By Adam Pagnucco. Part One related the story of how MCPS started a pilot program in East Silver Spring Elementary School, a school with a large Black and brown student…
Can MCPS Fix the Achievement Gap? Part One
By Adam Pagnucco. The achievement gap. This is absolutely one of the most challenging issues in all of public education. After decades of work, it’s doubtful that anyone has yet…
By Adam Pagnucco. In its meeting today, the county council issued a proclamation recognizing Teacher Appreciation Day. But members of the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) showed up en masse…
Tax Hike Number Two
By Adam Pagnucco. In the wake of a potentially huge increase in school impact taxes, the county council has passed a recordation tax hike for the first time in seven…
Should There Be a People’s Counsel?
By Adam Pagnucco. One of the issues simmering underneath the county’s current budget debate is whether to bring back the People’s Counsel, an office that remains in law but has…
A guest column by Jud Ashman, Mayor of Gaithersburg. Let’s take a quick break from politics and policy and talk about things that there’s at least a chance we can…
Council Hunts for Savings in Elrich’s Budget
By Adam Pagnucco. Battered by tax-shocked residents, county employee unions and the legions of people who regularly demand funding for their favored spending, the county council is trying to navigate…
School Impact Taxes Set to Skyrocket
By Adam Pagnucco. The first of multiple tax hikes that will likely be implemented in coming weeks is now on deck. But this one did not originate with either the…
Unions Blast Effort to Reduce Tax Hike
By Adam Pagnucco. The Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) and Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 500 have issued a press release blasting measures taken by the county council’s Education…
By Adam Pagnucco. In the wake of a request by Council Members Natali Fani-Gonzalez and Gabe Albornoz to fund council-directed media ads, Council Member Kristin Mink now has a spending…