Business Charter School Previously Rejected by County Gets New Life

A charter school that previously was rejected by the Montgomery County Board of Education received new life Thursday when BOE members voted to move forward.

Following directions from the Maryland Board of Education, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) agreed to work with M.B.E.F. College and Career Academies, Inc. to see if it can open in the county for the 2025-26 school year.

After the BOE’s second denial of the proposed school’s plans this summer, charter school officials appealed to the state.

On Oct. 25, the state BOE directed MCPS to grant approval with contingencies that dealt with both finances and facilities planning.

M.B.E.F. wants to open a school in Gaithersburg with a curriculum based on business learning. It would be for middle and high school students...

 Business Charter School Previously Rejected by County Gets New Life - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

State Board of Education Directs @MCPS Board of Ed to Grant Contingent Approval to Charter School @mocoboe

October 24, 2023

Opinion from Maryland State Board of Education in the matter of:

MBEF COLLEGE AND CAREER ACADEMIES, INC. versus Montgomery County Board of Education 

...CONCLUSION For all these reasons, we reverse the local board’s decision denying the Appellant’s application to operate a charter school. Pursuant to Md. Code Ann., Educ § 9-104(d), we remand the matter to the local board and direct the board to grant contingent approval of the Appellant’s charter application and execute a contingent charter agreement consistent with our decision. We further direct the local board to extend the period for the Appellant to meet the contingencies until at least March 1, 2024. The charter agreement shall be executed within 30 days of the date of this decision. We further direct the parties to work together so that the Appellant can correct the deficiencies identified by the local board.3