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Board of Education Update:
May 8, 2026

On May 5th, the Montgomery County Board of Education was proud to celebrate the 2026 Distinguished Service to Education Honors, applauding the incredible impact of our students, staff, and community partners. At its May 7th work session, the Board received updates on the 2026–2027 math acceleration model. This includes the transition from “compacted math” to cluster grouping for grades 3 through 5—a model designed to provide high-level, personalized challenges for students within their regular classrooms. The Board also reviewed revisions to Policy IGS on emerging technologies, setting clear guardrails for ethical use of artificial intelligence, data privacy, and academic integrity while ensuring a balance between innovation and human oversight. Additionally, the Board discussed updates to Policy BFA, which aims to make the district’s policy-making process more open and easier for families to access.

Distinguished Service to Education Honors | Math Curriculum | Policy IGS | Policy BFA |

2026 Distinguished Service to Education Honors: Celebrating Excellence, Leadership, and Community Impact

The Montgomery County Board of Education and MCPS invite you to meet the stars of the 2026 Distinguished Service to Education Honors. This inspiring evening recognized the students, educators, and partners whose heart and hard work transform our schools.

The celebration proudly honored 2026–2027 Teacher of the Year Michelle Elie for her extraordinary leadership and passion, alongside Legislator of the Year Delegate Greg Wims, Legacy Award winner Jamie Darvish and DARCARS, Supporting Services Employee of the Year Oscar Alvarenga, and Community Partner winner Donald Williams. We invite you to see the full list of winners and watch the highlights from this night of excellence.

View the photo gallery.

MCPS Shares More Details on New Math Acceleration and Literacy Plans

MCPS presented additional information to the Board this week about how the new math curriculum and acceleration model will roll out beginning in the 2026–2027 school year. Following the Board’s recent approval of the Amplify Desmos curriculum, the district plans to phase out the current “compacted math” model for grades 4 and 5. Instead, advanced learners will now be supported through “cluster grouping” in grades 3 through 5 where they will access above grade level content while ensuring there are no skill gaps as often happens when curriculum is compacted. In this model, students remain with their peers while receiving specialized instruction and deeper enrichment tailored to their specific skill levels.

MCPS staff indicated that step-by-step guidance for families and schools will continue to be developed ahead of the 2026–2027 rollout.

Learn more about the new math curriculum pathways.

Policy IGS: Guiding the Future of Artificial Intelligence in the Classroom

The Board reviewed public feedback on Policy IGS, Emerging Technologies in Education. This policy creates a roadmap for using tools like artificial intelligence (AI) safely and fairly. Key updates address top community concerns, including protecting student data privacy and the environmental impact of AI data centers. The revised policy reaffirms that teachers remain the primary decision-makers in the classroom and advocates for "screen-free" time in elementary schools to support healthy brain development.

What’s Next: The Board is scheduled to take a final vote to adopt this policy on May 21, 2026.
Implementation: Once approved, the district will carefully vet all AI tools and provide staff training on spotting AI-generated misinformation.

Modernizing District Policy: Updates to Policy BFA

The Board also reviewed changes to Policy BFA, which governs how MCPS creates and updates its official rules. These updates focus on making the "how" and "why" behind district decisions clearer to the public.

Key Highlights of the Proposed Changes:

Meaningful Community Voice: In response to feedback from over 200 community members, the Board is committing to showing exactly how your input changed the final version of a policy.
Checking for Results: New provisions will require the district to track if a policy is actually working and take quick action if goals aren't being met.
Easier Tracking: The updated process will make it simpler for parents to see which policies are being reviewed and find historical changes.

Read the Policy BFA Presentation