[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6304813,"mediaKeyId","2452986-017cd9eacd18d4b1760fe95cd92df7fb","parentId",2452986,"title","Policy committee advances draft on investigations of employee misconduct after public-comment revisions","audioSeconds",1829,"startMs",1699000,"endMs",3528000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2452986-017cd9eacd18d4b1760fe95cd92df7fb&start=1699&end=3528","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2452986-017cd9eacd18d4b1760fe95cd92df7fb/thumbnail_1699000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6304813/Maryland/Policy-committee-advances-draft-on-investigations-of-employee-misconduct-after-public-comment-revisions","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304813-22b1b3a8851ef06c8559170698c93acd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012280&Signature=N488ssEfYY0XHoADEPv7S1lRwvo7r5WImSfQUOvTDiw2znZs7iSkIuCQ7ulDRz1f~YSz8fgthv11-yAvl9WAgxrJGqnfXwSP2WAybOtzpJB34gPemOxfCmkQAPvAvW4L-Naz5wvqrFLxGQJCZQ-5VjUvPJ2otuBRwQ5VqcmouEYrhPK5gkqoHMR-0CaMLcrVkyl81Hhh6NKGj52fE1f8R-OJtJzue9B0hoo774fyg14iHDhJXN5zr7ejs0m61syHQhDTmZ767xUmJp2hAIdCYV85PjR6c3Q4W9kbljUMygLahpqQtWLaPR~5xs6qpAX2F351moMvGccK7VECt-4G3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Montgomery County Public Schools","date","2025-02-28T09:33:41Z","article","The Montgomery County Board of Education Policy Management Committee on Feb. 27 reviewed public comments on draft Policy GCB, \"Investigation of Allegations of Employee Misconduct,\" and agreed to forward the revised draft to the full board for final action.

Julie Yang, board member for District 3 (chairing the meeting), said the committee would consider updates and then asked staff to present responses to the public comments. Leslie Turner Percival, legal director in the Office of General Counsel, and James Coutos, Acting Director in the Department of Compliance and Investigations (DCI), led the presentation of recommended changes.

James Coutos said the draft should remain focused on the purpose of investigations: \"to establish key facts, to address gaps in the evidence, and to resolve inconsistencies in such evidence.\" He summarized four themes from stakeholder comments and staff responses: requiring superintendent-issued regulations and administrative procedures; establishing timelines; addressing conflicts of interest; and training and certification for the investigation unit.

Staff proposed language requiring the superintendent to establish regulations and detailed administrative procedures for consistent implementation, and to review procedures annually. On timelines, staff recommended that the superintendent set timeframes in regulation, with the caveat that MCPS internal investigations must not begin or interfere while an external agency is leading an investigation.

On conflicts of interest, staff said employees could disclose potential conflicts to either their supervisor, the chief of the Office of Human Resources and Development, or the board ethics officer, \"as set forth in the board's ethics policy.\" Jessica Boone, Director in the Department of Compliance and Investigations, described proposed expansion of the policy's retaliation language, including the Maryland whistleblower statute's text and cross-references in MCPS regulations and the employee code of conduct.

Staff recommended additional language to require a secured case-tracking system with access, use and disclosure protocols. \"I can assure the committee that the Guardian system that went online last June does precisely that,\" Boone said, referring to the district's case-management platform.

Board members pressed for clarity on several points. Brenda Wolf (District 5) asked whether communication protocols with accused employees are contractual; staff described collaboration with employee associations and offered to reference related regulations. Wolf also asked whether the Office of General Counsel reviews certain cases that may lead to termination; staff said the practice exists but is not codified and agreed to consider adding a reference to regulations or policy.

Committee members supported allowing limited audits of completed investigations focused on trends, not personnel details, and asked staff to consider process-language clarifying whether a hearing officer is assigned in every appeal. Staff agreed to replace prescriptive language with statutory cross-reference language where appropriate (for example, to Education Article appeal provisions referenced in the discussion).

After discussion, the committee voted to refer draft Policy GCB to the full board for final action. The motion carried unanimously with the three members present.

The committee packet includes a five-page draft marked \"response to public comments\" and a 17-page stakeholder engagement summary listing outreach contacts and all received comments; staff indicated the draft inserts specific regulatory and procedural requirements at the lines cited in the packet.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education - Policy Management Committee Meeting - 2/27/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Montgomery County Board of Education Policy Management Committee on Feb. 27 reviewed public comments on draft Policy GCB, \"Investigation of Allegations of Employee Misconduct,\" and agreed to forward the revised draft to the full board for final action.","taxTitle","Montgomery County Public Schools, School Boards, Maryland","taxId",38270,"location","Maryland","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304804,"Committee reviews new regulation on reportable student offenses and communication with law enforcement",3768,3773000,4952,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2452986-017cd9eacd18d4b1760fe95cd92df7fb&start=3773&end=4","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2452986-017cd9eacd18d4b1760fe95cd92df7fb/thumbnail_3773000.jpg","/articles/6304804/Maryland/Committee-reviews-new-regulation-on-reportable-student-offenses-and-communication-with-law-enforcement","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304804-a9a906ddaaedc9c4a09724ca6a88b627/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012280&Signature=FQecEc865eybnHtFnc9hI8WeMKGHsuR7Q1UYEljUdR6URev0ItePxOELyxYoD0MpFbmQvx-UqNGkXCi~W7C3gy210YpKQ641strllnBt7zKvAqM6wSTep2Wx0D931WUTZJAixZhomX34o8lN4uM4HpItwEDZTJ-LvSQTd~6YKv9dWJVnOyEMulh-9rqus4QSQgsIqKwucbfwh8cymBAsjE~C1J6lM5bBz7PKQ47emlYalzrIN28hkD5c2UAOoDYDmQ81LJb9okhe4y2K0lys84NH5d5QTN4481An5TkXM3QLekMUS8HRJ~rJfYCKKrva0JMkngq8wz-ce4~DljdoBw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Montgomery County Public Schools staff briefed the Policy Management Committee on Feb. 27 about a regulation—COA RC—implementing Maryland law on reportable student offenses that occur off school property or outside school-sponsored events.

Sally Davis summarized key points and said the regulation implements state reporting requirements to the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). \"The law requires MSDE to report annually to the General Assembly, and we have to report information to MSDE,\" Davis said in response to committee questions.

Committee members asked how the regulation affects school responses when a student is arrested or detained outside school. Staff said the regulation establishes protocols for communication with law enforcement and, when appropriate, with detention facilities such as the Department of Juvenile Services, to coordinate educational services and ensure school teams consider safety impacts when students return to school.

Board members sought clarification on whether arrests automatically trigger school removals; staff said arrest alone is not a legal basis for removing a student and described concern at the state level that arrests were being used as a de facto removal without following required procedural steps. Staff said the regulation clarifies the process districts must follow before removing a student from their regular program in response to off-campus conduct.

Members asked for the full regulation text; staff said the regulation was signed by the superintendent on Nov. 21 and that a link to the signed regulation can be provided in committee packets and the superintendent's weekly update. Staff apologized for a mistaken statement in the packet that the regulation had been \"revised\" and confirmed it is a new regulation under recently enacted state law.

Committee members asked whether transferring students from other jurisdictions would bring reportable-offense records; staff said there is not a routine obligation for students to self-report prior incidents and that records transfer questions require separate follow-up. The committee requested a link to the full regulation be included in future committee materials.","Montgomery County Public Schools staff briefed the Policy Management Committee on Feb. 27 about a regulation—COA RC—implementing Maryland law on reportable student offenses that occur off school property or outside school-sponsored events.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6304808,"Committee sends revised Workforce Excellence policy to full board after focus on onboarding and supervisor support",602,3423000,4025000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2452986-017cd9eacd18d4b1760fe95cd92df7fb&start=3423&end=4025","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2452986-017cd9eacd18d4b1760fe95cd92df7fb/thumbnail_3423000.jpg","/articles/6304808/Maryland/Committee-sends-revised-Workforce-Excellence-policy-to-full-board-after-focus-on-onboarding-and-supervisor-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6304808-6f1cc70346c9e7583d17b38bf03b727c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771012280&Signature=DCpYX92sxO0haVlGg9~dwkDR4PmOSGjj6xG9PeD4IALV4dh9BBTA1i7lDyjCx0ao5yPtj9Sa-2tFLVLm7IulruTWSDobD-YsvViKGfvpNbSiPbobexn1984ZJv7qF21OujoaUIUgfHbfty3FibwgwaSTbCzsb7A25SKO4tDrFOHnNSOvQLiIpEx1KJjL7L7QH28eUbRMSEhsYPjDwkJoTdGnPC4g0q17IRHy6BjhxUBR45Lr2J3HF65Ayfvqr91MmTCsV6JTiG-AjPSZFnnIgowmkMFW7sLMHZma4zMiTCb1VJzGotmJbEMC8I9jgQ31Ba6gQHTUBnRTcTlYnin2pQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Montgomery County Board of Education Policy Management Committee on Feb. 27 voted to send the revised draft of Policy GAA—retitled \"Workforce Excellence\"—to the full board for final action after staff highlighted changes made in response to public comments.

Sally Davis, supervisor of policy and regulations in the Office of General Counsel, summarized the revision and said the board's core purpose statement would remain central while the policy was reframed to emphasize workforce excellence as essential to student success. April Key, chief of the Office of Human Resources and Development, outlined key substantive updates.

\"There are a number of comments about onboarding new employees,\" April Key said. She described added language to require role-specific onboarding and systemwide compliance training (for example, annual mandatory-reporting training), and said staff did not recommend calling out individual positions by name.

Staff also added language clarifying shared responsibility among MCPS leadership and supervisors for timely, learning-focused professional development and evaluation. Key said the policy stresses three interconnected functions of a professional growth system: onboarding and role-specific skill building; career advancement and leadership pathways; and fair, structured responses when performance falls short.

Several board members offered technical edits and policy-direction questions. Carla Silvestri (board member at-large) pointed to wording and phrasing edits in the draft packet. Julie Yang said the committee should maintain momentum developing regulations and procedures if the policy is approved; staff said procedures exist and that a regulation could follow with a projected completion by winter if expedited.

The committee voted unanimously with those present to refer draft Policy GAA to the full board for final action.","The Policy Management Committee reviewed updates to draft Policy GAA—renamed Workforce Excellence—including expanded onboarding language, supervisor professional learning, connection to Employee Assistance Program, and emphasis on role-specific training; the committee voted unanimously to forward the draft to the full board.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Policy committee advances draft on investigations of employee misconduct after public-comment revisions

Committee reviews new regulation on reportable student offenses and communication with law enforcement

Committee sends revised Workforce Excellence policy to full board after focus on onboarding and supervisor support