Community groups and council press MCPS on budget, staffing and accountability for equity work

Community advocates and multiple council members used the Jan. 30 Education and Culture Committee meeting to press Montgomery County Public Schools for clearer budget commitments and sustained staffing for equity and restorative justice work.

Why it matters: Community groups said the district has engaged volunteers and advisory groups to develop recommendations but has not consistently turned those recommendations into funded, measurable actions that reach students most harmed by bias and disproportionate discipline.

Wylia Chase, director of operations and community engagement for the Black and Brown Coalition for Educational Equity and Excellence, told the committee the proposed FY26 operating budget showed increases in security personnel but lacked visible investment in restorative practices and other interventions she and community groups have worked on with MCPS. "Where is the investment in restorative practices?" Chase asked, urging the council to require MCPS to demonstrate how resources will be sustained and how outcomes will be measured.

Council members pressed MCPS staff for specifics on accountability. Sean McGee, an area associate superintendent, described supervisory structures that include goal‑setting conferences, supervisory visits, walk‑throughs, and cross‑office student‑support teams the district uses to help schools not meeting expectations. He said the district will first try to provide additional supports; if those fail, the professional growth system for administrators can be used.

Councilmember May reported she had confirmed with Superintendent Taylor that several staff positions would be reallocated for next year to support implementation: eight restorative justice specialists and three equity instructional specialists would be placed into new professional learning specialist roles that are intended to support district‑wide implementation and school improvement plan work. MCPS staff present described the equity unit’s planned role in designing system‑level strategy, training and guidance for how principals may spend equity add‑on funds, but they acknowledged the need for clear accountability to ensure feedback is implemented.

Advocates and council members requested that the district clarify which training modules are mandatory, which are asynchronous, how attendance will be tracked, and what measurable outcomes will be tied to participation. Several council members also urged MCPS to publish rate‑based metrics (percents) as well as raw counts so the council and public can compare outcomes across schools and over time.

The committee did not take votes but directed MCPS to return with scheduled, detailed updates that tie strategic‑plan goals to school improvement actions, list staffing roles and funding sources, and provide clearer performance measures the council can use to evaluate the district’s progress.