By Adam Pagnucco.
MCPS Superintendent Monifa McKnight and Board of Education President Karla Silvestre have sent a letter to the county council thanking them for their “ongoing support of Montgomery County Public Schools’ students, families and staff.” They write, “Our students, families and staff are fortunate to benefit from your leadership and prioritization of our children.”
This is a smart move by the superintendent and the school board. MCPS has many long-term needs that require the assistance of the council. One rough budget year is not worth endangering that relationship.
We shall see if this olive branch impacts the teachers union, which branded the council’s recent budget as starving the school system.
The letter is reprinted below.
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May 22, 2023
Members of the Montgomery County Council
Stella B. Werner Office Building
100 Maryland Avenue, 6th Floor
Rockville, Maryland 20850
Dear Councilmembers,
We write to thank you and your colleagues for the ongoing support of Montgomery County Public Schools’ students, families and staff. We are appreciative of the commitment to compensating our teachers, administrators, and staff who support our students each and every day. The Board applauds the County Council’s recent action on the recordation tax, which will help fund school construction.
As Council President Glass stated, funding of educational institutions is a complex discussion. We have and will continue to engage in serious, meaningful dialogue about the school system, student achievement, and student needs. We are committed to this ongoing discussion and look forward to working collaboratively with the Education and Culture Committee and the Council to create space for these conversations. In particular, we will partner with the Education and Culture Committee to fulfill the Chair’s goal to have meetings that are data-driven and results-oriented. In addition, as we wrote in our letter to the Council President on April 24, 2023, we are working to schedule joint meetings with the Board and the Council next school year.
Thank you for your partnership and support. Our students, families and staff are fortunate to benefit from your leadership and prioritization of our children.
Sincerely,
Karla Silvestre
President, Montgomery County Board of Education
Monifa B. McKnight, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
