Dear Colleagues:

Montgomery County Public Schools is committed to providing a safe and welcoming learning and working environment for students and staff across our district. To fulfill this commitment, all staff are required to complete the annual Districtwide Compliance Training for the 2023-2024 school year. This training is designed to ensure that every employee has the necessary information to establish and maintain a positive, safe, healthy, and lawful climate and culture in which all adults and students are able to thrive and do their best work. 

This year, 3 brand new modules have been developed and organized around 3 important areas of focus; a) Student Safety, b) Respecting Student Differences, and c) Workplace Expectations.  The mandatory training consists of these 3 online modules designed to be completed in one sitting. Topics from these modules include preventing, recognizing, and reporting child abuse and neglect, employee code of conduct, bullying, harassment (including sexual harassment) and intimidation prevention, recognizing and reporting incidents of hate-bias, religious diversity, and many other important issues. While some of the content may appear familiar, many have been reworked for the upcoming school year. The pre-assessment format made available in the recent past to returning employees is no longer available, ensuring that all of our employees experience the newer, more streamlined content in an efficient manner.

Based on your MCPS position you may be required to complete job-specific trainings that are separate and in addition to the districtwide compliance modules. Your principal or supervisor will notify you of these requirements. The mandatory compliance training requirement by employee associations is as follows:

DIRECTIONS with REQUIRED COMPLETION DATES Click HERE

Access to the online training opens July 1, 2022:

MCEA à One-half day (4 hrs.) will be programmed within pre-service week for all MCEA school-based staff to take online compliance training.  MCEA unit members may elect to take the online compliance training before the start of pre-service week. Teachers who choose to do so will be released from the scheduled four hours of time during pre-service week dedicated for compliance training.  See chart linked above

SEIU à All 10-month and overtime-eligible 12-month Service Employees International Union (SEIU) unit members must complete the training during their normal duty hours. Unit members may not take this training (even voluntarily) outside of their normal duty hours. See chart linked above

MCAAP, MCBOA, STUDENT TEACHERS, INTERNS, COACHES, TPTà See chart linked above

SUBSTITUTES (Permanent and Temporary) à Training Requirements will be communicated by the Substitute Teacher Office in the Office of Human Resources and Development. 

Due to the importance of this training, school-based staff will not be permitted to work with students until training is completed.  In cases of noncompliance, the Department of Compliance and Investigations and Student Welfare and Compliance will work directly with principals and supervisors to determine any necessary personnel actions.  For support in accessing and viewing the modules, click here. For questions regarding this memorandum or related content, contact the Student Welfare and Compliance at 240-740-3215 or email SWC@mcpsmd.org.

Thank you all for understanding the importance of this annual compliance training, as well as ensuring you are prepared to keep our students and ourselves feeling safe and valued in our schools.

Sincerely,

Dr. Monifa McKnight

Superintendent of Schools