April 14, 2026 – Parent Submission
For the past eight years, my daughter has been enrolled in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). During that time, she has been consistently denied appropriate services, subjected to repeated safety failures, and left without the transition support she is legally entitled to under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). What we have experienced is not a series of isolated incidents, but a clear and sustained pattern of systemic failure.
From 2023 through 2026 alone, we have participated in over 50 meetings with MCPS staff, including more than 17 IEP meetings within a single year. Despite this level of engagement, there has been no meaningful progress. Instead, the same cycle continues: concerns are raised, assurances are made, and no action follows. As a result, my daughter is now approaching the end of her senior year without a finalized IEP, without a confirmed school placement, and without any meaningful transition plan.
The failures began early. When we relocated to Maryland during the 2017–2018 school year, MCPS claimed they had lost my daughter’s records, despite those records being sent multiple times. She went an entire school year without an IEP and was placed in environments where she was expected to assist other students rather than receive instruction. When I was finally able to view her file, it was essentially empty. Only after I personally provided documentation did MCPS recreate her IEP, largely copying from prior records instead of conducting proper evaluations. During that same period, testing was conducted without my consent, and access to her educational records was repeatedly denied.
In addition to academic failures, my daughter has experienced repeated and severe bullying throughout her time in MCPS. At John F. Kennedy High School, she has been physically assaulted, had objects thrown at her, and received death threats. Despite the existence of a Safety Plan, it has not been effectively implemented. Staff intervention occurs only after she attempts to defend herself. This pattern of inaction has been consistent since elementary school, where she experienced repeated harm that contributed to long-term anxiety and the need for private placement.
MCPS has also repeatedly misrepresented programs and made inappropriate placement decisions. We were directed to Kennedy High School based on the claim that it offered a baking program aligned with my daughter’s interests. That program did not exist as described. As a result, she was removed from a nonpublic placement and placed into an environment that did not meet her needs. At the same time, MCPS has attempted to push her into the Learning for Independence (LFI) program, despite clear evidence that she can perform the skills being taught. While she may have areas to improve, that is true for any student. The LFI environment, as experienced, has largely consisted of students sitting in a room with limited meaningful engagement, which does not reflect her abilities or support her growth.
The absence of transition services is one of the most significant failures. My daughter is now a senior, yet there has been no structured transition plan. There has been no meaningful job placement support, no individualized programming, and no follow-through. In one example, I personally secured a bakery contact to help her gain employment experience. MCPS failed to follow directions, went to the wrong location, and later misrepresented their actions. When I followed up, one bakery had never heard from them, and another had been waiting for contact that never occurred.
During a November meeting, I submitted a formal demand requesting placement in the University of Maryland Terps Program, which aligns with my daughter’s abilities and goals. That request was never addressed. Instead, MCPS continued to offer the same limited Montgomery College options that my daughter had already participated in, demonstrating a lack of individualized planning.
MCPS’s approach to compensatory and related services further reflects a pattern of avoidance. Proposed rates of approximately $75 per hour make it difficult to secure qualified providers. Independent evaluations are funded but then disregarded, and recommended services are not implemented. Instead, responsibilities are shifted onto already overburdened teachers under supplementary supports, which is not appropriate.
Leadership changes have also failed to produce results. The supervisor assigned was removed from his supervisory role and reassigned to transportation. His replacement, initially presented herself as proactive and solution-oriented. However, since February, there has been no meaningful follow-up, no completed evaluations, and no action plan. Additional leadership involvement, has not resulted in improvement. This directly contradicts public statements made by district leadership regarding declining student enrollment, as experiences like this reflect the reality families face.
There have also been serious concerns regarding staff conduct. The assigned transition coordinator, attended a Slush and Crush event involving my daughter without notifying me, despite having my contact information. She left her own sick child at home to attend and presented herself as working with students through a nonprofit. However, when questioned, she could not verify those claims. This raises concerns about intent and professionalism.
MCPS has repeatedly denied access to my daughter’s records. In November, I was told the records had been located and verified. When I finally reviewed them in December 2025, numerous documents were missing, information was inaccurate, and some records appeared falsified. This included medical documentation that contained impossible data, referencing information from before my daughter was born. This reflects a long-term issue with record integrity.
While MCPS has failed to provide transition services, I have taken on that responsibility myself. I have coordinated opportunities, arranged educational experiences, and exposed my daughter to real-world environments. She has taken college courses, toured universities across the country and internationally, and is currently participating in educational experiences abroad. These are the types of opportunities that should be supported by the school system, not left entirely to the parent.
The impact of these failures has been significant. My daughter is emotionally overwhelmed, increasingly self-conscious, and experiencing regression after prior progress. The impact extends beyond her, affecting our entire family, including our stability and living arrangements due to the ongoing stress and demands of this situation. As a United States Navy veteran, I have spent over $100,000 pursuing services that should have been provided by law.
After eight years, the outcome is clear. There is no transition plan, no accountability, and no urgency. These failures are systemic. If I were not actively intervening, my daughter’s situation would have significantly deteriorated.
This is not just about one student. It is about a system that continues to fail the students it is legally required to serve.
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There’s a lot of misinformation in this article. If she was better informed she would know there is no MCPS Terp Program for students in, that is a summer program they apply for through UMD. Dunking on MC programs is actually insane given how many opportunities that opens for my kids. Depending on her schooo there’s either a MC2 or Dual Enrollment Program…. That’s the only higher ed programs they have in MCPS.
We are another family impacted by the systemic failures of MCPS special education. Our child’s IDEA rights are consistently violated, transportation has not been provided for several weeks at the beginning of the school year 2 years in a row, and service providers systematically strip away services. There is no recourse.