery County are concerned about a new education program that they were recently told will be coming to their neighborhoods.

In the upcoming school year, Montgomery County's Alternative Education Program, which is for students who need extra support outside of their regular schools, will be run in a holding school that's between two Rockville neighborhoods: Manor Lake and Flower Valley. Some neighbors said they are worried about safety, and what they call a lack of transparency from Montgomery County Public Schools.

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/education/montgomery-county-residents-concerned-alternative-education-program-location-neighborhood/65-0df11dc4-9ea8-46ad-be19-daeba7d9a8ed