Breaking: MD State Board of Education Smacks MCPS Once Again. Electric Bus Contract Award Still Illegal. #LegalFees

At today's Maryland State Board of Education meeting, the State Board considered a request by the Montgomery County Board of Education to reconsider the State Board's decision from November 2025, that declared the MCPS award of the electric school bus contract to have been arbitrary, unreasonable and illegal. 

From the November 2025, State Board of Education decision: 

ABC7 reported on the State Board's decision.

In that news report, MCPS gave their typical no comment response and then never spoke about the decision again.  

In a statement to the I-Team, MCPS said it is still reviewing the state’s decision and has not yet analyzed the full implications for the district.

What the public never knew is that MCPS did in fact respond to the State Board's decision.  MCPS and the Board of Education went right back to their outside legal counsel and directed legal counsel to dispute the State Board's decision by filing a request for reconsideration.  MCPS and the Board of Education decided to spend more education dollars on outside lawyers. 

Today, the State Board responded to MCPS' request for reconsideration.  

The State Board DENIED Montgomery County Board of Education's request to reconsider the State Board's November 2025 decision that declared the Montgomery County Board of Education's upholding of the award of the electric school bus contract to HET MCPS, LLC to have been arbitrary, unreasonable and illegal. 

The State Board of Education announced this decision at today's meeting that was broadcast on YouTube.  The video of the announcement of the decision is below.  

 

Blair HS Silver Chips: Another Scandal Plagues Electric Buses - Maryland State Board of Education Rules Contract [Illegal]

https://issuu.com/silverchipsonline/docs/october_2025_-_silver_chips_print

 

Silver Chips: Another scandal plagues electric school buses in Montgomery County by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

The Maryland State Board of Education said Montgomery County Public Schools’ electric bus contract was “tainted” by an employee later convicted of fraud.

A school district’s deal to shift to electric buses hits another bump

...The state board said it reviewed the external report conducted on behalf of the Montgomery school district that detailed how the electric-bus contract was awarded. The four-person committee was tasked with scoring the potential vendors.

The state board said that if the scores of Ewald and Watkins were excluded, Highland Electric Fleets would not have won the Montgomery contract. It alleges their involvement “at a minimum … created an appearance of impropriety.”

Ewald’s scores were not included in the report, and López referred questions about the omission to the investigator. Andrew Nussbaum, a Howard County-based attorney, did not immediately answer questions about his report...

 https://wapo.st/3JJn7yR

Maryland's State Board of Education report says MCPS electric bus deal is illegal

...Janis Zink Sartucci, with the Parents Coalition of Montgomery County — a watchdog group — said the state’s findings are unprecedented.

“I have certainly never seen a decision by the Montgomery County Board of Education declared illegal,” Sartucci said.

In a statement to the I-Team, MCPS said it is still reviewing the state’s decision and has not yet analyzed the full implications for the district.

“It is outrageous that our Board of Education and Superintendent have not addressed this issue that has been ongoing for years,” she said. “Instead, they’ve opted to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees on what the State Board of Education now calls a tainted bid award.”..

https://wjla.com/features/i-team/maryland-report-says-mcps-electric-bus-deal-is-illegal-montgomery-county-public-schools-parents-coalition-iteam

Chicago Tribune: "Highland agreed to all the concessions the district requested in the contract, Kerns said."

 

After months of analysis, the West Aurora School District 129 board has decided to add some electric school buses to the district’s fleet.

The plan to bring in 27 electric buses to replace some older diesel models is part of the district’s ongoing efforts to be environmentally-conscious, district officials said.

The move impacts more than one-third of the district’s bus fleet.

The district has a fleet of 73 buses powered by diesel engines, half of which are under two-year leases due to expire at the end of the school year...

...The decision was made Nov. 18. The board decided to partner with Highland due to several key factors as presented by the administration, including contract concessions, West Aurora School Board President Richard Kerns said.

Highland agreed to all the concessions the district requested in the contract, Kerns said...

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/11/25/west-aurora-school-district-charges-ahead-with-plan-to-add-electric-buses/?share=dtcotwsch5ierhebaeho

In lawsuit, HET MCPS, LLC (electric school bus vendor) says Mont. Co. Inspector General "issued misleading and inaccurate findings."

The company that is leasing electric school buses to the Montgomery County Board of Education has filed a lawsuit against one of the other bidders on the MCPS electric school bus procurement.  

Contained in this new lawsuit is an extensive list of things the electric school bus vendor, HET MCPS, LLC, says were misleading and inaccurate in the Montgomery County Inspector General's July 25, 2024, Investigation of MCPS' Management of the Electric Bus Contract Memorandum of Investigation. (Pages 10 - 16)

The lawsuit also discusses the funds allegedly owed to the Board of Education from HET MCPS, LLC.  (Page 18)

The complaint filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland is below.

 

HET MCPS, LLC and HEF-P Bal... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...

Latest revelation over electric bus contract at Montgomery Co. schools provides a jolt at hearing

Montgomery County, Maryland, school officials were already in the hot seat over the school system’s management of a $160 million contract for a fleet of 326 electric school buses when they shocked members of a county audit committee at a hearing this week.

A July Montgomery County Inspector General’s report found that the school district failed to assess $372,000 in performance fees it could have assessed to its vendor, Highland Electric Fleets, for failures to live up to terms of its contract. Issues cited included the late delivery of buses and periods when buses were inoperable due to charging or other issues.

On Monday, Dana Edwards, chief of district operations for Montgomery County Public Schools, told the members of the county council audit committee that MCPS had “invoiced the contractor” to the tune of $1.5 million.

Montgomery County Inspector General Megan Limarzi didn’t hide her surprise: “I’m only hearing today that the number that has been invoiced is $1.5 million,” and she said an “enormous concern” for her office would be to learn more about the details of the terms. Making sure that the contract is enforced mattered, explained Limarzi, “because the vendor is supposed to make sure MCPS has the buses they need to get the children to school.”..

Latest revelation over electric bus contract at Montgomery Co. schools provides a jolt at hearing - WTOP News

@mocoboe Board of Education Consent Agenda is for Unanimous Votes. Superintendent Taylor & BOE Silvestre put purchase of 70 Diesel School Buses on Consent Agenda.

The Montgomery County Board of Education has responded to the ABC7 news report on their purchase of 70 diesel school buses for MCPS by saying:

“Consent agenda items are routine business items that are grouped together to be approved with a single vote. The purpose of a consent agenda is to efficiently address standard administrative and operational responsibilities of the administration that require Board approval...."

But the Board of Education's HANDBOOK (shown below) explains that Consent Agenda items are for unanimous votes.  How did Superintendent Thomas Taylor and Board of Education President Karla Silvetre know in advance that the elected Board of Education members would unanimously vote in favor of this controversial purchase?  

 

 

2024 Board of Education Han... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...

Montgomery County school board approves $13.9M diesel bus purchase in closed session

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — A representative from the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Education confirmed the board approved a multi-million dollar contract for the purchase of 70 diesel buses on Oct. 10. But there’s concern about how the approval was handled.

“It’s absolutely horrifying that a purchase of the size was conducted in a closed session,” said Janis Sartucci of the Parents’ Coalition of Montgomery County.

7News obtained documents that show the acquisition of additional diesel buses was discussed at a Sept. 26 closed school board session...

Montgomery County school board approves $13.9M diesel bus purchase in closed session (wjla.com)

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

Coming up at the County Council: Sept. 30th - IG Investigation of MCPS' Management of the EV School Bus 'Contract'

 

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/COUNCIL/ondemand/index.html

BOE Member Lynne Harris on Electric Bus Scheme: "Our vendors were not being upfront with us. And they were saying different things to different people."

At the January 29, 2024, Montgomery County Board of Education Fiscal Management Committee Meeting, Board of Education member Lynne Harris commented on problems with the HET MCPS, LLC [Highland Electric Fleets] electric school bus scheme, "We are demanding that they be transparent with us."

Listen to her statement at the Board of Education's Fiscal Management Committee meeting on January 29, 2024, during their discussion of the MCPS Department of Transportation. The video is linked below. 

Note that the CESO Report Deliverable #1 was already completed by this meeting, but the MCPS administrators did not present the report to the Board of Education Committee.  

Board of Education member Lynne Harris thanks the MCPS administrators Dana Edwards, Brian Hull and Michael Lewis for their work.  Did she know they were withholding the CESO Report?  

Click link to hear BOE Member Lynne Harris' comment:

https://mcpsmd.new.swagit.com/videos/296073?ts=8170

or

Go to Minute 2:16:09 of January 29, 2024 BOE Fiscal Management Committee Meeting:

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)

Dec. 2023: MCPS Put Out Request for Information on Continued Implementation of an Electric School Bus Fleet, But No Request for Proposals

 

Bid/RFP Number: RFI 4916.2
Solicitation Title	CLOSED NO AWARD - Continued Implementation of an Electric School Bus Fleet
Due Date & Time	02/06/2024   02:00 PM
Contract Type	RFP
Buyer E-mail	Angela_S_Mcintosh-davis@mcpsmd.org
Description	The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit information from qualified, experienced and capable vendors to partner with the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Department of Transportation (DOT) to continue the implementation of a program that initiated two years ago. RFI 4916.2 Cover.pdf  12/14/2023 RFI Continued Implementation of an Electric School Bus Fleet FINAL.pdf  12/14/2023 RFP 4916.2 Erratum 1.pdf  01/03/2024 RFP 4916.2 Erratum 2.pdf  01/17/2024 RFI QA 4916.2 Final.pdf  01/09/2024 Procurement - Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

"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

New report says Montgomery County Public Schools wasted millions on electric buses

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — In 2022 Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) was touting itself as one of the leading school districts in America regarding electric buses.

It signed a contract a year earlier with Highland Electric Fleets to deliver more than 300 electric buses to replace its diesel-powered buses.

Our investigation two years ago uncovered that not all buses arrived on their original delivery dates. Four months in only 7 out of the promised 25 buses were transporting your children.

Now a scathing report from the Montgomery County Office of the Inspector General reveals the $160 million contract with Highland for 326 electric school buses turned into a massive delay of buses for years...

The Parents Coalition of Montgomery County, a taxpayer's watchdog group, is outraged.

"What do you think is alarming for parents to see out of that report?" asked 7News Investigative Reporter Scott Taylor.

"Tremendous amount of waste of dedicated education funding. These are our precious education dollars," said Janis Sartucci with the Parents Coalition of Montgomery County...

https://wjla.com/features/i-team/montgomery-county-public-schools-mcps-electric-buses-montgomery-county-inspector-general-report-highland-electric-fleets-contract-deisel-powered-buses-mechanical-issues-charging-issues-maryland-schools-school-bus-transportation#

Once Again, MoCo Inspector General Confirms a @pcmc1 Investigation. Today it's the @mcps Electric School Bus Scheme

Today, the Montgomery County Inspector General released a Memorandum of Investigation that confirmed many of the concerns that the Parents' Coalition has raised about the Montgomery County Board of Education's electric bus scheme. 

But let's look at just one of the false claims that the Board of Education has made about their electric school bus scheme.

Right on the MCPS website it says:

"The school district is on track to have 326 electric school buses by 2025"

But the Board of Education is NOT on track to have 326 electric school buses by 2025.

From the IG's Memorandum of Investigation (Page 2):

"The contractor did not deliver any of the buses expected in FY2022 through FY2024 by August 1st as required by the agreement's delivery schedule."

and on page 3

"the contractor has notified MCPS that they will not be able to meet the delivery goal for the 2024-2025 school year."

 Read the full text of the Inspector General's Memorandum of Investigation below. 

MOI-FY25 MCPS Electric Bus ... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...

Why did Baltimore City Public Schools Get Electric School Buses with a Grant and Got Special ED buses from Highland?

Baltimore City Schools Unveil 25 New Electric School Buses

...Baltimore City Public Schools, which serves some 75,800 students with a staff of more than 8,900, was awarded a $9.4 million grant by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, which is funded by the 2022 federal infrastructure package. All told, the federal government will invest some $5 billion toward transitioning the nation’s more than 480,000 school buses, which transport around 25 million students daily...

,,,The Baltimore school district partnered with Highland Electric Fleets, an electric school bus as-a-service provider that aids in applying for the grants and softening upfront costs...

https://www.govtech.com/fs/baltimore-city-schools-unveil-25-new-electric-school-buses

SEE THE BALTIMORE CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS SPECIAL EDUCATION ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES AT THIS LINK:

https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-new-electric-school-buses-ev-fleet/46584191?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&fbclid=IwAR3oSsYbwSFyAwQVZdxeTSR9iyA8cy-Y-wDmCYnfWf94SdCCcacqcvlxTes

Board of Education President Clueless about who Owns Electric School Buses. Hint, it's NOT the Board of Education.

Why is the Montgomery County Board of Education President clueless about who owns the electric school buses in use by MCPS today?

Board of Education President Karla Silvestre gives an incorrect statement in the article below implying that the Board of Education has purchased electric school buses. 

In fact, the Board of Education does not own a single electric school bus.  

Board of Education President Karla Silvestre was on the Board of Education when the Transportation Equipment Services Agreement was signed on behalf of the Board of Education.  That agreement was for the use of electric school buses, not the purchase of electric school buses.

Why doesn't she know the terms of that Agreement?  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Five takeaways from the breakfast club meeting with MCPS board president

Karla Silvestre answered community questions on bus electrification, Beidelman investigation and more...What is the current policy of the board regarding electrification of the school bus fleet? Any discussion on the board regarding electrification of present or future buildings?

I don’t know about buildings, but I know the school bus fleet is something that we were very proud to begin to purchase electric school buses. I think we have about 130 electric school buses currently. What’s kind of a hot button item right now is that we’ve had to purchase additional diesel buses because we’re not getting the electric buses in a timely manner. And we’re afraid that if they continue to delay the delivery of the electric buses, we’re going to be stuck with not having enough buses to pick up kids...

Five takeaways from breakfast club with MCPS board president | MoCo360

MCPS Got ZERO Grant Funding for $168M Electric School Bus Scheme while Texas School District got a $1.58 million Clean School Bus grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Texas School District Goes All-Electric

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Montgomery County's Board of Education will pay out of the MCPS Operating Budget for the use of electric school buses without the benefit of any grant funding.   

The Montgomery County Board of Education is a national leader in making poor financial decisions.  

Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland: Breaking: MCPS Doesn't Know if $168M Electric School Bus Procurement Scheme is Budget-Neutral ~and~ Two Sets of Bid Evaluations Surface for Electric School Bus Contract Award. (parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com)