By Adam Pagnucco.
The county inspector general’s report on background check failures at MCPS has generated saturation media coverage and a vow by the superintendent to improve. Now, the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (MCCPTA) has weighed in, calling the problems “shocking” and suggesting a supplemental budget to clear the background check backlog. MCCPTA’s statement is reprinted below.
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MCCPTA’s Executive Committee made the following statement in response to the Office of the Inspector General’s report, “Review of MCPS Background Screening Office”:
For families, staff, and students, being safe in schools is of primary importance. Teaching and learning can not happen when staff and children are not safe. The Inspector General’s report provides a rational reason for families to feel unsafe.
The systemic deficiencies in Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) Background Screening Office pointed out in this report are shocking. We outline our concerns below:
- We call upon all parties to take responsibility for the systemic failures and lack of oversight. This includes MCPS staff, the Board of Education, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the Maryland Department of Human Services, the County Council, and County Executive.
- We are extremely disappointed to learn that, per the report, MCPS leadership was informed of the fingerprint clearance backlog in December 2024, almost nine months ago. It is hard to understand why this issue was not raised during FY26 operating budget discussions in order to ensure needed funding for clearing this backlog (which could take years, per the report).
- We urge the Board of Education to examine their own processes and policies for oversight to determine how this issue wasn’t discovered or corrected over more than one administration. We also call on Dr. Taylor to repair these systemic issues quickly. The shared action plan appears to be a step in that direction. Until the backlogs are cleared, parents and the entire MCPS community deserve regular public updates about progress toward that plan.
- We strongly suggest a supplemental budget appropriation to MCPS and/or DHHS to ensure adequate staffing to expedite clearing the backlog of fingerprinting and CPS checks. The issues have been identified; now elected officials and staff need to follow through with funding for staff to solve the problem.
- In order to strengthen MCPS, fundamental corrections to many district-wide systems are needed everything from human resources to procurement to transportation. These non-instructional units create the foundation of a stable and high functioning school system.
At a time when MCPS has immense hiring needs, its Human Resources department needs to be trusted to keep everyone–students, families, and staff–safe.
The 200 PTSAs in Montgomery County stand ready to assist in disseminating information about school background check requirements and processes for volunteers. Please share plans for next steps and how we may assist.