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Council holds position on MC 625 school closure bill pending Board of Education input
Summary
Council members voted to hold taking a position on local bill MC 625, which would set six systemwide no-student-attendance days (including Juneteenth), until the Board of Education provides a formal position and fiscal impact detail.
The Montgomery County Council agreed to hold taking a position on MC 625, a local bill that would designate six days with no student attendance on the county public-school calendar, until the Board of Education completes its review and states a position.
Kathleen Boucher, Special Assistant to the Director in the Office of Intergovernmental Relations, briefed the council on the bill and recent amendments. She said the bill originally required a systemwide closure for six days but the adopted amendments delay application until the FY2026–27 school year, strike language that made the days systemwide closures for teachers and instead designate them as “no student attendance” days, and add Juneteenth to the list. “It delays its application until FY26–27 school year,” Boucher said.
Boucher told the council the Board of Education’s legislative affairs coordinator, Patty Ersprung, had indicated the board had not yet taken a formal position and retained concerns about potential fiscal impacts and effects on collective bargaining for certain hourly school employees. Council Vice President Giando said he was sensitive to Board autonomy and proposed holding the county’s position until the board completes its review. After a motion to hold until the Board of Education takes a position, the council voted in favor of the hold.
Council members asked clarifying questions about the bill’s hearing history; staff said the bill had a local public hearing in the fall with the delegation and, after the delegation acted, it will next go to the House standing committee for a hearing. The council’s packet noted the delegation adopted the committee’s amendments and that the Board of Education had not yet taken a final position. Several council members said they support the intent but deferred to the board’s local autonomy over its calendar.
The council will revisit MC 625 after the Board of Education issues a formal position and/or provides additional fiscal analysis.
