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SUMMARY OF CHANGES

2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR

New and Revised Board of Education Policies and MCPS Regulations


New Board of Education Policies 


Amended Board of Education Policies

ABC, Family-School Partnerships

On October 26, 2023, the Montgomery County Board of Education amended Policy ABC, Parent and Family Involvement, to change the name to Policy ABC, Family-School Partnerships, and to align with updated standards from the National PTA, National Standards for Family-School Partnerships, and findings from the MCPS Antiracist System Audit.

BLB, Rules of Procedure in Appeals and Hearings

On October 26, 2023, the Montgomery County Board of Education amended Policy BLB, Rules of Procedure in Appeals and Hearings, to designate “work” day and “calendar” day in alignment with Maryland law, and clarify that the Board or the Board’s designee may exercise discretion to extend time limits on a case-by-case basis. Revisions also designate “work” day and “calendar” day in alignment with Maryland law, and clarify that the Board or the Board’s designee may exercise discretion to extend time limits on a case-by-case basis. Additional amendments set forth the process for the superintendent of schools to respond to the appeal at the request of the Board and/or provide an explanation of decisions that are the subject of the appeal.


New MCPS Regulations


Revised MCPS Regulations

ACG-RC, Service Animals in Schools

On January 26, 2024, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation ACG-RC, Service Animals in Schools, was revised to clarify the definition of a service animal under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008. The clarifications were requested to distinguish service animals from emotional support animals, which do not meet the requirements of ADA.

COG-RA, Personal Mobile Devices

On January 26, 2024, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation COG-RA, Personal Mobile Devices, was revised to clarify conditions under which principals may need to seek approval from the Office of Strategic Initiatives/Shared Accountability for uses of personal mobile devices (PMDs) during the school day. The Maryland State Department of Education specifies conditions under which PMDs could be considered a test security risk in a standardized testing environment, and these conditions and relevant procedures are referenced in Regulation ILA-RA, Assessments with Security and Reporting Requirements.

IOE-RB, Interim Instructional Services

On January 26, 2024, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation IOE-RB, Interim Instructional Services, was revised to clarify timelines and responsibilities for the submission of requests for interim instructional services (IIS). The clarifications were recommended by the Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Education to ensure provision of a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for students with disabilities.  However, the updates also clarify the roles of school counselors, parents/guardians, and authorized health providers when requesting IIS for any MCPS student.

ISB-RA, High School Graduation Requirements

On January 26, 2024, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation ISB-RA, High School Graduation Requirements, was revised to reflect technical updates for clarity, such as updated names of Maryland assessments.

JGA-RA, Student Behavior Interventions

On January 26, 2024, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation JGA-RA, Classroom Management and Student Behavior Interventions, was revised to clarify procedures in alignment with updated Maryland law that prohibits seclusion in Maryland public schools. The regulation was also retitled "Student Behavior Interventions," and reflects recent amendments to Montgomery County Board of Education Policy JGA, Behavior Intervention, Safety, and Well-being Plan.

JEA-RA, Student Attendance

On October 25, 2023, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation JEA-RA, Student Attendance was revised to implement the Attendance Campaign set forth in the August 9, 2023 memorandum to the Board. Commitments include strategies to promote regular student attendance, regular analysis of attendance data, a continuum of strategies to notify parents/guardians when attendance becomes a concern, and a root cause analysis problem-solving approach, coupled with targeted interventions.

Further revisions comply with recommendations of the Maryland Office of the Inspector General for Education (OIGE). Updates reflect MCPS's commitment to ensuring accuracy in the reporting of annual September 30 enrollment counts. Specific OIGE recommendations highlighted misalignment between MCPS withdrawal procedures and the Maryland Student Records System Manual, and the need for additional oversight procedures to support accuracy and fidelity in the attendance taking process.

IQD-RB, Academic Eligibility for Middle School Students Who Participate in Interscholastic Athletics

On October 25, 2023, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation IQD-RB, Academic Eligibility for Middle School Students Who Participate in Interscholastic Athletics was revised to align with Board of Education Policy, IQD, Extracurricular Activities, clarify terminology and reflect current practice. The revisions –

  • reference Board commitments to high academic standards and a range of extracurricular activities that do not require academic eligibility;
  • clarify that academic eligibility is one component of eligibility for interscholastic eligibility, among others that include age, attendance, enrollment, and health requirements;
  • define marking period average and cumulative grade point average as needed; and
  • remove and reference language on dropped courses that is fully addressed in MCPS Regulation IKC-RA, Grade Point Averages (GPA) and Weighted Grade Point Averages (WGPA).

IQD-RA, Academic Eligibility for High School Students Who Participate in Interscholastic Athletics

On October 23, 2023, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation IQD-RA, Academic Eligibility for High School Students Who Participate in Interscholastic Athletics was revised to align with Board of Education Policy, IQD, Extracurricular Activities, clarify terminology and reflect current practice. The revisions –

  • reference Board commitments to high academic standards and a range of extracurricular activities that do not require academic eligibility;
  • clarify that academic eligibility is one component of eligibility for interscholastic eligibility, among others that include age, attendance, enrollment, and health requirements;
  • define marking period average and cumulative grade point average as needed; and
  • remove and reference language on dropped courses that is fully addressed in MCPS Regulation IKC-RA, Grade Point Averages (GPA) and Weighted Grade Point Averages (WGPA).

JFA-RA, Student Rights and Responsibilities

On October 23, 2023, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation JFA-RA, Student Rights and Responsibilities, technical revisions were made to bring the regulation into alignment with more recently enacted published MCPS regulations (i.e., Regulations IGO-RA, Guidelines for Incidents of Alcohol, Cannabis, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse Involving Students; Regulation IQD-RA, Academic Eligibility for High School Students Who Participate in Interscholastic Athletics; and IQD-RB, Academic Eligibility for Middle School Students Who Participate in Interscholastic Athletics) and published MCPS guidance (i.e., A Student’s Guide to Rights and Responsibilities in MCPS and Guidelines for Respecting Religious Diversity in Montgomery County Public Schools).

KLA-RA, Responding to Inquiries and Complaints from the Public
On October 18, 2023, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation KLA-RA, Responding to Inquiries and Complaints from the Public was revised to align with findings and recommendations of a stakeholder review team convened by the superintendent of schools. The revisions reflect extensive engagement with community members to –

  • define and clarify key terms and roles (e.g., complainant, ombudsman, and designated administrators),
  • establish digital solutions for submitting complaints and a single point of entry for all complaints,
  • identify offices that serve as resources and specific supports available to complainants, including interpreters,
  • clarify types of concerns not subject to the complaint from the public process, for which appeal processes are established in federal or state requirements or other MCPS regulations, and
  • rename the regulation Concerns, Complaints, and Appeals to the Superintendent of Schools to better reflect the breadth of guidance provided.

IKA-RA, Grading and Reporting 

On September 28, 2023, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation IKA-RA, Grading and Reporting, was revised to comply with amended Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) taking effect for the 2023-2024 school year regarding end of course (EOC) assessments in government and science. Starting with the 2023-2024 school year, the EOC requirement impacts first-time 9th graders and will impact successive cohorts of first-time 9th grade students so that it is fully implemented by the 2026-2027 school year.  Students impacted by these amendments are not required to pass the EOC exams to graduate but must pass the course to earn course credit.  The EOC exam must be included as 20 percent of a student’s final grade in EOC courses.  Additional updates are proposed to bring the regulation in alignment with current procedures, and other revisions for clarity.

JEE-RA, Student Transfers and Administrative Placements

On September 28, 2023, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation JEE-RA, Student Transfers and Administrative Placements was revised to add implementation guidance regarding students administratively placed for reportable offenses committed off MCPS property. Additional revisions were proposed to –

  • remove language that the Board of Education relocated to Policy JEE, Student Transfers, regarding qualifying conditions for Change of School Assignments;
  • update offices responsible for reviewing requests for returning a student to their home school after an approved Change of School Assignment and requests for administratively placing a student, in alignment with current practice; and
  • update administrative placement procedures to reflect Board of Education Policy JGA, Behavior Intervention, Safety, and Well-being Plan, and the Student Code of Conduct in MCPS.

CHA-RA, Developing and Publishing Regulations

On September 25, 2023, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation CHA-RA, Developing and Publishing Regulations, was updated to align with Board Policy BFA, Policysetting, which allows for technical updates to regulation to update references to specific offices, job titles, or descriptions of functions that have been reassigned; bring a regulation into alignment with more recently enacted Board policy or published MCPS guidance; and/or comply with federal, state, or local law.

IGO-RA, Guidelines for Incidents of Alcohol, Cannabis, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse Involving Students

On July 19, 2023, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Regulation IGO-RA, Guidelines for Incidents of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Abuse Involving Students, was revised and retitled to reference medical marijuana, update search and seizure procedures, and clarify drug possession procedures that may be relevant to student drug use.

 


Rescinded Board of Education Policies


Rescinded MCPS Regulations