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MCPS reports drop in serious infractions, outlines districtwide safety upgrades
Summary
Chief Marcus Jones and Dr. Peter Moran told the Board of Education that serious student infractions decreased this year and described a package of measures — mandatory training, updated code of conduct, restroom vape sensors and digital mapping — to standardize safety across Montgomery County Public Schools.
Montgomery County Public Schools officials reported a decline in districtwide serious incidents at the June 24 Board of Education meeting and outlined steps they say will make school buildings safer next year.
Chief Marcus Jones, who leads the district's safety team, said safety visits to all high schools and a range of new measures have produced early improvements. "We cleared an estimated 85 percent of a significant backlog of security-related technology requests," Jones said, and staff have rolled out student ID checks, restroom Halo smart sensors and emergency response protocol training.
Dr. Peter Moran, who presented student-infraction data, said the top categories affecting operations were possession of knives, bomb threats, fighting/attacks, drugs/controlled substances and trespassing. For the 2024-25 school year the presentation showed 966 serious infractions, down from 1,069 the previous year. Moran also reported 124 student arrests and Department of Juvenile Services referrals for incidents that occurred on campus; he said the district now distinguishes full-custody arrests from DJS referrals in its reporting.
The administration described next steps intended to apply practices consistently across the system: a revised student code of conduct that prioritizes restorative practices, mandatory training for all administrators and security assistants, quarterly hands-on cluster training, and full adoption of the standard response protocol from the I Love You Guys Foundation.
Jones said the district is also addressing technology gaps. All high-school restrooms now have Halo sensors intended to deter vaping; the district is working with the vendor to reduce false notifications while retaining responsiveness. Digital floor plans and building mapping required by state law (House Bill 472) are a high priority; Jones said vendor meetings are scheduled and a funding request will follow this summer to accelerate implementation.
Board members asked for more granular, school-level data, including per-school counts of infractions and arrests, and for climate and perception data disaggregated by race and grade. Moran said climate-survey results will be available and pledged monthly disciplinary reports attached to BoardDocs so trustees and the public can monitor trends and "hold us accountable." He also outlined a required intake process for suspended students intended to ensure restorative supports and reduce repeat incidents.
The presentation stressed that the work is a multi-year effort. "True safety means every single student feels seen, supported, and ready to learn," Moran said, describing a mix of technology, training and restorative supports the district plans to expand in FY26.
What happens next: MCPS will continue rollouts in August and early fall (administrator and staff training) and provide more detailed school-level reports to the board and in BoardDocs.
