About the Board of Education
Julie Yang
President / District 3
Grace Rivera-Oven
Vice President / District 1
Karla Silvestre
At Large
Rita Montoya
At Large
Brenda Wolff
District 5
Laura Stewart
District 4
Natalie Zimmerman
District 2
Praneel Suvarna
Student Member
Our Role
The Montgomery County Board of Education provides leadership and oversight for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) by
- Setting goals,
- Establishing policies, and
- Committing resources to benefit our diverse student population.
The Board’s work is guided by its vision, mission, core purpose, and core values, as outlined in the MCPS Strategic Planning Framework: Building Our Future Together.
Who We Are
The Montgomery County Board of Education is made up of seven county residents elected by voters to serve a four-year term, and a student representative elected by secondary school students to serve a one-year term. Meet the Board Members.
Board members are elected countywide but either serve the district in which they reside or the entire County as at-large members. Learn about election districts.
Contact the Board
We want to hear from you!
Meetings
The Board typically holds business meetings twice each month, convening for one all-day meeting and one evening meeting. Business meetings are open to the public in person and via livestream.
Other meetings are held to hear appeals; review and act on budgets and facilities; preside over public hearings; meet with other elected officials and public bodies; host community forums; meet regularly with stakeholders; and hold local, state, and national association meetings.
Committees
The Board of Education's committees explore topics in detail to provide recommendations to the full Board. Current committees include:
Citizen advisory committees are required by the Annotated Code of Maryland, Education Article §4-112, to ensure that local school boards will be informed by a variety of opinions from citizens and staff when considering specific issues, activities, and programs.
Committee meetings take place throughout the year and are listed on the Board’s meeting calendar. Committee meetings are open to the public in person and via livestream.
Board of Education Priorities
2024-25 School Year
Priority #1: The Board will hold MCPS accountable for using a robust system of continuous improvement that regularly evaluates data, sets metrics to gauge progress, and provides high-quality interventions to improve student achievement in math and reading, with a specific emphasis on grades K, 3, 6, and 9.
Priority #2: The Board will hold MCPS accountable for ensuring everyone in our schools experiences physical and psychological safety within an inclusive and welcoming learning environment.
Priority #3: The Board will help MCPS improve its educator pipeline by supporting the implementation of the Grow Your Own Initiative, advocating for and investing in innovative recruitment and retention initiatives, and ensuring the equitable distribution of staff through appointments.
Priority #4: The Board will support MCPS in a thorough and comprehensive examination of MCPS curriculum and graduation requirements and will be zealous advocates at the State level for graduation requirements that are relevant and support student engagement.
Legislative Priorities
Each year the Board sets out a legislative priorities in response to bills before the Maryland General Assembly and in keeping with the priorities, vision and goals the Board has set out for the school system.
Learn more about the Board's Annual Legislative Priorites, including an archive of past legislative platforms and helpful links for government relations work.
The Board's 2025 Legislative Platform was approved on September 26, 2024.
Policies and Regulations
The Board sets policies and regulations to benefit our diverse student population. The Board’s work is guided by its academic priorities, as outlined in the MCPS Strategic Plan, Our Call to Action: Pursuit of Excellence.
Operations Handbook
The Operations Handbook outlines the manner by which the Board typically operates and carries out the authority delegated to it by law.
Study on Roles and Responsibilities
The 2024 Study on Roles and Responsibilties is a comprehesive review of Board Members' current and projected scope of responsibilties.