Opinion: Three solutions for solving MCPS equity funding controversy 

Taxpayers League treasurer says this fall is a good time to reconsider policies

By Gordie Brenne

August 6, 2026 10:54 a.m.

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In July, an Office of Legislative Oversight (OLO) report claimed that Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) “budgeting and staffing practices center and privilege White students” and “disproportionately harm Black and Latinx students.” MCPS rejected the claim: “It is unacceptable and irresponsible to accuse a public agency of racist resource allocation without substantial evidence, which this report does not provide.”  

In response, one community member suggests that “MCPS frames itself as inheriting these inequities. That’s true, but the question is whether any of its own policies, practices, or decisions also amplify or perpetuate these inequities, and that’s exactly why independent oversight like this OLO report matter.” The Taxpayers League would add to that sentiment that an Office of Inspector General reporting to the Board of Education would also help by performing continuous oversight of academic performance, independent of management. 

We believe that this fall would be a good time for MCPS to rethink policies, practices and decisions going into union contract negotiations and budget formulation for FY 2028. And, while there is much to address in the OLO report, the Taxpayers League’s focus is on low income — Free and Reduced-price Meals (FARMs)–students because we believe poverty is a root cause for most academic proficiency problems, not race. MCPS notes in its response FARMs students are 44.5% of all students. In fact, last year’s Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) test showed a growing gap between FARMs versus non-FARMs students of 34 points for English Language Arts proficiency, and a gap of 32 points in math. 

Here are three practices that must change to improve student outcomes:  

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1. Extra Duty Compensation: Management responded to the OLO report by saying extra compensation is paid to low-income school teachers: $7,000, plus $10,000 if they are Board Certified. But $7,000 doesn’t come close to the extra time effective teachers must spend performing interventions, supervising tutoring and communicating with parents who might be hard to reach. The primary reason for budget disparities according to OLO is the higher number of inexperienced teachers in low-income schools. Increased low-income school teacher compensation can be funded by lowering overhead costs in accordance with strategic plan objectives. Also, MCPS sponsors a job fair every spring that allows teachers to freely move out of low-income schools, largely in east county, if they are tenured or after two years, to teach in west county. More experienced teachers leave east county and are replaced by inexperienced teachers. Who can blame them? They may be seeking shorter workdays, fewer classroom disruptions and easier parent communications in a higher-income school. Also, significant pay increases for west county teachers who don’t face these daily challenges greatly hinder east county principal efforts to recruit and retain effective teachers.   

2. Effectiveness Measures for Proficiency: Neither teacher nor principal effectiveness ratings measure improvements in student proficiency. Amazingly there is no accountability at the school level for this. This may work for west county schools, but not in east county. Although the strategic plan calls for improving proficiency in math and reading, there is just a passing reference to reaching out to all parents whose students who need tutoring and intervention help in the teachers handbook. Stronger criteria would provide an objective way to assure low-income schools get effective teachers and principals, help rotate out those who don’t measure up and target incentives to recruit and retain the best. Another policy example is negotiated teacher planning time flexibility that limits control by principals who need to assure interventions and tutoring are taking place.   

3. School Improvement Plans: Management cited the district strategic plan in its response, but there still are no strategies in the plan for closing the achievement gap approved by the Board in June 2025; just objectives. Without strategies and annual improvement targets there is little reason to believe the district plan will work in east county schools. Academic strategies are implemented by schools, not the central office.  Accountability is needed at the school level, but a June 11, 2025 MCPS press release clarifies the district plan will be met if low-income kids achieve a 50% increase in proficiency. This is magical thinking. School budgets are still largely produced using formulas, without regard to the level of student proficiency improvements needed and agreed to by schools in their individual plans. Further, finding 11 in the OLO report notes that MCPS allocates most of its compensatory education funding to elementary-aged students and elementary schools via its staffing of pre-kindergarten programs, Title I and focus schools, and its class size reduction initiative. Allocations based on low-income secondary school improvement plans will fix the accountability problem.   

In conclusion: OLOs first recommendation that funding above state’s mandatory Maintenance of Effort spending minimum be earmarked to reduce staffing inequities is long overdue. The County Executive and Council are key checks and balances when MCPS fails to do this.  

Balanced reporting is equally important to hold policy makers accountable. We were disturbed that only one candidate for County Executive, Will Jawando was quoted in a July 24 Bethesda Magazine article, and the other candidate, Esther Wells, apparently was not interviewed.  Jawando was endorsed by the teachers union, and notably moved that the Council transfer $36 million of the MCPS FY 2027 capital budget for HVAC and other building repairs to increase MCPS compensation (money is fungible and this is the largest budget component). Also, his Education Committee reviewed budget requests with general wage and COLA adjustments double automatic step increases, without ties to academic performance. As a result, in five years–2023-2027–the county council exceeded the MoE minimum for local MCPS appropriations by a combined $801 million while enrollment fell, and the achievement gap grew. Our kids deserve better. 

Gordie Brenne of Silver Spring is the treasurer for the Montgomery County Taxpayers League. 

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Originally published at Bethesdamagazine