xMINDS: Major Cuts to MCPS Autism Services - Autism Unit Reduced by half

REDUCTIONS IN AUTISM-SPECIFIC EXPERTISE RAISE CONCERNS

As Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor enters his second year and Dr. Margaret Cage is early in her first year leading the Division of Specialized Support Services, MCPS is executing significant changes to special education that directly affect autistic students and their families.

We have learned of reductions and reorganization within MCPS special education, including the elimination of supervisors of services important to autistic students: Autism Services, Speech and Language Services, Transition Services, and Alternate Learning Outcomes. Most concerning, the Autism Unit has been reduced by roughly half. Two positions were eliminated, and five psychologists with autism-specific assessment expertise were reassigned to general caseloads, dispersing specialized knowledge that has long supported schools and IEP teams. At its peak, the Autism Unit included 21 full-time specialists serving 73 schools. The unit’s longtime supervisor, Kristin Ericson, is also departing after 43 years at MCPS, representing a major loss of expertise and institutional knowledge. For more information, go to:  Superintendent's Recommended Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget Superintendent's Recommended Special Education Staffing Plan Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Budget Important Upcoming Dates: Board of Education Public Hearings: Thursday, January 15, and Tuesday, January 27, 2026 Board of Education Board Work Sessions: January 20, and January 29, 2026 Tentative Board of Education Adoption: Thursday, February 19, 2026 Final Adoption: Expected Thursday, June 4, 2026

UNCERTAINTY AHEAD It remains unclear how autism services will be delivered under the new structure or how schools or educators will access specialized support. These changes come at a time when MCPS projects continued growth in the number of students with autism and plans to expand its Classic Autism program into three new schools with 10-13 additional classes — raising urgent questions about capacity, training, and oversight. WHY THIS MATTERS Autistic students often require specialized support tailored to their unique learning styles. Even well-intentioned educators who lack training in autism may struggle to provide effective support, as they may misinterpret what they are observing.  Reducing autism-specific staffing while expanding autism programs risks leaving schools without the expertise necessary to meet students’ needs. https://xminds.org/resources/EmailTemplates/News%20Webpage%20January%202026/index_preview.html

MCPS head of HR no longer employed by district

Six months after assuming the role, the chief talent management officer for Montgomery County Public Schools is no longer employed by the district, according to an MCPS spokesperson.  

In a statement sent Thursday to Bethesda Today, MCPS spokesperson Liliana Lopez said Kaylan Connally is “no longer with MCPS.”  

The district is working on a transition plan for the role, she said. MCPS Chief of Staff Essie McGuire and Chief Legal Officer Robyn Seabrook are “supporting the transition and ensuring continuity” in the interim, she said...

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/12/11/mcps-head-of-hr/

2025: Petitions to the Board of Education on Boundary, Program and Facility Changes Proposed by Superintendent Thomas Taylor

Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor has proposed massive changes to MCPS programs, boundaries, and facilities. Some of his many proposals have pushed parents all over the County to Petition the Board of Education for relief.  

We will compile the current Petitions to the Board of Education in this post.

Diamond Elementary - Protect Students Safety, Emotional Wellbeing and Community Stability

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One Step at a Time

Fair Boundaries Now, Regional Programs Later

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Preserve the SMCS Program at PHS and Countywide Magnet Programs in Montgomery County

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Justice For Wootton

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Crown for Gaithersburg — Not a Holding School!

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Community Statement on Proposed School Boundary Changes (Rachel Carson ES)

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Prioritize School Renovations: Use Crown High School as a Holding School

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Keep Potomac Elementary in the Churchill HS Cluster

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Support the Cold Spring Elementary School Replacement Project

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Say NO to Harmful Boundary Changes – Keep DuFief with Frost and Wootton!

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Preserve Montgomery County Public Schools' Countywide Programs

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WASTE: This Week Watch Superintendent Taylor Waste $43M+ on a Commercial Lease by Abandoning 30 Acres of FREE Board of Education Land

Source: 750 Progress Way

On Thursday, October 30, 2025, the Montgomery County Board of Education will unanimously vote to approve a Consent Agenda (no discussion) that includes a brand new lease of a massive warehouse in Gaithersburg.  

To date, Superintendent Taylor has pretended like finding a new MCPS warehouse was something the Board of Education was going to consider.  

Surprise! Superintendent Taylor has already negotiated the lease of a massive commercial space in Gaithersburg and the lease starts SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1st!  The lease commits the Board of Education to lease payments of at least $30 million dollars over the next 10 years and requires the Board of Education to spend $13 million dollars out of the Capital Budget to construct the interior of this currently empty warehouse.  

The commercial space that Superintendent Taylor is leasing is completely empty (see image above) and will require $13 million dollars to build out the interior of the warehouse.  The lease vote is on Thursday, October 30th, but the $13 million is part of the FY 2027 MCPS Capital Budget that hasn't been voted on yet.

Superintendent Taylor is going to force the Board of Education to commit to a FY 2027 Capital Budget proposal this week, even thought the Board of Education's vote on the proposed Capital Budget isn't until November 20, 2025.  

Presumably the lease of the commercial space will be paid out of the MCPS Operating Budget and the construction of the interior space will be funded out of the MCPS Capital Budget.  By forcing a vote on the lease this week, Superintendent Taylor will force the Board of Education to commit $13 million of the Capital Budget to the construction of the interior of the warehouse before the Board of Education even considers any of the Capital Budget needs of any of MCPS' 211 schools. 

~~AND~~

In order to make use of this massive Commercial Warehouse, Superintendent Taylor is going to abandon 4 Board of Education sites totaling over 30 acres of free public school land.  The land that Taylor is going to abandon is owned by the Board of Education and is free of mortgages, rents and property taxes.  Taylor has not put forth any justification for the abandonment of free public school land in favor of Leased Commercial land that will create ongoing debt (with an escalation clause) for the Board of Education for at least the next 10 to 20 years.  

Here are the Board of Education owned public school sites that Superintendent Taylor is abandoning: 

Source:  MCPS Real Property Inventory for 2025

This is from Superintendent Taylor's recently released FY 2027 Capital Budget proposal.  This page shows the cost of building the interior of the Leased Commercial space.  Taylor did not disclose this cost on his October 30th Action Item Resolution for the Board of Education vote. 

Source:  MCPS Capital Improvements Program/Master Plan

This is how MCPS' funding and resources are wasted without public notice or opportunity to comment.

Superintendent Thomas Taylor Holds Capital Budget Presentation for 7 People

7 people?

Where is the Board of Education? Where are County Councilmembers? Where are State Senators and Delegates?  Where are parents?  

Reminder:  There are STILL over 10,000 MCPS students spending their school day outside of their school buildings in classroom trailers.  MCPS students have been in trailers for 42 YEARS.

But Superintendent Taylor felt it was important to make one of his Capital Budget presentations from a warehouse.  

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Superintendent Taylor (@ThomasTaylorEdD) led a Community Conversation at the MCPS Warehouse on upcoming Capital Improvement Projects, covering modern, inclusive schools, expanding equity, and prioritizing safety and wellness.

Learn more about it: https://t.co/QOllGwRG9M pic.twitter.com/48mAFf9UOk

— MCPS (@MCPS) October 22, 2025

Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor's Chief of Staff, Essie McGuire

Superintendent Thomas Taylor has been sending his Chief of Staff to Montgomery County Council Committee hearings to speak on MCPS issues.

Superintendent Taylor hired Essie McGuire to be his Chief of Staff shortly after he was appointed Superintendent. 

Let's start with her resume.  Ms. McGuire's resume (below) shows that she has degrees in English, History and Social Work.  

Here is the listed Education, Training and Experience for the Chief of Staff position from the MCPS Job Description:

Coursework in educational administration? Doctorate?  

Experience as classroom teacher or school administrator? 

  

“The fact remains that thousands of individuals with unsupervised access to MCPS schools and students have not had a criminal history check in more than five years and thousands more have not completed a CPS check,”

Taylor: MCPS ‘integrity and honesty gap’ needs to be addressed  

...In a statement responding to the report, Taylor criticized what he described as the “lack of rigor” in the review by the inspector general’s office, but also noted the findings have been the “deepest disappointment of my early tenure.” Taylor has served as superintendent since July 2024 and has implemented several changes since assuming the role, including hiring some new senior leadership staff while retaining others.  

“Even though we’ve made some changes to some of the management, I don’t think that that is everything,” Taylor told Bethesda Today. “There’s more to this than just senior management. It’s my responsibility, and I take that responsibility very seriously, that we create system structures and processes for everybody to do their best work and for them to be held accountable to doing their best work.”..

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/08/06/mcps-integrity-honesty-gap/

  

Report flags risks in Montgomery County schools' background check system

...Thousands of Montgomery County Public Schools workers have fallen through cracks in background check systems, according to a new report, potentially meaning people with criminal histories could be working closely with children.

Maryland’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a report Monday detailing “deficiencies” with background checks in MCPS, which serves more than 160,000 students.

The report found what it calls serious lapses in important personnel security measures required by state law and county policy within Maryland’s largest school district...

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/report-flags-risks-in-montgomery-county-schools-background-check-system/3970639/

Montgomery watchdog says school system is behind on criminal history checks

About 12,000 employees have outdated criminal history checks, and 4,900 employees haven’t been screened for cases involving child abuse and neglect.

...Inspector General Megan Davey Limarzi said in an interview the tone of the superintendent’s response letter was unusual, but she maintained that her office’s work was factually accurate. She noted that the school system agreed to most of the report’s recommendations.

“I think a lot of this back-and-forth really is a distraction, and it’s to get people to talk about something other than the deficiencies that we identified and that are contained in the report,” Limarzi said...

https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/08/05/montgomery-schools-background-checks/

Breaking**Inspector General: "Actions of MCPS senior leaders do not demonstrate either accountability or transparency." Report on MCPS Failure to Background Check Staff/Contractors/Volunteers.

Today, the Montgomery County Office of the Inspector General issued a report entitled, "Review of MCPS Background Screening Office."

The IG's Report details disturbing gaps in the MCPS background checks of staff, contractors and volunteers.

The MCPS Superintendent, Thomas W. Taylor, responded to the Report and criticized the IG's process.

The IG responded to the Superintendent's criticism with a response letter that included the following statements:  

...OIG staff met with members of the Superintendent’s leadership team on June 25th and in response to that meeting made corrections to address the concerns raised and provided a revised draft report on July 7th. On July 16th we held another meeting to discuss MCPS’s proposed corrective actions and address any other questions or issues. At no time during or after that meeting did MCPS leadership request additional changes to the report, raise wording discrepancies, or identify any inaccuracies. The Superintendent did not attend either of these  meetings, and despite his claims, MCPS leaders did not exhibit or invite an authentic collaboration. In fact, during our last meeting with MCPS leadership, they repeatedly refused to discuss specifics of certain planned actions which would assist the OIG in determining if the proposed steps would address observed deficiencies or offer alternative considerations. It was only in the Superintendent’s July 25th formal response that we learned of the nature and extent of discussions with the State regarding CPS checks...

...Lastly, in contrast to their statements, the actions by MCPS senior leaders do not demonstrate either accountability or transparency. The fact remains that thousands of individuals with unsupervised access to MCPS schools and students have not had a criminal history check in more than five years and thousands more have not completed a CPS check. In the end, only one entity is tasked with and has accepted the responsibility for obtaining these background checks to safeguard employees and students, and that is MCPS.  

The full IG Report is reproduced below: 

Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland screening of employees by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland on Scribd

County Council Hires Former MCEA Union President Doug Prouty as Education Committee "Staff."

The Montgomery County Council has a new member of their staff.

The Council hired a new person to be the Education Committee staff person.  

The Council's Education staff person assembles the packets that the Education Committee discusses, reviews and votes on at each meeting.  The staff person can be like an analyst who provides a balanced presentation to the Council members as they deliberate each education matter, or the staff person can just copy some documents and submit a biased presentation.   

We've even witnessed Council staff switch MCPS memos to change the narrative on Board of Education procurements.  We know the Council staff can control what the Councilmembers and the public see as the Council deliberates and votes.  These positions have great influence over the public process.

The Montgomery County Council has now hired former MCEA (teachers' union) president and former MSEA (State teachers' union) vice-president Douglas Prouty as their education staffer.  

You can read Douglas Prouty's resume in this Whitman High School newspaper article.  

Here is the video of the January 30, 2025, Montgomery County Council Education Committee's meeting with Mr. Prouty seated in the "staff" seat.  

Churchill Observer: "So far, MCPS has received 16 buses for the fiscal year 2025." (They should have received 120.)

On July 25, 2024, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) investigated MCPS’ management of a multi-million dollar contract to acquire and operate 326 electric school buses. The investigation concluded that MCPS failed to enforce the contract terms, and did not account for hundreds of dollars in fees outlined in the agreement, despite not receiving over half of the buses it ordered within the agreed-upon timeframe. To compensate for not receiving the electric buses they requested, MCPS is now spending over $14 million to acquire diesel buses and has received a failing grade from Montgomery County’s council audit committee for their implementation of electric buses...

MCPS slams the brakes on electric bus program - The Observer

Superintendent recommends asking for $21.6 million in local funding

FACT CHECK:  In the article below, Superintendent Thomas Taylor says "none of the key personnel" are still with MCPS.  That is FALSE.  Superintendent Taylor has hired former MCPS Associate Superintendent of Operations back as the MCPS Chief of Staff.  The MCPS Associate Superintendent of Operations is a key person in the Capital Budget process. 

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MCPS error leads to $39.3 million state aid shortfall for Woodward High construction

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is facing a $39.3 million shortfall in funding for the ongoing construction of Charles W. Woodward High School in Rockville due to its state aid calculation errors in 2021, but won’t lose out on state funding in the long run, district staff said Thursday. 

To close the funding gap, MCPS Superintendent Thomas Taylor is recommending to the school board that $17.7 million be reallocated from other district projects and also asking the County Council to provide an additional $21.6 million for the project. 

“I want to make it clear that this issue was entirely MCPS’ fault,” Taylor said at a school board work session on Thursday. “We are working to correct it, and though this will not have a net negative impact on state construction revenues over the long run, it does have an impact on these projects and I’m sorry for that.” ...

...At Thursday’s work session, Taylor said “none of the key personnel” involved in the erroneous submission to the state are still working for MCPS... 

MCPS error leads to $39.3 million state aid shortfall for Woodward High construction

@mcps Chief of Staff Essie McGuire Approved a Woodward HS Contract using Non-Prevailing Wages in 2021

 

In 2021, Essie McGuire was the MCPS Associate Superintendent of Operations.  In that capacity she reviewed the Award of Contract for the Project Site Work at the Woodward High School site.  

The Resolution submitted to the Montgomery County Board of Education was brief, but clearly stated that the "project was bid to include both prevailing and non-prevailing wages." 

Using non-prevailing wages means the contracts would not be complying with Maryland procurement law.  

Woodward High School's project was attempting to use Maryland's Built to Learn (BTL) funding.  The BTL funding information sheet makes clear that complying with Maryland's prevailing wage law is required. 

EM approved this Resolution for presentation to the Board of Education.  In 2021, EM was Essie McGuire, MCPS Associate Superintendent for Operations.

Today, Essie McGuire has been hired back by Superintendent Thomas Taylor to work as MCPS' current Chief of Staff. 

MCPS Superintendent reveals loss of $39.3 million in state aid due to submission error

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — 7News has learned an error in the school system‘s submission for state aid could negatively impact school improvement projects.

Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor made the admission in a letter that was part of his recommended capital budget for Fiscal Year 2026.

In the letter addressed to the school board, he wrote about the Capital Improvement Program (CIP)...

MCPS Superintendent reveals loss of $39.3 million in state aid due to submission error

Superintendent Thomas Taylor Not Available to Discuss $1.5M @mcps @mocoboe

Montgomery Co. Council questions MCPS on shortcomings of electric school bus contract

“What we’re looking at here is a failure at every level,” Janis Sartucci of the Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County told 7News.

“What’s needed now is a dedicated inspector general for Montgomery County Public Schools,” she said.

7News requested an interview with MCPS Superintendent Dr. Thomas Taylor to find out what he’s doing to correct the problem.

MCPS Public Information Officer Liliana Lopez told us he wasn’t available...

https://wjla.com/news/local/montgomery-county-public-schools-mcps-electric-school-bus-contract-costs-maryland-students-transportation-mismanagement-inspector-general-report-wasteful-spending-concerns

"I think MCPS has wanted to have a fresh start,” Taylor said. [So he hired back Essie McGuire who approved $168M Electric School Bus Scheme.]

Superintendent Thomas Taylor's idea of a "fresh start" is to bring back an MCPS administrator who failed to supervise the approval of a $168M electric bus scheme that has crashed and who failed to oversee the administration of the MCPS Department of Transportation.  

County Council Staffer Essie McGuire Approved Electric School Bus Scheme for @mcps When She was @mcps Associate Superintendent in 2021

New Montgomery superintendent excited at chance for a ‘reset’ in district

...“I am so excited at the opportunity, like every educator, the notion of having a fresh start. I think MCPS has wanted to have a fresh start,” Taylor said. “Our community wants the school system to be fantastic, and we are excited at the opportunity to reset expectations, reset norms and to focus on our kids and limit distractions.”..

https://wapo.st/3XwKKxB

County Council Staffer Essie McGuire Approved Electric School Bus Scheme for @mcps When She was @mcps Associate Superintendent in 2021

Here is the link to the February 2021, Montgomery County Board of Education Contract Approval for the HET MCPS, LLC. electric school bus scheme.  

HET MCPS, LLC. was not awarded the contract through the RFP process, a company called Highland Electric Transportation was awarded the contract.  Somehow MCPS switched companies, and the Board of Education approved a contract with a company that had not participated in the bidding process.  

At the bottom of the 3rd page of the Contract Approval are the initials of the MCPS administrators who approved the Resolution submitted to the Board of Education. 

Jack R. Smith, Superintendent

Monifa B. McKnight, Deputy/Acting Superintendent

Derek G. Turner, Chief

Essie McGuire, Associate Superintendent of Operations

Eugenia S. Dawson. Director

Todd M. Watkins, Director Department of Transporation 

Monifa McKnight and Essie McGuire presented the Resolution to the Board of Education on February 21, 2021. 

Watch the video below.  Listen to Ms. McGuire sell the electric bus scheme to the Board of Education.  

Ms. McGuire, "very excited to bring this forward today..."

"...ongoing effort with legal department, budget office, transportation office..."

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/BYJNVV6118CC/$file/ADOPTED Cont Apprv RFP 9462.1 Electrification Sch Buses.pdf

New report details failures at Montgomery County Public Schools over electric bus fleet

by Scott Taylor

Wed, August 21st 2024 at 5:12 PM

Updated Wed, August 21st 2024 at 8:02 PM

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — 7News has obtained a scathing assessment of how Montgomery County Public Schools is handling the nation’s largest fleet of electric school buses.

In the report, which parents have not seen, CESO, an expert on electric buses, informed MCPS that the actual cost of owning and operating an electric bus fleet remains unclear.

The claim of budget neutrality, or no net increase to the district’s budget to transition into electric buses, was constructed based on false assumptions and estimates...

New report details failures at Montgomery County Public Schools over electric bus fleet (wjla.com)

"Despite the delays, Montgomery County Public Schools did not end its relationship with Highland Electric Fleets — or enforce penalties for the company’s lapses, the inspector general found"

 

Probe finds ‘wasteful spending’ in Montgomery electric school bus effort

An electric bus company that was supposed to deliver hundreds of vehicles to the Maryland’s largest school district repeatedly missed delivery deadlines and made late repairs to its vehicles, leading to “millions of dollars in wasteful spending,” according to a report from Montgomery County inspector general criticizing the district’s handling of the contract.

Despite the delays, Montgomery County Public Schools did not end its relationship with Highland Electric Fleets — or enforce penalties for the company’s lapses, the inspector general found. Now the district is spending more than $14 million to buy diesel buses as it faces a vehicle shortage...

https://wapo.st/3MvBTXE