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Board of Education to Hold Public Hearing Feb. 20 to Consider Modifications to or Elimination of Three MCPS Programs

Posted On February 13, 2024
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The Board of Education is actively working to develop a responsible and effective Operating Budget for FY 2025 that focuses on the needs of MCPS students and employees. 

As part of that work and after listening to extensive public comment, the Board is considering making modifications to or eliminating three programs in FY25: The MCPS Virtual Academy, which was funded through the use of the ESSER grant during the COVID-19 pandemic; The MCPS Innovative Schools Initiative that includes an extended academic calendar at Arcola Elementary School and Roscoe R. Nix Elementary School; and The Leader in Me Program, offered at a handful of schools across MCPS.

The Board will hold a public hearing regarding these programs on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. The hearing will be held in-person and will be open to the public. Thank you to those who have registered to provide public comment. The speaker list is now full but you may submit written testimony to BOEtestimony@mcpsmd.org. 

The federal ESSER which provided funds to support the district’s COVID 19 pandemic recovery has come to an end. In addition, the economic environment and rising inflation are significantly impacting the school system’s finances. Due to this current economic climate, the Board of Education is taking a deep and serious look into the upcoming budget for FY25, including analysis of what is essential, what the school system can afford, and what is really moving the needle for MCPS in terms of student achievement.  

The Board of Education is also committed to making sure that the budget aligns with our core priorities including improving math and literacy rates and ensuring a safe and inclusive school environment. The Board must focus on ensuring there is a return on investment for all MCPS students in a large and complex school system.

The Board is not solely focused on analysis of these three programs - it is looking at all programs included in the proposed FY25 budget. The Board of Education is highlighting these programs in order to hear specific feedback from the community.